A grasp of the principles, or a manipulator of 1?
In professional golf, guidelines violations seldom come from a spot of unwell intent. Oftentimes, it is a matter of bewilderment or misrepresentation of these guidelines. Collin Morikawa had a run-in with the rule e-book within the opening spherical of the 2023 Masters.
Throughout Thursday’s Spherical 1, Morikawa had some squinting their eyes and scratching their heads as he appeared to maneuver a ball a bit nearer to the opening on a inexperienced, in a seemingly considerably out-of-character (and out-of-context) transfer.
🚨 Potential guidelines violation by Collin Morikawa 👀 #TheMasters
pic.twitter.com/ggN4KmLTvC
— NUCLR GOLF (@NUCLRGOLF) April 6, 2023
MORE: Masters leaderboard — The place Morikawa, others stand coming into Spherical 2
The video, although, does not present your complete state of affairs that unfolded. In accordance with the principles, Morikawa moved his ball again to its unique spot after the ball had moved, however the video solely confirmed the final bit, making it seem to be he moved the ball nearer.
Went again and watched this:
As he addressed his ball on 6, and it regarded just like the ball moved and rolled again just a few inches.
This seems prefer it was shifting it again to its unique place. https://t.co/QZWXjdOqci
— No Laying Up (@NoLayingUp) April 6, 2023
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No. He marked and when he changed the ball it rolled to a brand new spot. When you mark, you personal that spot, so he was merely changing his ball to the place he initially marked it.
— John Wooden (@Johnwould) April 6, 2023
Context is king.
Morikawa sat 2-under via 12 holes on the Masters, so no hurt, no foul within the supposed “guidelines violation.” Do not count on him to lose a stroke, or two, or his place in Augusta for enjoying throughout the guidelines.