Leader rejects 'absurd' free drop on 72nd hole after strange TIO rules debate
Beau Hossler was at the center of a controversial rules debate on the 72nd hole on Sunday.
NBC
Purpose is nine-tenths of the law.
And, apparently, the rules of golf.
Beau Hossler learned this lesson the hard way Sunday at the Sanderson Farms Championship, when a rules official denied him a tee shot on the 72nd hole while holding onto the lead.
Our strange rules situation begins on the 18th hole, when Hossler – then tied for the lead at 23 under – blasts his drive on the 72nd hole to the left of the fairway and in the wrong place: clinging to the back of a tree trunk.
Generally, these conditions in the golf world are close to cut and dry. Looking at his playing area, Hossler had no choice but to step out from behind the trees and back onto the fairway, setting up a tricky (but doable) uphill approach from the fairway to extend the contest.
But when Hossler approached his ball, he saw an opportunity to apply the rules of golf. His ball was against a tree trunk, yes, but in on the left on the tree trunk were Sanderson's 18th hole fairways, which would give him a good chance at the most controversial free tee in the golf world: TIO.
First, a quick refresher. Temporary Immovable Obstructions (or TIO) relief comes when a grandstand or other structure used for tournament play obstructs the player's line between his golf ball and the hole. Because these structures are considered outside of the normal challenges of the golf course, the local rule adopted by the PGA Tour allows players to have a free “line of sight,” which allows the player to be let loose near the hole.
Given his loose position, Hossler stood to benefit unusually from such a decision, which may have allowed him to clear the ball from the tree trunk and hit the green with his own. the second time shooting, it is not necessary for such a competition to extend up and down.
There was only one problem: Hossler's case for TIO relief was missing. His ball landed on the trunk of the tree and left him no angle without a hole to reach the green. If he happened to hit his shot on the other side of the tree trunk, on the left, he had no chance of hitting the green at all, and the large fairways – while providing an obstacle to the progression of his ball – had no chance of blocking the path.
Naturally, that didn't stop Hossler from trying to exercise his rights under the rules of golf. He called out two law enforcement officials during a few-minute exchange that was partially broadcast on the Golf Channel (the network was forced to stop mid-interview for a commercial break).
“What would you say if I just tell you that I'm straight?” [left] the tent?” Hossler was heard asking the law enforcement officer.
“What if the tree was 20 yards further?” He was heard asking again.
Soon, it became clear that Hossler's pursuit of help was in jeopardy. In its place behind the tree, his ball was in a precarious position – so in fact, it risked any reasonable argument for the TIO's exemption being dismissed as unnecessary. He would hit on purpose in the middle grandstand, or he would just go outside the fairway.
After a few minutes of banter, both officials made their final decision: he would have to punch out.
“It doesn't make sense for you to play in that place,” one of them told Hossler, pointing towards the top.
Seconds later, that's exactly what Hossler did — trying to stop a streak that pushed the contest into the playoffs. On the first qualifying hole – ironically, and on the 18th hole after the following TIO Debate – Hossler's opponent, Kevin Yu, birdied the putt to win the tournament.
Even after receiving TIO assistance for the second time, Hossler would go home Sunday night at Sanderson Farms as the second-place finisher.
But his efforts, at least in the eyes of the rules of golf, were second-rate.
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