Scottie Scheffler mounted a late charge at The Open, but he was only able to do so because of a controversial ruling.
Scheffler attempted an audacious shot on the green over a dune with a three wood, and instead of finding the green, his ball hit the dune and flew off to the left into a grandstand. He then took a provisional, and it looked like his chances of winning were over.
But in the Rules of Golf, it states that if officials are “virtually certain” the ball went in the grandstand, a player gets free relief because it’s a temporary structure. Scheffler was able to get a free drop and got it up and down for a birdie to keep his hopes alive.
It was a controversial moment in the tournament, and one that could have had immense consequences if Scheffler birdied the 18th hole. But even though it didn’t have any bearing on the outcome of the championship, it did expose a rule that must be changed.
Ryan Lavner calls for change to ‘outrageous’ golf rule
Scheffler’s drop didn’t sit right with most of the golf world. How a player can lose his ball and get a free drop is ridiculous, and speaking on the Golf Channel Podcast with Rex and Lav, Ryan Lavner called for a rule change immediately.
He said, “We have to go back to 17 because this was ridiculous. He hits a blind shot and hits it way left. Scottie was telling fans do not find this golf ball, because they were virtually certain – and that’s the rule – you need to be virtually certain that a ball was in an area.
“How in 2026 can you not find a golf ball and yet receive free relief and have a great look at the green and end up making birdie?
“TIO relief at the Championship level needs to be examined because it makes no sense whatsoever that, because you have an area surrounding a hospitality tent, you don’t even need to find a golf ball for what was a very errant shot for that point in the Championship.
“It was not necessarily that Scottie was using the rule to his advantage, I’m just saying the rule is absolutely outrageous to have free relief even if you don’t find your golf ball.”
The grandstands and hospitality tents are, of course, not set up on a regular week at Birkdale, so if a member hit the ball where Scheffler did, it would be lost. Why should it be easier for the pros on championship week than it is for the regular amateur?
It’s a crazy rule, and one that must be addressed.
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