In the wake of a controversial ruling that cost Haotong Li about $100,000 in earnings, the R&A released a statement Monday to confirm that the Rules of Golf were correctly applied at the Dubai Desert Classic.
On Sunday, as Li scrutinized a short birdie putt on the 72nd opening, his caddie seemed to help with his read before venturing out of the line as Li constructed his position. A tenets authority decided a short time later that Li’s caddie disregarded Rule 10.2b(4), which confines a caddie from remaining behind the player. The two-shot punishment transformed Li’s birdie into an intruder and dropped him from a tie for third into joint twelfth.
Martin Slumbers, Chief Executive of The R&A, said, “We have reviewed the Li Haotong ruling made by the European Tour referees and agree that it was correct. There has been some misunderstanding of the new Rule and I would point out that it is designed to prevent any opportunity for the caddie to stand behind the player as he begins to take his stance. Whether the player intends to be lined up is not the issue. We appreciate that it was a very unfortunate situation yesterday and I completely understand Keith Pelley’s concerns when a Rules incident occurs at such a key stage of a European Tour event but there is no discretionary element to the Rule precisely so that it is easier to understand and can be applied consistently.”
“We are continuing to monitor the impact of the new Rules but I made it clear to Keith that our focus is very much on maintaining the integrity of the Rules for all golfers worldwide.”
European Tour players raged online at what they saw to be a brutal punishment for a dim infraction, and it even earned an astounding censure Monday from visit CEO Keith Pelley. In an announcement, Pelley said that despite the fact that the choice was right “under the strict wording of the guidelines,” he trusts that it was “horribly uncalled for” to Li.
