Golf’s obsession with irrelevance was in evidence again on Sunday. That Li Haotong’s caddie was adjudged to have assisted the player with the lining up of a putt in the final round of the Dubai Desert Classic cost the defending champion by way of a two-stroke penalty. Commentators, players and caddies blasted this marginal call, rendered possible by recent amendments to the rules of golf. Muirfield’s members had fresh meat to titter about over Monday gins.
By Monday afternoon, the European Tour and the R&A were at odds regarding the implementation of said rule. Keith Pelley, the Tour’s chief executive, bemoaned the lack of discretion available to his referees. Sceptics may suggest Pelley was seeking to create controversy where one does not exist in the hope of creating a handy diversion.
Written by Ewan Murray
This news first appeared on https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2019/jan/28/european-tour-serious-bogey-visiting-saudi-arabia under the title “European Tour makes a serious bogey in visiting Saudi Arabia | Ewan Murray”. Bolchha Nepal is not responsible or affiliated towards the opinion expressed in this news article.
