The issue of rules that Patrick Reed faced during the third round of the Farmers Insurance Open is one that Rory McIlroy also faced – without a rules officer and virtually without fanfare.
Reed was allowed to take a drop of what he believed was a lie embedded in the 10th hole on Saturday, generating considerable conjecture as to whether this was justified.
He took the ball in the rough, thought he was entitled to relief and then called the rules official Brad Fabel, who after briefly testing the terrain agreed and gave Reed the free drop. He went on to pair the hole and started the fourth round tied for the lead in Torrey Pines with Carlos Ortiz.
Replays showed Reed’s ball bouncing, which he later admitted would suggest it didn’t fit, but no one knew that at the time.
Also on Saturday, McIlroy’s second shot for the 18th hole par-5 came to rest on the rough right and he believed his ball had plugged. McIlroy could be heard saying this to another player in the group, Rory Sabbatini, who, without inspecting the lie, signed McIlroy’s request for a takedown. No rules officer was called.
According to the PGA Tour, both problems were dealt with properly.
“It was reasonable for both players to conclude – based on the fact that they did not see the ball fall, but due to the ball’s lie in soft field conditions – that they proceeded as the rule allows for a potential embedded ball,” The Tour said in an announcement. “They scored, lifted and assessed the situation to determine whether the ball was in place.
“Patrick went a step further and called a rules officer to make sure his assessment would not be questioned (although this step is not required). Both players received due relief under Rule 16/3. The committee is comfortable with the way the two players proceeded given the fact that they used the evidence they had at the time. “
Reed faced considerable scrutiny for his action. The CBS broadcast team, including six-time champion Nick Faldo, questioned how a ball could be incorporated after bouncing. Reed, who has had issues related to rules in the past, including at Hero World Challenge 2019, faced several media questions about this later and said he believed he handled the matter properly, given what he knew.
Later, Reed resisted detractors on Twitter and noted that the same thing happened to McIlroy without any resistance.
https://t.co/qza5Aa1yrS. RORY MCILROY @McIlroyRory DID THE SAME THING TODAY IN HOLE 18! AND IT DIDN’T EVEN CALL AN RULES OFFICER TO CONSIDER THE BALL INCORPORATED. HISTORY END.
– Patrick Reed (@PReedGolf) January 31, 2021
“Rory McIlroy did the same thing today at Hole 18!” Reed tweeted. “And I haven’t even summoned a rules official to judge the embedded ball. End of story.”