by Allen Kelly on August 23, 2010
Another of “those” rules…..
Julie was waiting for some time for the hole to clear, so to stretch up she used a weight on her club… against the rules…. she is DQ…
The part that gets me is a TV viewer called in and reported the infringement…..
How many other sportts allow the public to decide the outcome…
Can you imagine someone calling in saying ” Roger Federers last serve was out”!
“The All Blacks pass was forward”!
“The soccer player used his hands”!
No way right… that is why there are referee’s…
It is unfortunate though, this is a rule, Julie who is 50 years old and been playing for long time, should know that you cannot use training aids during a round, but I don’t think it is the responsibility of some TV watcher to dob her in…
Below is from Golfweek….
Juli Inkster was disqualified from the LPGA Safeway Classic for using a weighted training aid on her club while waiting on the No. 10 hole on the Ghost Creek Course.
After the 50-year-old Hall of Famer finished her round and was told of the disqualification, Inkster passed quickly by autograph seekers and reporters without comment. She quickly left in a course shuttle.
It was heartbreaking for Inkster, who shot a 67 and was 8 under after the first two rounds. She was in a group just three strokes behind leader Ai Miyazato.
Inkster, who had a 30 minute wait for the No. 10 hole, apparently used a “doughnut” weight on her 9-iron to stay loose.
LPGA Director of Tournament Competitions Sue Witters said a viewer noticed the device from the television broadcast of the event and contacted tournament officials.
Inkster was already on the 17th hole of the course at Pumpkin Ridge when officials determined she had indeed used the device. She was told when she came off the course after the final hole, Witters said.
Witters said Inkster was surprised and unaware she had broken the rule.
“The rules staff here made the decision on the rule and we took it one step further and called the USGA,” Witters said. “We would have loved to have some wiggle room on that. But it’s pretty cut and dried.
“Being the professional she is, there wasn’t much to say once the decision was read.”
Inkster issued a brief statement.
“I had a 30-minute wait and I needed to loosen up,” she said. “It had no effect on my game whatsoever, but it is what it is. I’m very disappointed.”
by Allen Kelly on August 18, 2010
Steve Williams has slammed speculation that golf world number one Tiger Woods is planning to dump him as his caddy.
Williams has been Woods’ caddy since 1999, carrying his bag for 13 of his 14 major victories, but there have been reports the relationship has been strained since Woods admitted to cheating on his wife earlier this year.
Williams told LiveSport this morning that reports of a split between the two was just speculation.
“I’m sure if there was going to be some parting of the ways, I’d be the first to know. There’s always a lot of speculation in sports, as you know in general. But from my point of view I don’t see any chance of that happening.
“Obviously he’s not playing well. His results aren’t what we’re used to but people speculate.
“Tiger and I are very good friends and we’ve been through a tough time, there’s no question of that. I’m fully supportive of the guy and he’s been great through this whole situation with me,” he told the radio station’s Breakfast of Champions show.
Woods has had mixed results since his return to golf after taking a break from the game earlier in the year for personal reasons.
He returned to play the US Masters in April, finishing in a tie for fourth at Augusta and recorded another top five finish at the US Open in June but since then his form has taken a downward spiral.
Woods was well off the pace at the Bridgestone Invitational earlier this month carding an 18-over and finished tied for 28th at the USPGA Championship on Monday,
Williams however is happy with how Woods is playing and is confident he can bounce back and retain his number one spot.
“Tiger didn’t even manage to hit 50 per cent of the fairways for the week (at the USPGA Championship) and to finish under par for the tournament was just a remarkable effort of courage and never giving in.”
“He did prove a little bit from the week before. There were some good signs last week and I’m looking forward to next week’s tournament.
The question still remains whether Woods will represent the United States at the Ryder Cup which starts on October 1st after he missed out on automatic qualification.
Williams confirmed that Woods will be playing in the FedEx Cup opener later this month after qualifying for the end of season series when he made the cut at Whistling Straits on Monday.
But with Woods ranked 108th in the FedEX standings, the world number one will need to perform each week to ensure he isn’t eliminated from the series, effectively ending his year.
“We’re actually in an unsual predicament which you would never thought Tiger Woods would be in.
“Any week in the next few weeks if he has a poor week, like he did at the Bridgestone, then his year is finished.
Williams is confident that Woods will return to the form that has seen him win 13 majors in just 11 years.
“He’ll get back to his best. It may not be this year but it will come.”
(from nzherald)
