At Glance
‣ Alejandro Tosti faced a challenging ruling at the Myrtle Beach Classic when his ball was deemed to be embedded inside a bunker, which meant he wasn’t entitled to free relief, leading to a bogey that halted his momentum.
‣ Tosti recorded the situation with his cellphone and shared it on Instagram, questioning the ruling by asking his followers if the ball was ‘outside’ or ‘inside’ the bunker, indicating his disagreement with the official decision.
‣ According to Rule 12.1 of golf, a ball is considered to be in a bunker if any part of it touches sand within the edge of the bunker or rests on ground where sand would normally be, among other conditions, which played a crucial role in the ruling against Tosti.
I’m not sure I’ve ever seen this. Alejandro Tosti got a ruling about an embedded ball he didn’t like yesterday in Myrtle Beach. He took out his phone and recorded the situation and lie
I’m not good with rules, but it looks like he has a point to me, it looks outside of bunker.— Monday Q Info (@acaseofthegolf1)
Golf rules? Yeah, they can be a real mixed bag. Sometimes, they’re your best friend, keeping things fair and square. But then, there are moments when they feel like they’re just out to get you. Take Alejandro Tosti’s experience at the Myrtle Beach Classic, for example. Talk about a rough break!
Tosti, with his eye-catching style, had managed to make the cut in South Carolina. He was all set for a big weekend push. However, his momentum hit a brick wall at the seventh hole. A ruling about his ball being embedded threw a wrench in his plans. Honestly, I’ve never seen anything quite like it.
So, here’s the scoop. After a bogey and a couple of birdies, Tosti’s tee shot at the seventh ended up in a fairway bunker. Not just anywhere, but embedded in the bank. He called over a rules official, hoping for some relief. Unfortunately, the verdict was that the ball was embedded inside the bunker, meaning no free relief for Tosti. Frustrated, he took to Instagram, recording the dilemma and even added a poll asking his followers if they thought the ball was “outside” or “inside.” Spoiler: the ruling didn’t swing in his favor.
Despite the setback, Tosti soldiered on, finishing the front nine one-over-par. His back nine was better, bringing him back to level-par for the round. But the final day didn’t treat him kindly, leaving him well behind the leaders.
Now, was Tosti right to question the ruling? According to Rule 12.1, a ball is considered in a bunker if any part of it touches the sand inside the bunker’s edge. But, and here’s where it gets interesting, if the ball is on soil, grass, or other natural objects inside the bunker’s edge without touching the sand, it’s technically not in the bunker. Makes you think, doesn’t it?
Remember Sam Burns’ ordeal at the Genesis Scottish Open back in 2023? His ball hit the bunker’s face and didn’t fall back into the sand. Despite a lengthy debate with the officials, he got no relief since the ball wasn’t embedded, and his shot wasn’t affected by the bunker’s seams. Just goes to show, the world of golf rules is anything but straightforward.
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And, just like that, another day on the green wraps up with its fair share of drama and debates. Ah, the joys of golf.
