It wouldn’t be a golf tournament without a rules controversy, and some are convinced that 2023 U.S. Open winner Wyndham Clark got away with one on Sunday.
During a hole on the back nine of the final round of the tournament, which Clark won by one stroke over Rory McIlroy, the 29-year-old was lining up a wedge shot out of the rough when the ball appeared to move slightly.
The movement appeared negligible, but if the ball did in fact move, Clark could have been assessed a one-stroke penalty.
However, the USGA officials overseeing the tournament appeared to consider it a non-issue, and Clark went on to win at 10-under, one shot better than McIlroy, who ended the weekend at 9-under after both golfers shot an even-par 70 in the final round.
Golf fans and media appeared torn on whether or not the movement warranted a penalty.
“How’d no official see the ball move? Final round missed penalty?” one Twitter user asked.
However, golf journalist Dan Rapoport wrote: “Spongy Bermuda, oscillates maybe but doesn’t move nearly enough for a penalty.”
Had the penalty been assessed, Clark would have been docked a stroke, and all other things equal, he would have ended up in a tie at the end of 18 holes with McIlroy, leading to a playoff.
Instead, Clark got par on hole 18 to win his first major championship and earn just his second victory on the PGA Tour after winning the Wells Fargo earlier this season.
In 2020, World No. 2 Jon Rahm dealt with a similar situation, in which he assessed a two-shot penalty after his ball moved on Sunday of the Memorial Tournament at Muirfield Village.
Rahm did admit that his ball moved, but the penalty did not matter, as he ended up winning that tournament by three strokes over Ryan Palmer.