GOLF’s powerbrokers are moving to outlaw video vigilantism following the controversial incident which saw Lexi Thompson deprived of the season’s opening women’s Major last weekend following an email from a TV viewer.
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Thompson was leading the ANA Inspiration by three strokes with six holes to play when she was hit by a four-shot penalty for incorrectly replacing a marked ball during her previous round. She recovered to force a play-off but lost the title to So Yeon Ryu at the first extra hole.
A tearful Thompson took full responsibility but the scale of the punishment, the delay in implementing it and the fact that it was triggered on the say-so of a fan prompted widespread criticism from the likes of Tiger Woods.
Now, Augusta National competitions committee chairman Fred Ridley has revealed the R and A and the USGA have decided to take action to prevent a repeat.
“We are not a governing body – we follow The Rules of Golf that are promulgated by the governing bodies – but we are encouraged to know that this issue is something that is being considered as part of the rules modernisation effort that’s going on right now and we understand that there is a proposal that’s being discussed that would limit the use of video evidence,” revealed Ridley.
“It was certainly very unfortunate. It broke our hearts, as it did golf fans watching all over the country. We commend the way that Lexi handled it.”
