Tag: ruling

Watch: Sam Burns gets no relief after gravity-defying bunker shot, expresses frustration post-round

Burns’ ball defied logic.

GULLANE, Scotland — Sam Burns would like a word with Sir Isaac Newton and Albert Einstein to discuss gravity, the theory of relativity and just how in the world his golf ball managed to defy the law of physics, let alone logic, and stay in the revetted face of a nasty fairway bunker on the 10th hole during the third round of the 2023 Genesis Scottish Open.

“Never seen anything like it,” Burns told Golfweek after the round.

A wayward tee shot on the par-5 at The Renaissance Club caught the fairway bunker, and the 26-year-old American attempted to hit a wedge to safety but caught it a groove low and flew it into the steep lip of the bunker. Rather than embed in the sod, it came out of its pitch mark, but somehow didn’t roll back in the sand, hanging on by a thread.

Burns called for a ruling and a lengthy discussion ensued. Apparently, it embedded into new sod but since it wasn’t in a seam, relief wasn’t granted.

After the round, PGA Tour rules official Steve Rintoul, who had been one of two officials on the scene, spoke to Burns, who expressed his frustration, as they rehashed the situation for more than 10 minutes.

“In my opinion, I think it should’ve been relief,” Burns said, noting his disappointment that DP Tour chief referee Mark Litton made the final ruling over walkie talkie without being on the scene. “Just because there was some there that was different than anywhere else on the golf course.”

Brian Harman, one of the competitors in Burns’s threesome, agreed.

“Sam didn’t have footing to hit the shot. That top part should’ve been ground under repair. He got really unlucky.”

From an awkward stance, Burns took a hack with his gap wedge and couldn’t blast out of the bunker.

Scottish Open: Leaderboard | Photos

The worst of it was behind him, but when all was said and done, it added up to the dreaded snow man. The triple bogey dropped Burns, who began the day two strokes off the lead at 8 under, out of contention. He shot 71 and enters the final round T-18 and trailing by six strokes.

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Huge Step Taken for College Football’s Return for 2020

If you’re hoping for college football to be played in 2020 then you got some big-time good news as a huge hurdle was cleared on Thursday.

Mark your calendars for July 13.

The NCAA Football Oversight Committee today passed a recommendation that can formally begin working with their teams that day according to a Yahoo! Sports report.

The recommendation still needs approval by the NCAA’s Division I Council but that passing is reported by Yahoo! to essentially be a foregone conclusion.

Here’s how the schedule looks like it will break down and get college football started on time, at least for now:

July 13:  Coaches can work with their teams with strength workouts and film studies taking place. This date will come a week earlier for those teams participating in Week Zero this August.  This will be limited to eight hours a week.

July 24:  The eight hour limit would move to 20 hours a week for a two week period starting on this day.  This will be a new addition used to get players in playing shape for the season after spending the majority of spring and the early part of summer away.

August 7:  Training camp is allowed to begin.

August 29:  Week Zero kicks off as scheduled for seemingly all teams besides Notre Dame and Navy.

By no means does this guarantee anything in regards to the season being played as the situation remains plenty fluid but it is no question a huge step towards college football being played on time in 2020.

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