Disqualification rule tweaked for technology

With cutting-edge technology allowing television viewers to scrutinize every player's shot -- and any potential rules violation -- golf's power brokers came together to announce a change that went into effect Thursday morning before the first round of the Masters Tournament.

The Royal & Ancient Golf Club and the United States Golf Association issued a revision to Decision 33-7/4.5, which addresses the situation where a player is not aware he has broken a rule because of facts he didn't know and couldn't have reasonably discovered before turning in his scorecard.

Instead of being automatically disqualified, a player can now receive a one- or two-shot penalty.

"It's our duty as governing bodies to ensure that the rules remain fair and relevant, and that we are responsive to changing circumstances," R&A Chief Executive Peter Dawson said. "The advances that we are seeing in television and associated technology is certainly a change that the rules didn't contemplate over the years."

The modification was made on the heels of Padraig Harrington's disqualification from January's Abu Dhabi Championship, when a TV viewer noticed that his ball moved a fraction after he placed it on the seventh green after removing his coin. Because the Irishman didn't replace the ball, he drew a two-shot penalty -- one he didn't think about when he signed for 65 in the first round. He was disqualified before second-round play began.

"It's great to see that they have got together and acted so quickly," Harrington said Thursday after shooting 77. "It's a small change, but a good change."

With high-definition television and slow-motion replay, viewers are able to notice such minor infractions. Under the revision, Harrington would have been given a two-shot penalty and remained in the tournament.

The governing bodies hope this change will help allay growing concern that TV fans can cause players to be disqualified for slight errors.

"This is really a modern phenomenon," USGA Executive Director Mike Davis said. "We weren't dealing with these kind of issues three years ago. Yes, there was TV. Yes, there was slow motion. But you didn't see cameras zooming in and making the golf ball look like a basketball."

Davis said the revision will not get a player off the hook for ignorance of the rules. The change would not have helped Camilo Villegas, who was disqualified from the season-opening Tournament of Champions after a viewer called in after the first round. Villegas had removed some loose grass while his ball was still in motion, a violation of Rule 23-1.

Reach Chris Gay at (706) 823-3645 or chris.gay@augustachronicle.com.