wildernessroad

I was wondering that, too. I thought he might ask for a re-drop, but he didn't. Kevin had already been wrestling with the official regarding the NPR, and after showing frustration at the official when he picked up Kevin's ball, Kevin seemed resigned to just quit the battle and do whatever the official said. He may say otherwise, but that's how it came across standing next to him.

Thank you for this answer from Decision 20-2c/4. That explains this situation well, and yes, the porta-john and fence were all part of a TIO restroom area set up for spectators. In this instance, I would say that the rules official judged (prematurely in my opinion) that the ball was moving closer to the hole and would not return, so he picked it up for Kevin to place it. It was clearly not more than 2 club lengths. It was about 24-30 inches to the right of where it was dropped (facing the hole), and about 3-4 inches closer to the hole as it was slowly jiggling along the cart path toward the hole, but occasionally bouncing to the right. If allowed to continue, it likely would have continued closer to the hole and not returned, but on concrete cart paths I've seen balls change directions quite drastically. I think what surprised me the most was seeing the official stop the ball (at the displeasure of the player), instead of allowing the player or caddie to make that decision. IF the ball DID jiggle/bounce back those few inches and come to rest on the cart path within 2 club lengths of the drop and no nearer the hole, I think Chappell would have gotten another drop for relief from the cart path, correct? (Or does complete relief from the TIO mean complete relief from all other relief situations?) If the NPR at that point was on the right side of the cart path, it would have been a huge break for Kevin who then would have had a chance to take a drop with a clear shot to the green (no tree obstructions from that point.) I will add this... the rules official was very gentlemanly throughout the whole ordeal. He was very patient with Kevin who was frustrated with his own play and the situation and who at one point very strongly stated to the official, "No, you are wrong here!" But while Kevin was frustrated with the whole thing, he also maintained a sense of humor. As he left, he said to the spectators, "Nice to meet you all again," as he had been hooking it frequently on Sunday.

This isn't from on tv... I was standing right there... the closest person to the situation. I'm just trying to explain the situation and ask if anyone knows if it is ok to pick a moving ball up like that. The ball was maybe 2-3 feet from where it hit the ground on the drop, but it was definitely still moving on the cart path. Kevin said something like "Wwwait!" as the official picked it up, but he also seemed frustrated to even argue any more with the official because they had already been going back and forth in trying to determine the NPR. So Kevin ended up punching out across the fairway and wound up in more trouble by a covered drinking fountain. He got a bogey. Anyway, whether you believe my first-hand account or not doesn't matter... I was simply wondering about procedure in a case like this. Thanks.

With or without video... real or hypothetical... my question still focuses around whether or not it's ok for an official (or caddie or player or anyone) to pick up a moving ball in a drop situation as described. I know I've seen caddies catch a moving ball before it rolls into a water hazard on a drop, but this scenario did not involve a water hazard. Here's a brief article about the situation... without many details: https://www.stltoday.com/sports/golf/potty-shot-highlights-crazy-happenings-at-pga-championship/article_c44f48c9-2a71-5e2b-bf3a-872238498dfb.html

I have a question about a situation I observed during Sunday's round at the PGA Championship. On the 5th hole, Kevin Chappell hooked his drive left. It hit a tree, bounced off the concrete cart path, over a green fence,into a porta-john area, and lodged under a porta-john. A rules official arrived before Kevin and entered the biffy area to locate the ball. After Kevin arrived, together they determined where it crossed the green fence. There was some moderately heated disagreement on the part of Chappell as to how to proceed, but eventually they determined the nearest point of relief (NPR) that cleared his back swing from the fence AND gave him line of sight relief from a bend in the fence that was between Kevin and the green. (There were also lots of trees in this area that would prohibit Chappell from hitting a shot directly at the green from the NPR.) From the NPR, Kevin marked a 1 club length spot further away from the fence, no nearer the hole. This area was considered "rough" but quite trampled. The ground in this area sloped further away from the fence toward the concrete cart path. Kevin took a drop and the ball rolled just beyond the 1 club length spot, but came to rest nearer the hole, so he picked it up to re-drop. Everything seemed correct up to this point... and here is where my question comes in. Upon taking his second drop, the ball again rolled slowly toward and onto the cart path and was still moving (moving closer to the hole) when the official reached down and picked it up (while it was still moving.) Kevin initially made a hesitating verbal and physical motion as the official did this, but proceeded to simply place the ball where the 2nd drop first hit the ground, and played his shot from there. My question: The ball that the official picked up had not yet gone two clublengths beyond where it first hit the ground. It was still moving on the cart path and conceivably could have hit an imperfection and rolled back and stopped on the cart path no nearer to the hole and yet still within two clublengths of the drop. Shouldn't the official have waited until it stopped before picking it up? If the situation I just described had happened, wouldn't the ball be "in play," (having found complete relief from the fence,) and now subject to another drop for relief from the cart path, potentially getting a drop location another 3 club lengths on the other side of the cart path (with the 2 club length roll)? This could have given Kevin a clear shot to the green on better grass. Thoughts?