Austin Eckroat Faces Setback: Penalized for Overhanging Ball Rule at Players Championship

An exhale of relief spread through TPC Sawgrass when Austin Eckroat's birdie putt finally fell into the cup. However, the moment of satisfaction was brief.

During the final round of The Players Championship in Florida on Sunday, the American golfer ended up with a par on the 11th hole. This was due to a rule that penalizes players when a ball hangs over the hole for too long.

Eckroat, who recently won his first PGA Tour title at the Cognizant Classic, almost made an incredible shot from 20 feet away on the par-five 11th hole of the Stadium Course. Unfortunately, his ball stopped right on the edge of the hole.

Eckroat in action during the first round.

Eckroat in action during the first round.

Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images North America/Getty Images

The world No.48 and playing partner Joel Dahmen were crouched over the ball, staring intently, when it finally fell in almost 40 seconds later. It sparked a roar from the onlooking crowd, but a more muted reaction from Eckroat, whose mind had perhaps already drifted to a section of the Rules of Golf.

According to rule 13.3a, a player is allowed “reasonable” time to reach the hole and 10 further seconds to wait and see if the ball drops in.

Eckroat's birdie attempt did not count because the ball was considered "at rest", resulting in a penalty stroke and a par for the hole.

Some fans expressed frustration with the rule after watching the video posted by the PGA Tour on X. Michael McEwen, deputy editor at golf site Bunkered, called it a "stupid rule".

Jordan Spieth is seen teeing off on the fourth hole at the Riviera Country Club in Los Angeles. The photo was taken during the second round of the Genesis Invitational golf tournament on February 16, 2024.

Ryan Kang/AP

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Jordan Spieth's disqualification has sparked debate over what some consider to be the 'dumbest rule in all of sports'. Last year, American Lee Hodges faced a similar situation at the PGA Championship, leading the tournament's rules body to release a statement clarifying the penalty.

The Players rules committee did not release an official statement regarding Eckroat's incident. According to a spokesperson for the PGA Tour, the penalty was simply the enforcement of the rule.

Unfortunately, the penalty added to Eckroat's already frustrating final round.

Starting the day at four-under par and tied-17th overall, he struggled with two bogeys and a double bogey in his first nine holes, bringing him back to even-par.

His final round ended with a four-over 76, marking his worst performance of the week following scores of 71, 69, and 68 in the previous days.

Xander Schauffele, ranked world No.6, leads with 17-under par overall going into Sunday. He is ahead by one shot over Wyndham Clark, the reigning US Open champion. The winner of the PGA Tour's flagship event will take home a $4.5 million purse.

Editor's P/S:

The incident involving Austin Eckroat at The Players Championship highlights the complexities and potential controversies surrounding golf rules. While some may argue that the rule penalizing balls that hang over the hole for too long is unfair, it is important to remember that these rules are in place to ensure consistency and fairness in the game. In this case, Eckroat's ball was deemed "at rest" after a reasonable amount of time, and the penalty was applied accordingly.

It is also worth noting that the rule in question has been clarified in recent years to address similar situations. In 2021, the PGA Championship rules body issued a statement emphasizing that the 10-second waiting period applies to balls that are clearly hanging over the hole and not touching the flagstick. This clarification was made to prevent players from deliberately delaying the drop of their ball in order to gain an advantage.