The rule issue that Patrick Reed faced in the third round of the Farmers Insurance Open is one that Rory McIlroy also faced – without a legal officer and with virtually no fanfare.
Reed was allowed to take a drop of what he believes was a built-in lie on the tenth hole, and this sparked considerable suspicion as to whether it was justified.
He picked up his ball, thought he was entitled to relief, and then agreed with official Brad Fabel, who tested the ground briefly, and gave Reed the free fall. He continues to equalize the hole and starts the fourth round tied with the lead at Torrey Pines with Carlos Ortiz.
Repetitions showed that Reed’s ball bounced, which he later admitted would suggest it was not embedded, but no one was aware of it at the time.
Also on Saturday, McIlroy’s second shot after the par-5 18th hole in the right came to a halt and he believed his ball was stuffed. McIlroy can be heard saying this to another player in the group, Rory Sabbatini, who, without investigating the lie, signed off on McIlroy’s request to drop. No rule officer was called.
According to the PGA Tour, both cases were handled properly.
“It was reasonable for both players to conclude – based on the fact that they do not see the ball land, but given the lie of the ball in soft course conditions – that they continue, as the rule is a potential embedded ball possible make, “the Tour said in a statement. “They marked, lifted and assessed the situation to determine if the ball was embedded.
“Patrick went a step further and asked a legal official to make sure that his assessment would not be questioned (although this step is not necessary). Both players took proper relief under Rule 16/3. The committee is comfortable with how both players fared because they used the evidence they had at the time. ‘
Reed has undergone considerable investigation for his actions. The CBS broadcast team, including six-time grand champion Nick Faldo, questioned how a ball could embed after bouncing. Reed, who has had rule-related issues in the past, including during the 2019 Hero World Challenge, has since faced several media questions about it, saying he believes he is handling the matter properly, given what he knows.
Later, Reed pushed the opponents back against Twitter, noting that McIlroy thought the same thing without any back pressure.
https://t.co/qza5Aa1yrS. RORY MCILROY @McIlroyRory DID THE SAME MAKE IT ON HOLE 18 TODAY! AND HAVE NOT YET CALLED AN OFFICIAL RULES TO SERVE THE BALL. END OF STORY.
– Patrick Reed (@PReedGolf) 31 January 2021
“Rory McIlroy did the same thing on hole 18 today!” Already tweeted. ‘And did not even call an official of the rule to consider the ball embedded. End of story. ‘