Rory in bunker

[Spuddy]

8.1a removed sand. Like it or not. If you touch sand however little.

Look at the initial paragraph of that rule. You can remove sand etc providing you don’t improve the conditions affecting your stroke

 

[Colin L]

8.1a removed sand. Like it or not. If you touch sand however little.

That, to be blunt, is nonsense. A few grains of sand stick to my sweaty finger and that alters the conditions for my next stroke in any significant way? Let's be realistic.!

 

[Italian outcast]

It could be argued that when removing a true impediment such as a stone the surrounding sand would be fractionally altered - so some leeway must be expected and accepted in the spirit of the rules at least

More worrying may be Brysons response - he will be bringing his CSI mass spectrometer to analyse the true chemical nature of potential impediments before acting in any similar fashion

 

[rulefan]

8.1a removed sand. Like it or not. If you touch sand however little.

The rule does not prohibit touching sand. How do you know he removed any?
Further, the rule is conditional on the player improving the conditions affecting the stroke. and the TD said he didn't.

 

[drdel]

It could be argued that when removing a true impediment such as a stone the surrounding sand would be fractionally altered - so some leeway must be expected and accepted in the spirit of the rules at least

More worrying may be Brysons response - he will be bringing his CSI mass spectrometer to analyse the true chemical nature of potential impediments before acting in any similar fashion

I agree, any loose impedement will have some sand attached.

 

[Swinglowandslow]

Checking the wording of the rules, Italian Outcast has a good point. Rule 12.2b says

"
(1) When Touching Sand Results in Penalty. Before making a stroke at a ball in a bunker, a player must not:

• Deliberately touch sand in the bunker with a hand, club, rake or other object to test the condition of the sand to learn information for the next stroke, or
  
  
• Touch sand in the bunker with a club:
  • In the area right in front of or right behind the ball (except as allowed under Rule 7.1a in fairly searching for a ball or under Rule 12.2a in removing a loose impediment or movable obstruction),
  • In making a practice swing, or
  • In making the backswing for a stroke.

"

Rory touched the sand with his hand but not deliberately to test the condition of the sand.

I've changed my mind after seeing this and think there should have been no penalty but I'm sure the experts will educate us.

Your reasoning is spot on. Must be an element of intent.