Weekly Read: Charley Hoffman's Rules Rant at the Phoenix Open Went Too Far
Every Sunday night, Bob Harig recaps the week in golf in his new column, the Weekly Read. Here is this week's edition, after an eventful weekend in Phoenix.
The rules can baffle even the best. They can be maddening, unforgiving, seemingly nonsensical. Depending on who you ask, the list stretched far and wide.
When Charley Hoffman hit his tee shot in the water on the 13th hole at TPC Scottsdale during the second round of the WM Phoenix Open, he placed his ball on a tuft of grass after twice trying to drop it. He turned around and saw the ball take off and roll into the water – necessitating another penalty stroke -- he was understandably upset.
Sure, that rule seems silly. Hoffman did nothing to cause the ball to move. The fact it ended up in the water and cost him a penalty stroke had to be infuriating.
But how did it lead to the scorched earth he left behind?
Hoffman went after the USGA for not changing the rule, using the trite “amateurs running pro events’’ line. He took it out on the PGA Tour, for among other things, not seeing fit to have its own rules and for not better marking the penalty area at the par-5 13th.
And then he went full-on mad by suggesting his rules experience is among the reasons why players are looking at alternative tours, specifically the one being led by Greg Norman and backed by Saudi money.
That was a lot to pack in a Friday night Instagram post.
In the meantime, a terrific tournament played out, with plenty of hijinks and drama that led to a thrilling conclusion and Scottie Scheffler winning in a playoff.
Hoffman admitted Saturday that he added the rant about the rival leagues because he wanted attention, not because he’s been approached by LIV Golf Investments about possibly signing up for the new endeavor.
“It’s never crossed my mind to go over and play for a competitor – ever,’’ he said. “And if it came across in that Instagram post that I have been reached by them ... I have not been reached by them, it came across wrong.
“I added that so the media would catch it, so I would prove my point on the rules side.’’
So, Hoffman got the media’s attention, and it’s mostly about ... a rule he doesn’t like? He probably needs to get in line.
This is a veteran player who is sponsored by Waste Management doing this at its tournament, among the highlights of the early season. And he’s a player director on the PGA Tour Policy Board, referencing Tour commissioner Jay Monahan in his post, acknowledging this was likely to cause some consternation.
Rule 17 covers penalty areas and PGA Tour rules official Ken Tackett defended it a Golf Channel interview. Because the ball was at rest after Hoffman placed it, “the ball was in play,’’ Tackett said. “It was moved by natural forces, therefore, it was a new situation and he had to proceed under the penalty rule again.’’
The same thing happened to Rickie Fowler on the way to victory at the WM Phoenix Open in 2019. Hoffman believed that the rule had been in changed in light of those circumstances. Tackett said that Hoffman had other options after his ball entered the penalty area. He could have taken back-on-the-line relief or stroke-and-distance relief. He instead elected the option of taking relief within two club lengths of where the ball entered the penalty area.
While the other options would have put him farther away – stroke and distance meant teeing off again – the one he chose proved to be risky.
“The rule is pretty clear on what to do and how to handle it,’’ Tackett said. “They’d explained the rule to Charley, and he went through conversations with the officials, asked for a second opinion and he received that. That’s all we can do.’’
Tackett also said the penalty area was marked in the same way that all the others on the course were handled. Hoffman suggested it was poorly marked, leading to the inability to keep a ball from rolling into the water.
“If you start changing an ambiguous line that might be a little higher, then it affects where did the ball last crossed (the penalty area line),’’ he said. “We are very careful in the placement of penalty areas. That line has been that way for years, and we followed the same guidance all around this property.’’
Hoffman made it clear he is no fan of the USGA and he suggested – as others have – that the PGA Tour should go its own way and implement its own set of rules. That is a road the Tour has never elected to travel, and Monahan has been consistent when asked that there are no plans to do so.
“I have a great relationship with Jay and I have nothing but admiration about what Jay does for this Tour and how hard he works,’’ Hoffman said. “So, it was a ‘Sorry, Jay’ because I know what he’s doing. This isn’t an easy time for the PGA Tour. That’s why I said we need to do better, we as player directors, as executive directors, commissioners, everybody, we need to do better to make sure we keep everybody here in the U.S.
