American professional golfer Collin Morikawa expressed his frustration with PGA Tour official Stephen Cox after receiving a two-stroke penalty for breaching rules during the Hero World Challenge.
The incident occurred when Morikawa’s caddie, Jonathan Jakovac, used numbers from a greens book to offer advice as Morikawa lined up a putt on the fourth hole. Although Jakovac had used a spirit level to determine AimPoint numbers on the practice putting green, new rules prohibit transferring such numbers into a yardage book.
British golfer Matt Fitzpatrick, Morikawa’s playing partner, overheard the discussion and sought clarification from Cox, the PGA Tour’s chief referee. Upon learning about the violation, Morikawa was informed of the penalty before the final round.
While Morikawa admitted fault for the rules breach, he expressed displeasure with how he was notified by Cox. He highlighted the confusion surrounding the rule and pointed out that there shouldn’t be grey areas in the rules.
Fitzpatrick, on the other hand, clarified that he was only seeking to understand the rule, echoing that he refrained from using AimPoint numbers earlier in the year based on advice from his putting coach, Phil Kenyon.
The penalty turned Morikawa’s third-round 68 into a 70, impacting his overall standing in the tournament. Despite the setback, Morikawa demonstrated his resilience by closing with a 68 to finish seventh, eight shots behind the leader.
The incident at the Hero World Challenge has sparked discussions about the clarity and interpretation of rules in professional golf tournaments, raising questions about the responsibilities of both players and officials in upholding the integrity of the game.