“He was robbed” – Golf fans CRITICIZE PGA Tour for penalizing Austin Eckroat for slow putt drop at TPC
PGA Tour’s 10-second rule robs pro golfer Austin Eckroat’s chance to score as his ball took too long to fall into the hole.
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Austin Eckroat [Image Credit: Imago]
PGA Tour player Austin Eckroat’s par-5 11th-hole ball drop became a nightmare for the golfer as he was penalized over the 10-second golf rule. Following his shot on the green, Eckroat’s ball could be seen hanging around just the edge of the hole for quite a long time.
As per golf rules, a player cannot extend their given 10 seconds to hover over and putt a ball on the field. On Sunday, during the final round of the Players Championship, Eckroat was slammed with a one-stroke penalty for crossing the time limit.
The putt finally dropped into the cup but only for it to be delayed, earning the Cognizant Classic winner a penalty. Fans on social media called out PGA Tour for its rule, as one stated, “He was robbed,” while another penned, “This is why @PGATour sucks.” Both Eckroat and Joel Dahmen could be seen crouching over the ball as they waited for it to stop and fall into the hole.
What is the 10-second rule in the PGA Tour?
In the PGA Tour, under rule 13.3a, a player is allowed only a limited time to walk over their putt and to wait and see if it drops in. If any player goes over their “reasonable” time reach, they are issued a penalty, much like the current case of Austin Eckroat. Eckroat’s ball took nearly 40 seconds to drop, overthrowing their 10-second rule.
![Austin Eckroat [Image Credit: Imago]](https://firstsportz.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Austin-Ekroat.jpg)
A player is allowed to get to their golf ball and wait for 10 seconds without wasting time to reach deliberately. Moreover, a ball will be considered at rest regardless if it’s still oscillating or not. Eckroat took more time to reach and wait for the ball to fall, resulting in his penalty.
In the end, the golfer had to go home with 4-over 76, his worst round of the week. The $25 million event eventually ended with Scottie Scheffler winning the Players Championship title for the 2nd time in consecutive years. He marked history with his comeback win, earning $4.5 million in the process.
In case you missed:
- Who is Austin Eckroat’s wife Sally?
- 2024 Players Championship prize money: How much did Scottie Scheffler and other golfers win from the $25 million prize pocket?
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Kaushani Chatterjee
(2193 Articles Published)