“I think (the PGA Tour) works really good, but we have a threat. I mean, that’s real. You can’t hide under a rock and say it’s not.’’
For sure, the threat is real – due to the enormous amount of money potentially being offered and the opportunity for crazy wealth.
That is what’s real.
A Matter of Time
Scottie Scheffler was 3-under par through 36 holes at the WM Phoenix Open, having barely made the cut. He started on the back nine Saturday morning and recorded seven 3s on his way to a 7-under-par 29. He added two more birdies on the front side for a 9-under 62 that put him in the final group on Sunday along with Brooks Koepka and Tour rookie Sahith Theegala.
Scheffler racked up eight more birdies in the final round on his way to a 4-under 67 that was finally good enough for his first PGA Tour victory on Sunday, outlasting Patrick Cantlay in a sudden-death playoff.
For most golf observers, it was simply a matter of when for Scheffler, who became the rare player to be a captain’s pick last fall for a U.S. Ryder Cup team without a victory. His win at TPC Scottsdale moved him up to No. 9 in the Official World Golf Ranking.
Related: Complete Prize Money Breakdown from Phoenix Open
“Definitely nice to get my first win under the belt, and I think the first one is probably always the hardest, and I definitely made it pretty difficult on myself today and going into the playoff and having to beat a player like Patrick is pretty tough,’’ Scheffler said. “Just very pleased that I was able to do it.’’
Scheffler became the third straight first-time winner this season on the PGA Tour, following Luke List at the Farmers Insurance Open and Tom Hoge at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am.
Scheffler jarred a 25-footer for birdie and won his title after Cantlay missed his own birdie chance.
Up Next: Tiger’s Tourney
We have heard next to nothing from Tiger Woods since the PNC Championship. He showed a lot of promise while playing in the 36-hole exhibition with his son and finishing second on Dec. 19. Of course, he was also using a golf cart, showing a noticeable limp at times, and doing his best to temper expectations, saying he was nowhere close to a competitive return.
Given that he’s provided no updates in the interim, it is reasonable to believe that he still remains a long way from competing. Still, this week should offer some clues.
Woods is the host of the Genesis Invitational, a tournament run by his foundation. After a bleak two years in which many of the foundation’s fundraising activities were either canceled or severely limited, this is a big week. Just like the Hero World Challenge in December, Woods is expected to be on site at Riviera Country Club, although to what degree and if he will meet with the media is unclear.
Last week, Bridgestone put out information that had Woods involved, and there was a report of him being in the Bahamas for the start of a collegiate tournament at Albany over the weekend.
Fore! Things
1. When Charley Hoffman suggested that players are looking at rival leagues due to, among other things, the PGA Tour’s resistance to breaking from the USGA’s rules, did he not consider that the Asian Tour – under which the LIV Golf Investments potential league would exist – plays by R&A rules?
2. Sahith Theegala could never play golf as a mere amateur mortal. His demonstrative nature elicits quite a bit of disdain for shots that actually end up pretty good. Imagine what it would be like if he hit them poorly all the time like the rest of us?
3. Brooks Koepka, who said earlier in the week that he was “embarrassed’’ to be ranked 20th in the world, has now gone a full year since his last victory at the WM Phoenix Open. During that time, he has seven top-10 finishes, including three at major championships – the PGA Championship, U.S. Open and British Open.
4. You’ve got the risk-reward 17th short par-4 at TPC Scottsdale and in the playoff you use ... the 18th hole over and over? There’s lots to consider when deciding how to go about sudden death, but that decision does not seem so difficult.
When Amateurs Can Cash In
Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) deals are having a big impact on college sports, and it is trickling down to golf. No doubt benefiting from being at the University of Texas, Cole Hammer recently signed such a deal with Optimum Nutrition, for which one of the top-ranked amateurs in the game is touting its nutritional drink.
As a senior, Hammer is not able to take full advantage of the new NIL opportunities like younger players, but he will undoubtedly get a jump on his professional career when that arrives this spring. If things go well, it is a good bet that this arrangement will translate into a traditional endorsement deal.
“It’s definitely a game changer for college athletes,’’ Hammer said. “There’s no question about it. We’ll see how it works out for everybody in more of a global sense as far as an individual athlete. Unfortunately I’m on the way out. I still have a few months to take advantage of the opportunities. It’s already impacting football and basketball in a huge way. It’ll impact recruiting greatly, and really benefit the larger schools.’’
