robbest3offthetee
Tour Rookie
He must have felt he nudged the ball when picking up his marker,so should have called a penalty on himself at the time,so avoiding d/q....
Harrington Disqualified..?
- Thread starter StrangelyBrown
- Start date
Golfmmad
Tour Winner
It's becoming farcical, almost like trial by television viewer! But, I think it's up to the players to take responsibility themselves. As Ian Poulter did when his ball marker moved - called a penalty on himself and no disqualification.
Harrington must have realised he nudged his ball and should therefore of acted accordingly. Not the action of an Ambassador for the game in my opinion.
Golfmmad.
Harrington must have realised he nudged his ball and should therefore of acted accordingly. Not the action of an Ambassador for the game in my opinion.
Golfmmad.
Lawrence22
Challenge Tour Pro
Harrington has already admitted that he was aware he nudged the ball. He said at the time he thought that the ball only oscillated which is why he didn't replace it. He has fully accepted the ruling and has backed the rule which has gotten him DQ'd. Saying if you are let off where does it stop, next time it will be 5 dimples the half an inch and so on.
Lawrence22
Challenge Tour Pro
From pga website, here's exactly what he said.
Harrington said: "I was aware I hit the ball picking up my coin. I looked down at the time and was pretty sure it had just oscillated and had not moved, so I continued on.
"In slow motion it's pretty clear the ball has moved three dimples forward and it's come back maybe a dimple and a half.
"At the end of the day that's good enough, but I wouldn't have done anything differently yesterday - there was nothing I could do about it at that moment in time.
"If I'd called a referee over it would have been pointless because if he'd asked me where my ball was I'd have said it was there. As far as I was concerned it didn't move."
He added: “I felt I knew the rule at the time. I applied the rule as best I could in the situation but looking at the video today, it's pretty clear that it, you know, it's a hundred per cent looks like the ball has moved forward and not far enough back, and that's the issue at heart.
“I do believe that the rule is correct in terms of we have to be very precise about how we mark our golf balls and position the golf ball is in, and I do agree, I do fully agree, even though it's only a dimple and a half, in the end of the day, you know, somebody down the road could use five dimples as being okay and the next guy would use an inch as being okay.
“So I think it's fair enough that the penalty is there on the face of it.â€
Harrington said: "I was aware I hit the ball picking up my coin. I looked down at the time and was pretty sure it had just oscillated and had not moved, so I continued on.
"In slow motion it's pretty clear the ball has moved three dimples forward and it's come back maybe a dimple and a half.
"At the end of the day that's good enough, but I wouldn't have done anything differently yesterday - there was nothing I could do about it at that moment in time.
"If I'd called a referee over it would have been pointless because if he'd asked me where my ball was I'd have said it was there. As far as I was concerned it didn't move."
He added: “I felt I knew the rule at the time. I applied the rule as best I could in the situation but looking at the video today, it's pretty clear that it, you know, it's a hundred per cent looks like the ball has moved forward and not far enough back, and that's the issue at heart.
“I do believe that the rule is correct in terms of we have to be very precise about how we mark our golf balls and position the golf ball is in, and I do agree, I do fully agree, even though it's only a dimple and a half, in the end of the day, you know, somebody down the road could use five dimples as being okay and the next guy would use an inch as being okay.
“So I think it's fair enough that the penalty is there on the face of it.â€
If he thought the ball had moved, he could of replaced it without a penalty, so although "he must have felt he nudged the ball" in his eyes it only oscillated and not moved.
USER1999
Grand Slam Winner
Thing is, if he hadn't moved it, but thought he might have done, but subsequently 'put it back', he would be penalised too, for moving it further away from the hole. Since he didn't know he had moved it, he can't win without asking for a tv replay, which is not available.
I guess he should have played two balls, and asked for a ruling later. Which would give an advantage for the second putt as essentially he would be putting from the same place twice.
This is daft. I can't see how either he, or a rules official could have resolved this.
I guess he should have played two balls, and asked for a ruling later. Which would give an advantage for the second putt as essentially he would be putting from the same place twice.
This is daft. I can't see how either he, or a rules official could have resolved this.
Golfmmad
Tour Winner
Surely he should have called the referee over, just to be sure. Then the referee could have dealt with it there and then. I know, easily said in hindsight!
Golfmmad.
Golfmmad.
USER1999
Grand Slam Winner
But how would that work? The ref would ask 'did you move it', Paddy would say I don't think so, ref would let him putt out, and then he'ed still get dq'ed later.
bobmac
Major Champion
I believe in this instance the referee asks the player to mark the ball again, then replace it and carry on with no penalty.
This satisfies the rule of replacing the ball.
This satisfies the rule of replacing the ball.
Golfmmad
Tour Winner
Who knows Murph. 
It would've been really harsh having called the ref, discussed it, putted out and then still get disqualified.
Golfmmad.
It would've been really harsh having called the ref, discussed it, putted out and then still get disqualified.Golfmmad.
USER1999
Grand Slam Winner
But if he did tht, he would then put it back in the same place as it currently is, and would still have gained 1/2 a mm.
How does that help?
How does that help?
Golfmmad
Tour Winner
Maybe the viewer that E-mailed in, after seeing the ref getting involved wouldn't have bothered to E-mail.
Golfmmad.
Golfmmad.
The problem is, Harrington realised he brushed the ball when picking up his marker, but didn't think he moved it. So do you get a referee involved every time this happens? Can you imagine 150 players doing this....we'd be looking at 5 hour rounds...opps they all take that long.
Robobum
Money List Winner
It doesn't matter if the ball was in the right place or not if the referee was involved, his decision is final (even if incorrect).
That's the thing that surprises me most about this, normally players don't even sneeze without getting a rulling on it first.
That's the thing that surprises me most about this, normally players don't even sneeze without getting a rulling on it first.
viscount17
Money List Winner
If he called the ref, who then decided the ball hadn't moved, wouldn't anything afterward be ignored as the ref had made his decision?
USER1999
Grand Slam Winner
Can a referee over ride a rule of golf? I thought no one could. That's the whole point of rules.
Golfmmad
Tour Winner
After this today I think more and more players will be doing just that.
Unless of course a ruling is made, they certainly need to do something, as I mentioned earlier, it's becoming farcical!
Golfmmad.
Unless of course a ruling is made, they certainly need to do something, as I mentioned earlier, it's becoming farcical!
Golfmmad.
Robobum
Money List Winner
How is he over riding anything, he is the one making the decision based on the facts and the rule.
Bacardibatman
Challenge Tour Pro
audio interviews from ET site
P.H. on it
http://www.europeantour.com/videoaudio/audio/audioid=133223.html
Andy McFee on it
http://www.europeantour.com/videoaudio/audio/audioid=133223.html
P.H. on it
http://www.europeantour.com/videoaudio/audio/audioid=133223.html
Andy McFee on it
http://www.europeantour.com/videoaudio/audio/audioid=133223.html
USER1999
Grand Slam Winner
The rule states that the ball must be replaced if it has been moved. If he allows Paddy to not replace it, then he has over ruled the rules.
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