Dontcha wish Dustin Johnson had a bit of George Brett in him?

[trumad]

[Kingofalldems]

1. Yep, what a chickenshit ruling

That didn't look like a bunker to me. I understand fans were actually walkng through it.

[RockaFowler]

2. That's what I don't get

How could they have people standing in the sand-trap?? Don't they have ropes or something keeping people off the fairway??

[wilt the stilt]

3. couple of things

the ruling is straight out of the book. Also, the players were warned in the clubhouse before the tournament started that all bunkers would be considered sand traps whether people walked in it or not. Johnson failed to read the directive.
Finally, all they had to do was ask the official and it would have been clarified.

Here is a good rule of thumb. If your ball is on sand treat it like a sand trap.

Also, that drive was pathetic. on almoat any other course he was probaly out of bounds and the putt was pure choke. It was a short stab of a putt which is classic choke.

[trumad]

4. Exactly

I read fifty different stories on this and everyone of them says it was in the rulebook and the players knew the rule.

Now---should the rule be adjusted for those kind of Sand hazards---perhaps.

[JonLP24]

5. I've read that

They adjusted the rule in 2004 because of confusion so they said all bunkers are hazard areas. The directive wilt mentions does warn players of the rule but Dustin Johnson admitted to not reading it. So did Nick Watney who said they get so many sheets for every tournament he doubts anyone actually reads them. I'll try to find that story but in the meantime I think changing the rule back would just create confusion on what is a bunker and what isn't.

On edit-I can easily see why Dustin Johnson made that mistake. From looking at it I thought it was just a patch of dirt from worn out grass.

[wilt the stilt]

6. The first video

If you look at it there is a defined lip in front of him. When the USGA disqualified Craig Stadler years ago for placing a towel down so he wouldn't muss his pants I thought it was ridiculous. However, when you ground your club in the sand you leave a mark and that mark can make a difference.

It is really the caddy's fault and what is interesting is that they had been talking to the judge on hole 14 and 16 about rulings. They just got too caught up in the moment.

One of the things about Woods was he was way more mature than his years and he would have never been caught in a situation like that. same with Mickelson. Those two always ask for rulings.

[JonLP24]

7. I don't know how many videos there are

but I watched that round. I did notice the announcers mentioning the lip which I could see from the dozens of replays from the incident. I also remember them jokingly suggesting that DJ should of had that spot raked.

I do agree he was caught up in the moment and the best thing for him to do was ask for a ruling. I'm also not saying it was a bad call or even that it is a bad rule.

[joeybee12]

8. Why, so DJ can talk about his obsession with hemorrhoids also?

That said, no, he was supposed to know the rules...he didn't...it was his responsibility, plain and simple.

[JonLP24]

9. I don't think it was a question of knowing the rules

I'm sure he is well aware of the rules such as grounding the club in a hazard. I believe his error was he did not REALIZE he was hitting out of a sand trap and I can't blame him. It had stuff growing out of it and the traditional bunkers you see are nothing but sand. I didn't see it as bunker well after he made his tying putt and the dozens of replays.

[joeybee12]

10. On the sheet he was given it did say it was a sand trap...it was his

responsibility to read that...other people said he was caught up in the moment, perhaps, but again, if he had read....

[JonLP24]

11. It would still be tough to tell with everyone crowded around him

I wasn't denying responsibility. He obviously has to live with the decision because it prevented him from playing in the playoff rounds. It does serve as an important reminder on how important the rules are and what to do in that kind of situation. I'll go to the sheet which was a reminder of the 2004 ruling that all sand traps are hazards rather than waste areas--the reason I say this as a reminder is Nick Watney said that the golfers get sheets every week over a course of hundreds of tournaments and doubts anyone actually reads them. That is why this serves as an important reminder because I believe this could of happened to anyone . It really did look like a patch of dirt that you would see from an area people constantly trample down. If you recall this bunker was outside the ropes in the rough with people standing around. He didn't have enough room as it is and maybe if he asked the spectators to back up more he would've seen that it possibly was and asked for a ruling. If you recall, spectators were standing on the other half of the bunker.

[joeybee12]

12. Well, I don't follow golf that closely, but wouldn't this mainly be a

screw-up by his caddie?

[JonLP24]

14. I'm not really sure

The right thing to do was ask for a ruling but then again he it was hard enough working his way through the gallery to get to his ball.

[joeybee12]

16. Well, I am sorry it happened to him..he melted down at the Open (I think)

but he didn't melt in the final round here, only to have this happen.

[PRETZEL]

13. I've read the same thing,

that the course rules were posted in the clubhouse in plain sight and that was rule #1.

Yeah, ultimately it was his and his caddie's responisibility to know that there were sand traps all along the right hand side.

But at the same time, the tourney officials really did a piss poor job of crowd management and basically let people walk through them and stand in them like it was nothing.

Like he said, he didn't give a second thought. Next time I bet he does.

[joeybee12]

15. I will add this...it does suck for him after his meltdown at whatever other

major (can't think of it) and he didn't fall apart here but had this happen.

[JonLP24]

17. US Open

I'm not 100% but that 4th round was the worst of his professional career in a place (Pebble Beach) where he does very well.

I'm reading an article that the author puts 75% of the blame on Bobby Brown(caddie) and 25% on Dustin Johnson to answer your question.

[joeybee12]

18. I think I read his 4th round was the worst ever for a leader after the

first three rounds.