As for his own situation, Hammer said: “Optimum is the only one I’ve signed and I feel like they’re a great organization to partner with. Their drink is second to none and that was a big factor in my signing. The fact they were willing to reach and out start a partnership before I turn pro while I’m still eligible for it is great and something I love having.’’
There is no question such arrangements can have a huge impact on college sports. And they have clearly put a dent in the idea of amateurism in golf as it relates to how it was always viewed.
Hammer’s goal now is to finish his college season strong. Currently eighth in the PGA Tour University standings, a top-five finish will assure him of exempt status for the rest of the year on the Korn Ferry Tour, with a spot in the Korn Ferry Qualifying Tournament assured.
Masters Countdown
The Masters is now 52 days away and 89 players have qualified for the tournament, which begins April 7. After a run of three consecutive tournaments that saw a player qualify by winning, that ended at the WM Phoenix Open with the victory by Scheffler, who was already in the field.
The total number who have qualified for invitations includes Tiger Woods and Ian Woosnam. Woods appears highly unlikely to be ready; Woosnam has said he will not play but has changed his mind in the past.
There are seven more PGA Tour events through the Valero Texas Open that provide an opportunity to get an Masters invitation by winning. The top 50 in the Official World Ranking as of March 28 will also get invitations if not otherwise in the field.
Social Matters
-- Sam Ryder, whose ace at TPC Scottsdale’s 16th hole on Saturday sent the place into delirium – as captured by the Scottsdale Police Department.
-- Stephen Cox, a PGA Tour rules official with his take on the scene at the 16th.
-- The PGA Tour with highlights of the Carlos Ortiz ace at the 16th on Sunday.
Wild Scene
The rowdiness at the par-3 16th rose to another level at TPC Scottsdale on Saturday when Sam Ryder recorded a hole-in-one, sending the place into delirium. It was a similar scene on Sunday when Carlos Ortiz followed up with another one.
While things can get out of hand at the 16th and there are some who have grown wearisome of all the antics, it is generally meant in fun, relatively harmless – and rare. It’s not something you’d want every week, and yet the players seem to embrace it as this venue and hole.
Of course, too much of a good thing can become a bad thing. And when cans and cups started raining down for a Justin Thomas chip-in, perhaps that was too much. Aces are rare – there had not been one at the 16th in seven years. Chip-ins, not so much.
All of that fun was a reminder of some things missed during the pandemic. Last year, the WM Phoenix Open limited crowds to just more than 5,000 spectators per day. Yes, those numbers increased. The PGA Championship was robust, as was The British Open and the Ryder Cup. But many tournaments last year were limited. And all in the west except for Phoenix had no spectators.
We also got another reminder with Xander Schauffele. Early in the week, Schauffele’s caddie Austin Kaiser, tested positive for COVID-19. Because he and Schauffele were sharing a home, it meant the golfer went into the PGA Tour’s COVID-19 protocols.
Each day, Schauffele was required to take a COVID-19 test. He was not allowed in the clubhouse. And if any of those tests had been positive, he would have been required to withdraw.
Golf was one of the first sports back in the summer of 2020 and has navigated the difficulties of the pandemic well. But what Schauffele faced was yet another reminder that obstacles still remain. Even he noted that he didn’t “want to be like Jon Rahm,’’ who faced a similar scenario last year at the Memorial and had to withdraw after the third round due to a positive COVID test. And Rahm had a six-shot lead.
Schauffele did not test positive during the WM Phoenix Open and he said Kaiser, who at one point had a 103-degree fever, was feeling better and is expected back this week at Riviera.
Next Up
Another strong field will gather for the Genesis Invitational at Riviera Country Club, with all of the top 10 in the Official World Golf Ranking entered, including No. 1 Jon Rahm, who was a late addition. Collin Morikawa, Patrick Cantlay, Dustin Johnson and defending champion Max Homa are also in the field.
A couple notables who are missing: Bryson DeChambeau, who was originally on the entry list but withdrew from the Saudi International two weeks ago with injuries; and Phil Mickelson, a two-time winner of the Genesis who has played it 18 times.