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Emiliano Grillo came out on top of the latest PGA Tour event, the Charles Schwab Challenge. He earned the victory by topping Adam Schenk in a playoff by one stroke. However, that could have been because he was able to hit a moving ball- legally.
According to the rules, there are only a precious few circumstances in which a player is allowed to hit a ball that is still moving and that happened to apply to Grillo over the weekend.
Mark Dusbabek, PGA TOUR Senior Director TV Rules & Video Analyst, said this was extremely rare via the Tour website:
“I’ve never had that ruling [in 25 years]. I’m just happy I remembered it.”
He later clarified that it was the only situation in which golfers can strike a moving ball. The rules explicitly state:
"Exception 3 – Ball Moving in Water: When a ball is moving in temporary water or in water in a penalty area: The player may make a stroke at the moving ball without penalty, or The player may take relief under Rule 16.1 or 17 and may lift the moving ball. In either case, the player must not unreasonably delay play (see Rule 5.6a) to allow the wind or water current to move the ball to a better place."
Grillo admitted that he knew the ball was moving, but he wasn't interested in letting it move to a worse position for him:
“Well, I've done it before. I've hit it there. I knew, as soon as I saw the ball going right, I was like this is going to be a very long hole. I've been through that pain of watching the ball just roll 120 yards back. It's hard to prepare for something like that."
There's no telling what would have happened down the line if Grillo hadn't or had been unable to hit the ball there. It might have cost him a stroke, which would have theoretically left Adam Schenk atop the leaderboard alone.
It resulted in Grillo's second-ever PGA Tour win.
PGA Tour changes coming to the schedule
Next season, the PGA Tour could look substantially different. The Tour is considering rule changes and changes to the schedule so that there are designated events without cuts, meaning everyone plays to the final round.
This received pushback from several golfers. Jon Rahm initially pushed back on it, but has been considering it and might have changed his mind via Yahoo! Sports:
"I had first was an advocate for no cut and the more time has gone by I've become an advocate for a cut. So I think it's a part of the game and I think it's an important part of the game, as harsh as it may be to cut out maybe only 20 players."
He continued:
"On the flip side, you know, it's only 20 players that you have to beat to make the cut. So I think it's a part of it. You earn your way into the weekend and then you earn that win. It's a part I enjoy and I experienced recently at the PGA."
There are pros and cons to each, but it doesn't appear as if the PGA Tour is going to change its mind on this one.
