Pro takes a second look at the law. Then 7 penalties followed

Anthony Quayle reread the paper. Another look wouldn’t hurt. He felt sure of what he had seen, but understandably wanted confirmation.

Then he wanted to vomit.

“When I realized it, I felt sick to my stomach,” said Quayle, “I thought I had done something wrong.”

What followed at the Victorian PGA Championship, a PGA Tour Australasia event, included a call to the tournament director and several penalties, as well as a promise. The news was first reported by Martin Blake of PGA Australia and distributed by Ryan French of the Monday Q Info golf website.

The sequence occurred during Thursday’s first-round match, after players were given a document warning them of the option to use the popular lie – or lift, clean and put – on part of the 13th fairway on the Open Course at Moonah Links. Quayle said he looked at the announcement, but misread it as a popular lie that runs throughout the course – and played in that fashion until the final 15th green.

But there, playing partner Tyler McCumber wondered: Were they kidding? Quayle told him yes and said he’d been doing it “all day,” and then came the double check.

No.

On the 15th green, Quayle called umpire and tournament director Heath McLeod. The decision would be difficult. How many times has Quayle lifted, cleaned and laid? When he did that, where did he put the ball – in its original place, or somewhere nearby?

After the interview, Quayle punished himself with seven lashes. On three occasions, he used a preferred lie and played from a different position than his original, resulting in three two-shot penalties (under Rule 9.4). On one occasion, he used a popular lie and returned the ball to its original position, resulting in one penalty (again under Law 9.4). According to Blake’s story, Quayle told McLeod that he thought he had returned the ball to its original position, but he was not sure and took two penalties. (McCumber, on the other hand, was hit with one shooting error.)

Could it all have been avoided? Why did he read the rulebook the way he did? Quayle told Blake that he had a few reasons, though he was clear that it was a “rookie mistake.”

“The roads were fine,” Quayle said. “You can see that maybe we need a preferred lie because there are many places where people are being divided. Our last three tournaments on the tour were chosen for lies. The document I was given is a small document with a section of the page highlighted ‘preferred lies’ and highlighted the length of the scorecard.

“It’s a big rookie mistake on my part. I was just thinking that on this tour we are playing I prefer more lies. I didn’t think much of it. I’m kicking myself now. It turns out that in that text only he said that it is better to sleep in the third hole in the area painted blue. I think that kind of rests a lot on the good writing of the document. “

Still, Quayle, the 30-year-old Australian professional who played the 15th in the 2022 Open Championship, had at least 21 holes, and a possible 57. After signing in the first round of 73, maybe he could still make a run.

And he did. In the second round, he shot a 67. During the third, he was having a better stroke. Going into the final lap, he was three behind.

Yes, he knows where he would be without the punishments – and so does he.

“After I had a little time to process what happened on Thursday night, I developed the idea that we should take this as a challenge and see what we can do. “Deciding with a seven-stroke penalty will be a great thing,” he told Blake.

“After the success, now finish as high as possible because it will look impressive wherever I finish this week. I want the story to be as good as it can go. It might be something I remember for a long time.”

McLeod, tournament director and rules officer, said he was impressed. Quayle’s honesty, he said, was admirable.

“We’re proud of the way Anthony handled it,” he told Blake. “When he realized his mistake, he called me and passed by No. 15 green. He took responsibility for his actions right away and we worked on four different occasions where he broke the rules and accepted the punishment without a fight.

“It really shows Anthony’s character. To do something like that on Thursday, put it behind you and go out and play some good golf two days ago is great to see. “

Editor’s note: Reading the PGA Australia story by Blake, please click here. To read the information shared in French, please click here.