What’s going on here? South African Jbe Kruger winning in India? I thought Jbe only came out of hibernation for two weeks in January for the Joburg and Africa Opens?
Well yesterday I got my answer when Jbe resurfaced in New Delhi of all places to win his first European Tour title and €300,000 thanks to a solid final-round of three-under par 69.
The day started with three shots between the top 15 but it was the 25 year old that held his head to beat Spaniard Jorge Campillo and Marcel Siem who bettered his fourth place finish of last week.
Unfortunately for the European Tour, the event was soured by the bizarre disqualification of Peter Whiteford who was within one shot of Kruger after three holes of his final round. The disqualification was for a penalty when it was deemed that his moved ball on the 18th fairway during his round on Saturday. At the time Whiteford checked with his caddie, Jean Baptiste Gonnet and the cameraman behind man, all of who said they didn’t see the ball move.
The incident was reported bya number of viewers including one “armchair referee” that apparently had the highlights recorded on Sky plus, noticed the ball move and emailed the European Tour to complain.
The Tour rules committee reviewed the incident on Sunday morning and chief referee John Paramor took the decision to disqualify Whiteford three holes into his final round. A statement was then issued saying.
“On the 18th fairway during the third round while playing his approach shot, Peter Whiteford felt that his ball may have moved and for confirmation asked his caddy, a fellow competitor and a TV cameraman, who said they didn’t think it had, and so he continued on to finish the hole and sign his scorecard for 72.
Overnight several viewers contacted the European Tour website saying that Peter Whiteford’s ball had in fact moved on the 18th hole. This was reviewed by the Rules Committee who were able to determine that the ball had in fact moved. Peter Whiteford should have incurred a penalty of one stroke and replaced the ball. As he did not do so, he was disqualified for signing for a score lower than taken for failing to include the penalty he had incurred.
The Rules Committee considered the decision 33-7/4.5 which allows a committee in certain circumstances to modify the disqualification penalty and apply a penalty shot if the player had reasonably known he had incurred a penalty. If Peter Whiteford had contacted a member of the Rules Team before signing his scorecard, the footage would have been reviewed at the time and he would have averted the disqualification penalty.”
Whiteford didnt comment after being hauled off the course but on reviewing the video it is clear that he was looking towards the green and was addressing the ball when it appeared to move.
This issue came to the fore last year when Padraig Harrington incurred a penalty when his ball moved on the green, and though the rule was amended thereafter to assist players whose ball was moved by an outside agency, it didn’t seem to be invoked in this case.
Rule 8-1. By Outside Agency
If a ball at rest is moved by an outside agency, there is no penalty and the ball must be replaced. Note: It is a question of fact whether a ball has been moved by an outside agency. In order to apply this Rule, it must be known or virtually certain that an outside agency has moved the ball. In the absence of such knowledge or certainty, the player must play the ball as it lies or, if the ball is not found, proceed under Rule 27-1.
It seems clear from the video that in Whiteford’s there was an absense of knowledge or certainty that the ball moved, since he was looking away at the time.
Furthermore the new Rules book covering 2012-2015 says
Following an exhaustive, four-year review of golf’s 34 playing Rules, nine principal Rules have been amended to improve clarity and ensure penalties are proportionate. Significant changes include:
Ball Moving After Address (Rule 18-2b). A new exception is added which exonerates the player from penalty if their ball moves after it has been addressed when it is known or virtually certain that they did not cause the ball to move. For example, if it is a gust of wind that moves the ball after it has been addressed, there is no penalty and the ball is played from its new position.
Some may say “the referee is always right” but in this case it’s debatable. And whatever we decide it will bescant consolation to Peter Whiteford.
Meanwhile over in California it was one for the sadists as the Riviera Country Club again got the better of the field at the Northern Trust Open. Bill Haas, the 2011 FedEx Cup Champion and Tour Championship winner emerged triumphant from a three man playoff with Phil Mickelson and Keegan Bradley.
It was almost like Haas wasn’t supposed to be in the playoff as Mickelson and his young apprentice Bradley battled each other and the course dramatically all day. However when Haas came up on the rails and posted 7 under it was as if someone told the cameraman “hang on a minute, this guy over here could win”. The first shot the cameraman got of Haas all day was on the range hitting balls to get ready for the playoff.
Mickelson and Bradley both came to the final hole one shot behind Haas and found themselves both making clutch birdie putts amid rapturous crowd scenes to force a three was playoff.
Haas, clearly not the crowd favourite on this occasion then made a 43-foot putt on the second playoff hole to clinch his fourth PGA Tour win. The other big winner of the week was the course. Solid, tough and without tricks, it surely deserves to be considered as a future US Open venue.
