Megan Turner
The PGA Tour announced Tuesday it would set up internal out of bounds at TPC Sawgrass, preventing Bryson DeChambeau from taking a potential alternate route.
“In the interest of safety for spectators and other personnel, the Players Championship Rules Committee has installed an internal out of bounds left of the lake for play of hole 18,” the statement reads.
The Tour said a similar internal out of bounds has been added in recent tournaments, including the 13th and 18th holes at this year’s Sony Open as well as No. 6 at last week’s Arnold Palmer Invitational.
“That sixth hole at Bay Hill was the site of DeChambeau’s most recent — and most significant — distance conquest, as he carried the water on the boomerang par-5, leaving himself less than 100 yards from the green on both Saturday and Sunday,” Golf.com reports. “It was a shortcut worthy of a video game.”
As DeChambeau looks ahead to THE PLAYERS, he has continued to think outside the box and looked at unconventional ways to tackle golf courses.
“I have thought sometimes about, on 18, going left into 9,” DeChambeau said on Sunday.
But the Tour made it clear on Tuesday that wouldn’t be the case this year.
Death, taxes and old guys getting mad that young guys don’t do it the “right” way.
what a damn shame. The guy is taking advantage of the incredible driving power he has and the PGA is limiting that.
The PGA Tour’s version of “Outlawing The Dunk” in basketball. Negate a particular skill advantage that certain players might have over others …
Its their organization to rule it as they please …
A “Wilt Chamberlain Rule” imposed in the PGA. That’s what it is.
I’m not a fan of Dechambeau, but this is an idiotic rule. If he can do it, let him do it. Change your golf course if you need to.
I see Golf is still trying to appeal to/please its older fan base….the only way to grow the game is to expand its audience and attract a younger crowd – seems the PGA isn’t interested in doing so. What an insanely stupid rule.