Patrick Reed’s process for making a ball fall into hole 10 on Saturday was declared “textbook” by PGA TOUR rules officials, Reed said in an interview after his third round at the Farmers Insurance Open.
Reed’s approach shot on the 10th hole of the par 4 sailed far to the left for a deep rough. As he approached the ball, he asked a volunteer if the kick bounced after hitting the ground. The volunteer said no, leading Reed to believe that his ball may have hit the ground. According to the Rules of Golf, players can check whether their ball is embedded and receive free relief if it is. The first three rounds of the Farmers Insurance Open were played with surveying, cleaning and location due to rain conditions, including more than an inch of rain that fell on Friday. Torrey Pines is so wet that the agronomy team was unable to mow the lawn before the third round, said Nick Faldo in the CBS broadcast.
Before checking his ball, Reed said to his playing partners: “Hey, guys, I’m going to check. They said it didn’t bounce. When rules officer Brad Fabel arrived, Reed had already determined that his ball was embedded and moved it. Reed then asked Fabel to check for indentation on the ground, saying, “Since I took it to check – it looks like it broke – but I want you to check it again.” Fabel said he felt a depression on the floor and determined that Reed’s ball had been embedded. He then guided Reed through the fall to relief.
“When you have three players, three caddies and the volunteer (who is) really close to the golf ball without seeing the ball bounce, you have to follow what everyone sees and what everyone saw,” said Reed after the round. “When no one saw this, the rules officer basically says whether it is free relief or not, and the rules officer agreed that the ball broke the plane and it was relief.”
Reed defended the pair in the hole on the way to a 2 under 70, which tied him in the 54-hole lead with Carlos Ortiz 10 under the pair. Reed had to make an 18 birdie to save a 39 back-nine on Saturday after hitting 31 in his first nine.
“We are fine with the outcome of the situation (in 10th place),” said PGA TOUR rules officer Ken Tackett, in an interview after the round.
The video replay showed that Reed’s ball bounced after hitting the ground. After the round, Reed said he would not have checked for a built-in ball if he knew the ball had bounced. However, he had to use his common sense and consult an officer because no one saw him.
“When the ball bounces, it is almost impossible to break the plane and therefore when it does, whenever you see the ball bouncing, just throw it as it is,” said Reed after the round. “If you had 100 people out there, a lot of fans out there and a fan said that he saw her jump, I would never have to put a T-shirt down and even check to see if it was embedded,” said Reed.
“That’s why you always call a rules officer, because in the end they will have the best judgment on everyone. If they believe that it is also embedded, that is where you follow what they say. “