The question of rules that Patrick Reed faced during the third round of the Farmers Insurance Open is an issue that Rory McIlroy also faced, with no rules officer and virtually no fanaticism.
Reed was allowed to take a drop of what he thought was an embedded lie on Saturday the 10th hole, causing considerable conjecture as to whether it was justified.
He had caught the ball raw, thought he was entitled to relief and then called in official Brad Fabel, who after briefly testing the ground agreed and gave Reed the free fall. He started to stop the hole and started the fourth round tied on the scoreboard at Torrey Pines with Carlos Ortiz.
Replays showed Reed’s ball bouncing, which he later admitted would suggest he didn’t get up, but no one was aware of it then.
Also on Saturday, McIlroy’s second shot in the par-5 hole was on the right and he believed his ball was blocked. McIlroy was heard to tell another player in the group, Rory Sabbatini, who without inspecting the lie signed McIlroy’s resignation request. No official was called.
According to the PGA Tour, both topics were handled correctly.
“It was reasonable for both players to conclude, based on the fact that they did not see the ball land, but given the lie of the ball in smooth running conditions, that they proceed as the rule allows for a potential embedded ball , “the Tour said in a statement. “They scored, lifted and assessed the situation to determine if the ball was embedded.
“Patrick went one step further and summoned a rules officer to make sure his assessment would not be questioned (although this step is not mandatory). Both players took adequate relief under Rule 16/3 “The committee is comfortable with the way both players continued to consider that they used the evidence they had at the time.”
Reed faced considerable scrutiny for his action. The CBS broadcast team, including sixth-seeded champion Nick Faldo, questioned how a ball could be embedded after bouncing. Reed, who has had rules-related issues in the past, including the 2019 Hero World Challenge, faced several media questions afterwards and said he believed he handled the matter properly, given what he knew.
Reed later backtracked on detractors on Twitter and noted that the same thing happened to McIlroy without any setbacks.
https://t.co/qza5Aa1yrS. RORY MCILROY @McIlroyRory HE DID THE SAME TODAY AT HOLE 18! AND I HAVE NOT YET CALLED AN OFFICIAL REGULATION TO DECLARE THE BUILT-IN BALL. END OF HISTORY.
– Patrick Reed (@PReedGolf) January 31, 2021
“Rory McIlroy has done the same today at Hole 18!” Reed tweeted. “And he didn’t even call an officer to consider that the ball was embedded. End of story.”