Golf Players

Sam Burns’ unlucky shot leads to unusual ruling at Genesis Scottish Open



In the third round of the 2023 Genesis Scottish Open, Sam Burns’ second shot got caught in the lip of a fairway sod bunker on the par-5 10th hole. Burns called for a ruling and after a lengthy discussion, rules officials determined that relief would not be granted since the top layer of sod was still part of the bunker. Burns proceeded to make a triple bogey on the hole.

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Just one week away from The Open Championship, the PGA TOUR and DP World Tour go across the pond to Scotland this week for the Genesis Scottish Open at The Renaissance Club. Nearing the end of the season, the TOUR has four co-sanctioned events with the DP World Tour over the coming weeks. The field is full of the very best with Jon Rahm being the only top-10 player in the world electing to sit out before the year’s final major. World No.1 Scottie Scheffler is among those top players in the field this week. He’ll feel confident in his chances after finishing in the top 5 in his last three starts and in the top 12 in his last 18 starts. Wins at the WM Phoenix Open and THE PLAYERS Championship, coupled with top-10 finishes in the first three majors of the year, will mean he’ll look to be in the running come Sunday. Defending champion Xander Schauffele returns this week. He’s gathered momentum recently with 10 straight top-25 finishes and the all-time lowest round at a major in last month’s U.S. Open. An in-form Rory McIlroy will also be teeing it up this week having claimed five top-10 finishes in a row, including his runner-up finish at the U.S. Open. Tommy Fleetwood, Patrick Cantlay, Viktor Hovland and Rickie Fowler will also like their chances in Scotland.

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43 Comments

  1. The very top layer is interrupting his swing. If that top layer was not there his swing path could be significantly less vertical. If i was given this ruling i would intentionally remove as much as possible of that top layer of sod with my swing. Probably a half swing then a heft wrenching motion through and up causing as much damage as possible.

  2. Never cease to amaze me how quickly players call for rulling officials to get a nice ruling that will take care of their f ups! Play it as it lies or ytake an unplayable under the stroke rule!
    It looks like Philadelphia lawyers will find their way as rules officials!

  3. Once again the DP Tour nd its worthless rule official F a great play. The PGA Tour management and DP Tour and those the work for them are garbage. If this was Rory or Tiger…you bet they would have not come to this conclusion. FU the PGA AND DP

  4. Why in the world don’t they get a video going between each other. The radio approach is ridiculous.

  5. Seems like a simple decision. Not sure why an official even needs to be involved. It's your own fault the ball is there, so play it as it lies

  6. Is there ever going to be a Golf Official that actually knows the rules. No reason for it to take that long

  7. Take your medicine. Face the teebox, back to green…standing on firm ground above ball & just chip sideways to fairway. Nail your approach from there & chance to save bogey

  8. Jesus, couldn't he just have texted the official a photo of the damn ball instead of wasting all that time ?

  9. The confusion and request were all fine… the attempt was weak. Looks like he was being a bit bratty. Most of us casuals have hit shots out of that spot before, must better than this guy.

  10. And no one has a phone to take a picture to send to who he's talking to. Because his description seems to not be getting through.

  11. Did that referee just walk out of the crowd or is he on holiday from Oz? I feel for Burns having to listen to these numpties. He’s only trying it on like the rest of the tour players always do but he’s dealing with non professional referees.

  12. The eventual decision was correct. These pro’s tend to expect special rulings wherever they go. Rory, Spieth and Woods are the worst. Just play the ball as it lies!

  13. This is ridiculous – everyone on the planet could have seen this on video, but the referee couldn't? Just get your phone out and FaceTime the booth ref FFS.

  14. the first rules official did not have the English to explain, just play the ball as is, all this shyt about the sod, play the ball, way too long a hold up.

  15. This was utter nonsense and a complete waste of time.
    He made a bad shot and his ball got lodged near the top lip of the sand bunker, which is inbounds and not in any kind of OB or penalty area anyway.
    He has no choice but to play the ball as is and just use a club of his choice to punch it out.
    Either way, extra strokes will be required to finish the hole.
    Too bad, so sad.

  16. Should of asked the official if the ball was in the bunker and then if not deemed to be in the bunker, take an unplayable, and drop as far back as he liked, chances of getting on the green much better.

  17. FaceTime, whatsapp video … use modern technology, my friend to show the chief referee how it looks ! Jeez …

  18. Interference with intended swing ? Embedded ball ? Seams in sod? No experience from official? Americans in Scotland?

  19. Instead of explaining minutes on how the ball lies, wouldn't it have been much easier to take a picture or even a short video of the situation and send it to the rules official via whatsapp or whatever app? A picture tells more that 1000 words. Just my 2 cents.

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