Lexi Thompson's delayed penalty

Hi Sandy!

 

She was using the lettering on the ball to aid her putting line. Line it up with the correct line and putt down the numbers.

 

And per Decision 20-3a/2, this is perfectly legal.

 

Maybe they'll come back today and call a penalty on themselves and give her the title.
If they're going to allow this nonsense, how is there not a statute of limitations on these sorts of things? Like, say, the start of the next round? If Johnny McRulesdouche hadn't watched the third round on his DVR until Monday and Thompson won, would they strip her of the title?

 

No, because the competition has been closed.

Rule 34-1b: In stroke play, a penalty must not be rescinded, modified or imposed after the competition has closed. A competition has been closed when the result has been officially announced or, in stroke-play qualifying followed by match play, when the player has teed off in his first match.

There is an exception to this (34-1b iv), but it requires that the player in question knew before the competition closed that he or she was in breach of a rule. Thompson clearly didn't fit that exception.

 

Is there anything she could do that's egregious enough that no one would complain if a penalty were enforced a day later?

 

So when does it become penalty-worth? a sixteenth of an inch? An eighth of an inch? A quarter inch? A half inch?

 

I don't think such a scenario exists, since if it was particularly egregious, either the walking rules official or her fellow-competitor would have called her on such a violation on the spot.

 

If she's licensed to kill gophers by the government of the United Nations, no penalty.

 

I like Tiricos idea. Have a dedicated rules official who does nothing but sit onsite, and watch the TV Coverage. If they see a rules violation, handle it right then and there. No more of Joe Sixpack calling in from his trailer when he sees a ball move or a mis-mark.

 

With all due respect, fuck that! These are all picayune, nothing calls that do nothing to change the course of a tournament. Let it fucking go.