Sergio disqualified from PGA

Who's saying the players should keep their own scores. I think most people in favor of changing the system believe there should be an official scorer as there is in every other sport. No one's saying the player should keep his own score and have that be official.

 

To answer the question about signing for a higher score: No DQ, higher score stands.

 

You cannot possibly have one official scorer walk with a foursome and believe that person is the end-all, be-all as to how many strokes each player took after 18 holes. You'd need eight eyes to track one person over the hill slashing the ball out of the rough, the player hitting three balls into the water, the one over in the other fairway taking a drop, etc.

Trust me, I've seen countless walking scorers over the years work professional events and after five hours you're lucky if they can remember which player is which.

 

Amazing that somehow television manages to have the correct scores though. Of course they probably just go up to the golfer's at each tee box and ask what their playing partner got on the last hole.

 

If I remember the rule correctly, Sergio was OK until he left the scorer's area.
Had he stuck around, chatted with an official in the area, someone would have seen the mistake, said "Hey Sergio, your card is wrong" and then it could have been fixed.
In the RIGA, I've seen many players sign incorrect scorecards and when the official is checking them, tells the player to double check with his playing partner. Then they fix the mistake and no one is eliminated.
I dont see leniancy in this rule. You can make the same rule on carrying 15 clubs. What if a guy carries 15 but never uses his that extra wedge that he had in his bag to just to warm up with?

 

TV usually (but not always) gets the score right because they have an experienced person walking with each group and on the weekend there generally are only two players in a group. It's not a 60-year-old volunteer doing this for the first time.

15 clubs is 15 clubs and it's a penalty. It doesn't make any difference whether you've one or 14; carrying a 15th brings with it a penalty.

Yes, there were numerous opportunities for Sergio's scorecard to be corrected. That Sergio didn't use all those chances is his fault and his alone.

 

Well come on, couldn't the PGA hire the experienced person? And if tv only uses them on the weekend, how come they have the score on Thursday and Friday? I really don't think a case can be made that players NEED to keep one another's score. If you feel that it's important for them to do it because it's part of the tradition of the game, that's fine, but it's not necessary.

As for Sergio, I don't think anyone is saying it wasn't his fault. That's the rules right now, so he's responsible for getting it right. I just think that there isn't a need to do it that way anymore.

 

I agree with Boobie. I think all athletes should have less personal accountability. God forbid they have to pay attention to the other player during their round and then double-check the scorecard. That's just too difficult. After all, they've got their complimentary Buick to turn back in at the end of the tournament.

 

Why do some people take this so personally? Is it because it's Sergio? In no other professional sport are the participants required to keep the score. I don't think it's necessary in golf.

My stance has nothing to do with "personal accountability;" it's about an arcane system that is unnecessary. And just to reiterate what I've said multiple times: SERGIO WAS WRONG FOR SIGNING THE INCORRECT SCORECARD BECAUSE THAT IS WHAT THE RULES ARE NOW... I just don't think the rule is necessary, and I certainly don't believe that it'd be impossible for the PGA to keep scores for players without this system. After all if Sergio and Weekley's score keeping was so important, and they both signed off on it, how did anyone know it was the wrong score?

 

Can the PGA keep the score? I don't think that's the issue at all. We know they have the ability, especially since they can keep track of sand saves and putts and fairways hit and greens hit ... you see where I'm going with that.

But the rule is the rule. Is it fair that it's stroke AND distance for an OB? I mean, that slows down the game, having the player return to replay from the same position. But it's the rule. At all levels. Regardless if you like the rule or not.