Why did Davis Riley call a two-stroke penalty on himself in Round 2 of The CJ Cup Byron Nelson 2025?

Davis Riley showed remarkable sportsmanship in the second round of the CJ Cup Byron Nelson 2025. The tournament's second round play was halted on Friday, May 2 due to lightning. Play resumed on Saturday, May 3 at 8:15 ET, and something unusual happened on hole 17 as Riley self-reported a foul that he had committed on the hole.

The 28-year-old was performing well in the tournament up until this hole, and was at five strokes under par. He self-reported the use of the distance-measuring device's slope feature. This resulted in a hefty penalty of two shots. He managed to end the round with an eagle on the ninth, taking him to 5-under for the event.

The PGA Tour reported the incident on X.

"On No. 17, Davis Riley self-reported a two-stroke penalty for using the distance-measuring device slope feature. Before the penalty, he sat inside the projected cut line at 5-under. He is now one shot outside the projected cut line with 7 holes to play."

Expand Tweet

When it comes to distance-measuring devices, it is a technology that considers slope function, elevation differences between your ball and the target. In summary, it provides players with modified yardage, which usually helps them a lot during the game.

How has Davis Riley performed thus far in the 2025 season?

Davis Riley at The Masters - Round Three - Source: Getty

So far this year, Davis Riley has played some decent golf. He's missed the cut in a few events but performed admirably in others. He is still searching for his first win this year, and here's a summary of his performance this season so far:

Jan 16–19 – The American Express (Pete Dye Stadium Course)

Missed Cut: 80-75-65 (220, +4)

Jan 22–25 – Farmers Insurance Open (Torrey Pines, South Course)

Missed Cut: 75-73 (148, +4)

Feb 6–9 – WM Phoenix Open (TPC Scottsdale, Stadium Course)

Missed Cut: 74-73 (147, +5)

Feb 20–23 – Mexico Open at VidantaWorld (Vidanta Vallarta)

Missed Cut: 68-73 (141, -1)

Feb 27–Mar 2 – Cognizant Classic in The Palm Beaches (PGA National, The Champion)

T48: 64-71-75-67 (277, -7) – $23,805

Mar 6–9 – Puerto Rico Open (Grand Reserve Country Club)

T6: 64-66-72-68 (270, -18) – $142,250

Mar 13–17 – THE PLAYERS Championship (TPC Sawgrass)

T38: 74-66-73-74 (287, -1) – $111,250

Mar 20–23 – Valspar Championship (Innisbrook, Copperhead Course)

7th: 69-70-69-69 (277, -7) – $293,625

Mar 27–30 – Texas Children’s Houston Open (Memorial Park Golf Course)

T52: 68-69-70-68 (275, -5) – $22,301

Apr 10–13 – Masters Tournament (Augusta National)

T21: 73-69-75-69 (286, -2) – $210,000

Apr 24–27 – Zurich Classic of New Orleans (TPC Louisiana)

T32: 63-70-67-72 (272, -16) – $19,228.00

About the author

Anurag Bhardwaj is a Golf Journalist at Sportskeeda. With over three years of experience writing about various sports, Anurag has drawn inspiration from numerous icons, ranging from WWE’s Roman Reigns to NFL superstar Patrick Mahomes. His passion for storytelling spans across different sports, all while pursuing a Bachelor's degree in Dental Surgery, and he hopes to continue blending both his professions.

A single spark ignited his love for golf, and now he follows the sport with unwavering enthusiasm. Whether it’s the Masters or the Arnold Palmer Invitational, Anurag is always ready for a deep dive into the action. Through his writing, he brings the latest happenings from the golf world straight to the fans' screens. And while he dreams of stepping onto a golf course someday, he remains in awe of Scottie Scheffler’s precision, all while striving to become a great doctor.

Know More

Edited by Tushar Bahl