Pro takes a second look at the rule. Then comes 7 free kicks

Anthony Quayle reread the letter. Another look wouldn’t hurt. He had felt certain of what he had seen, but understandably he wanted reassurance.

Then he wanted to vomit.

“As soon as I realized it, I felt sick to my stomach,” Quayle said, “I thought I had done something terribly wrong.”

What followed at the Victorian PGA Championship, a PGA Tour Australasia event, involved a phone call to the tournament director and multiple penalties, along with a promise. The news was first reported by Martin Blake of PGA Australia and also circulated by Ryan French of Monday’s Q Info golf website.

The sequence came during first-round play on Thursday after players were given a document warning them of the option to use preferred lies – or lift, clean and putt – on part of the 13th fairway on the course. open at Moonah Links. Quayle said he looked at the notice but mistakenly read it as the preferred lies in effect for the entire course – and played that way to the 15th green.

But there, playing partner Tyler McCumber asked himself: Were they in the game? Quayle said yes and said he would “do it all day”, then came the double check.

No.

On the 15th green, Quayle called umpire and tournament director Heath McLeod. The decision would be difficult. How many times has Quayle picked it up, cleaned it, and put it away? When did he do it, where did he put the ball – in its original place, or somewhere close?

After a discussion, Quayle penalized himself with seven strokes. On three occasions, he had used favorite lies and played from a different spot than his original, leading to three two-stroke penalties (according to rule 9.4). On one occasion, he had used favorite lies and returned the ball to where it had been, leading to a one-stroke penalty (also according to rule 9.4). According to Blake’s story, Quayle told McLeod that he thought he returned the ball to its original spot on a second occasion, but wasn’t sure and took the two-stroke penalty. (McCumber, meanwhile, was hit with a two-shot violation.)

Could all this have been avoided? Why did he read the rule sheet the way he did? Quayle told Blake that there were several reasons, though he was clear that it was a “starting mistake”.

“The fairways were good,” Quayle said. “You can see how we probably needed favorite lies because there were so many data collection areas. Our last three tournaments on the tour have been favorite lies. The document I was given is a small half page document that highlights ‘favorite lie’ and highlights the length of the scorecard.

“It’s a big initial mistake on my part. I had just assumed in this tournament that we play the favorite lie too. I just didn’t think much more of it. I’m kicking myself right now. Turns out that document only said it was preferred to lie on the third hole in the blue painted area. I think this type was more in the fine print of the document.”

However, Quayle, a 30-year-old pro from Australia who tied for 15th at the 2022 Open Championship, had at least 21 holes to go, and potentially 57. After signing for a first-round 73, perhaps he could still make a run.

And he did. During the second round, he shot a 67. During the third round, he was one shot better. Entering the final round, he was three behind the lead.

Of course, you know where he would be without the penalty – and so does he.

“After I had some time to process what happened on Thursday night, it kind of grew on me that let’s take this as a challenge and see what we can do. Making the cut with a seven-stroke penalty will be impressive,” he told Blake.

“Having made the cut, now it’s about finishing as high as I can because it’s going to be very impressive wherever I end up this week. I kind of want the story to be as good as it can go. It might be something I remember for a long time.”

McLeod, the tournament director and rules official, said he was impressed. Quayle’s honesty, he said, was admirable.

“We’re proud of the way Anthony handled it,” he told Blake. “As soon as he realized his mistake, he called me and passed it on to no. 15 green. He took responsibility for his actions immediately and we worked on four separate occasions where he had broken the rules and he accepted the penalty without a fuss.

“It just shows Anthony’s character really. To have something like that happen on Thursday, put it behind me and go out and play great golf the last couple of days is great to see.”

Editor’s note: To read the PGA Australia story written by Blake, please click here. To read the information shared by French, please click here.

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