Despite finishing runner-up to Scottie Scheffler at the Tour Championship, Viktor Hovland still managed to turn heads at East Lake. Just not for the reason fans might expect.
Following Sunday's final round, a video of Hovland's bunker shot on the 13th hole went viral. The shot itself wasn't the story. Instead, viewers focused on what happened just before Hovland struck the ball. Immediately, a debate started over and whether he should have been **** sed a two-stroke penalty.
Hovland found himself in a green side bunker on the par-4 13th during Sunday's final round. While he eventually walked away with a bogey, a slow-motion replay raised questions about whether the result should have been much worse.
The replay appeared to show Hovland's wedge getting extremely close to the sand behind his ball before he played his shot. That immediately brought USGA Rule 12.2b into the conversation.
The rule applies specifically to bunkers and prohibits a player from touching the sand with a club before making a stroke. Among other things, players cannot touch the sand with their club in the area in front of or behind the ball. This includes during a practice swing and during the backswing.
#hovland #sand #bunker
Following Sunday's final round, a video of Hovland's bunker shot on the 13th hole went viral. The shot itself wasn't the story. Instead, viewers focused on what happened just before Hovland struck the ball. Immediately, a debate started over and whether he should have been **** sed a two-stroke penalty.
Hovland found himself in a green side bunker on the par-4 13th during Sunday's final round. While he eventually walked away with a bogey, a slow-motion replay raised questions about whether the result should have been much worse.
The replay appeared to show Hovland's wedge getting extremely close to the sand behind his ball before he played his shot. That immediately brought USGA Rule 12.2b into the conversation.
The rule applies specifically to bunkers and prohibits a player from touching the sand with a club before making a stroke. Among other things, players cannot touch the sand with their club in the area in front of or behind the ball. This includes during a practice swing and during the backswing.
#hovland #sand #bunker
10 days ago
