Reed at Torrey Pines: When the reputation of a golfer is in conflict with the facts

On January 30th, 2021, at the Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines, many of you witnessed the embedded ball ruling given to Reed on the 10th hole.

Take time to listen carefully at the following video. Also listen to the different comments made during the broadcast.

The purpose of my article is only to explain to you how the rules dictate how to proceed.

Free Relief from an embedded ball

When a ball is embedded in its own pitch mark, a player may have a free relief. Since January 1st 2019, A player may get a free relief when the ball is embedded anywhere in the general area. This includes the fairway and the rough.

Relief area

With the reference point being the spot behind where the ball was embedded, the player must drop a ball within one club length not closer to the hole and the area must be in the general area.

Determining whether ball is embedded

The player may mark the ball, pick it up and see if the ball is embedded. In doing so he is not in any obligation to have a referee or another player near him. If ever the ball was found not to be embedded, the player must replace the ball. He is not allowed to clean the ball is the ball is replaced.

Did Reed do something wrong?

NO. He did not do anything wrong in relation with the Rules of golf. Should he have done it in another manner? Probably. I always suggest to any player in that type of situation to make sure someone is close enough to make sure you do everything right. With Reed’s past problems with rules, he should be more careful because every move he makes is always scrutinized.

Between Saturday and Sunday, we saw many comments in social media and not many in favor of Reed. On Sunday, we saw McIIroy take a relief for an embedded ball and he didn’t even ask for a referee. Because Rory has a reputation of being always very honest, nobody argued the way he took his relief.