SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. Denny McCarthy was taking a few practice swings as he prepared to hit a 67-yard wedge shot into the par-5 15th green Friday at the Waste Management Phoenix Open. His playing competitor, Blair Hamilton, was nearby, also taking a drop after rinsing his second shot, and was set to play first.In that moment, cameras caught McCarthys caddie, Derek Smith, standing behind his player, a violation of one of the new rules of golf, Rule 10.2b(4), which prohibits a player from having his or her caddie deliberately stand behind him or her when the player begins taking a stance.McCarthy was slapped with a two-shot penalty, and instead of saving par on the hole he had to write down a double bogey.The penalty comes after a similar infraction was made by Haotong Lis caddie while Li was putting during Sundays final round of the European Tours Dubai Desert Classic. Li's penalty prompted many, including European Tour commissioner Keith Pelley, to call out a rule that Pelley described as "grossly unfair."Similar outrage will likely follow McCarthy's ruling.Not once in my life have I had a caddie line me up before a shot, McCarthy said. I had no intent to cheat at all. Its something I guess we can learn from and move on from it, but yeah its definitely disappointing because I didnt feel like I was breaking a rule at all.The official interpretation of the rule states that there is no set procedure for determining when a player has begun to take a stance since each player has his or her own setup routine. However, if a player has his or her feet or body close to a position where useful guidance on aiming at the intended target could be given, it should be decided that the player has begun to take his or her stance.
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In McCarthys case, his practice swings were taken in that guidance area as his caddie stood for several seconds behind him before walking away. A PGA Tour rules official clarified to GolfChannel.com that while Li couldve avoided penalty by resetting his putting stance, players in the general area of play do not have that luxury.Even though McCarthy eventually stepped away from the ball before hitting his shot, he was still in violation.I thought I had an understanding of the rule, McCarthy said. Its just a real gray area and doesnt make sense. The caddie cant be standing behind me at all even if Im taking practice swings. I wasnt even in my routine at all, I was just taking practice swings and he just happened to be behind me for a second. I even backed away after the practice swings and he walked away, so he wasnt even behind me at all when I was stepping into the shot.There was also an instance Friday in which Rickie Fowler's caddie, Joe Skovron, was looking at his yardage book when Fowler walked in front of him and addressed his ball. Skovron looked up and immediately stepped away. In this case, though, there was no penalty because Skovron was not "deliberately" standing in the line of play while Fowler was taking his stance.The rules official said the Tour has been proactive in informing players and caddies of the new rules and even spent about an hour earlier this week going over this specific rule with the competitors.But other pro golfers, including Justin Thomas, chimed in on the matter via Twitter, most siding with McCarthy and his caddie."This is ridiculous," tweeted Thomas, who is in second place at 12 under. "The fact this is a penalty is mind blowing. USGA, this NEEDS to be changed ASAP. There is nothing about this rule that makes the game better."McCarthy was able to still shoot 4-under 67 and leads the field in strokes gained putting. But he also knows that he should be better than 6 under through 36 holes at TPC Scottsdale.I need to put that past me because Im playing some really good golf and giving myself a lot of good chances, McCarthy said. Take that two-shot penalty away and I made three bogeys in a four-hole stretch Thursday; clean that up and Im right there toward the top of the leaderboard.
Days after Li infraction, McCarthy penalized for caddie
Days after Li infraction, McCarthy penalized for caddie 'alignment' Five days after Haotong Li was penalized for his caddie standing behind him putting, Denny McCarthy received a similar penalty
Days after Li infraction, McCarthy penalized for caddie
Five days after Haotong Li was penalized for his caddie standing behind him putting, Denny McCarthy received a similar penalty at Phoenix Open.
Days after Li infraction, McCarthy penalized for caddie
Days after Li infraction, McCarthy penalized for caddie 'alignment' Source: The Golf Channel SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. - Denny McCarthy was taking a few practice swings as he prepared to hit a 67-yard wedge shot into the par-5 15th green Friday at the Waste Management Phoenix Open.
Days after Li infraction, McCarthy penalized for caddie
By: Kevin Casey | February 1, 2019 9:02 pm It took less than a week for the rule that bit Haotong Li to rear its head again. As Golf Digest details, Denny McCarthy was penalized two shots during Friday's second round of the Waste Management Phoenix Open.
The so-called infraction Friday may have been even more unjust. Like Li, McCarthy penalized for caddie alignment Five days after Haotong Li was penalized for his caddie standing behind him
Denny McCarthy penalized for caddie alignment, following in
Days after Li infraction, McCarthy penalized for caddie 'alignment' Golf Channel | February 2, 2019 Related Topics: Phoenix Open , Caddie , Denny McCarthy , Scottsdale, Arizona
Days after Haotong Li infraction, Denny McCarthy penalized
buffaloridgebranson.com/days-after-haotong-li-infraction-denny-mccarthy-penalized-for-caddie-alignment/
Days after Haotong Li infraction, Denny McCarthy penalized for caddie 'alignment' SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. - Denny McCarthy was taking a few practice swings as he prepared to hit a 67-yard wedge shot into the par-5 15th green Friday at the Waste Management Phoenix Open.
McCarthy penalized for caddie alignment, following in Li's
Denny McCarthy penalized for caddie alignment during the Waste Management Phoenix Open, following in Haotong Li's footsteps from last week.
Denny McCarthy penalized for caddie alignment, following in
thenewsstar.sportstonews.com/2019/02/02/denny-mccarthy-penalized-for-caddie-alignment-following-in-haotong-lis-footsteps/index.html
McCarthy's shot was not on the green, so he was not eligible for this exception. The caddie was no longer in a compromising position as McCarthy backed away following the practice swings, but again that only would've allowed him to avoid penalty if this happened on the green. With the penalty, McCarthy double bogeyed the hole.
USGA and R&A need to fix the caddie alignment rule - now
McCarthy was slapped with a two-shot penalty, and instead of saving par on the hole he had to write down a double bogey. The penalty comes after a similar infraction was made by Haotong Li's caddie while Li was putting during Sunday's final round of the European Tour's Dubai Desert Classic.
Days after Li infraction, McCarthy penalized for caddie
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