LPGA Statement | Wie Statement | Timeline | USGA Explanation of Rule 6-6b | The Rules are the Rules by Ron Sirak, Golf World | ESPN2 airs Wie remarks
LPGA Statement
SPRINGFIELD, Ill., July 19, 2008 - Michelle Wie was disqualified following the third round at the LPGA State Farm Classic for failure to sign her score card after Friday's second round, which is a violation of Rule 6-6 b. according to The Rules of Golf and confirmed by the USGA.
6-6 b. - Signing and Returning Score Card
After completion of the round, the competitor should check his score for each hole and settle any doubtful points with the Committee. He must ensure that the marker or markers have signed the score card, sign the score card himself and return it to the Committee as soon as possible.
Wie was notified following the conclusion of today's third round in order to provide her the opportunity to give an account of yesterday's second round situation. The LPGA first heard of the violation mid-morning today, but it was after Wie had begun third-round play, and action could not be further taken until she had completed 18 holes and been given the opportunity to recount the events of Friday's second round.
The 2008 LPGA Rules of Play define the scoring area as the roped area defining the boundary of the scoring tent. Supplementary rules of play stipulate that the scoring area boundary may instead be defined by a white line, which has the effect of decreasing the size of the scoring area. The white line was not deemed necessary this week and was not put in place, and as a result the boundary is the roped area.
Prior to signing her card, Wie had left the defined scoring area according to item No. 3 resulting in her subsequent disqualification.
3. Returning Score Card
Rule 6-6, page 31. (A player is deemed to have returned her score card to the Committee when she leaves the roped area of the scoring tent or leaves the scoring trailer).
Wie Statement
MICHELLE WIE: You know, it's just really unfortunate. I don't know what happened to me. Usually, I sign it first. But I forgot to sign the scorecard. Unfortunately, I left the tent area, and a couple of the scorers went after me and I signed it and I turned it in. And I thought it would be okay.
But it was an honest mistake. I don't know why or how it happened. But, you know, I just forgot to sign it. It was really unfortunate, but hopefully it won't happen again. It was a good learning experience.
Timeline/details
Friday, July 18
- After the second round, Michelle turned in her score card and left the roped scoring area without signing her card. A scoring volunteer noticed that the card was missing Michelle’s signature and caught up with her approximately 40 yards from the tent. The volunteer asked her to sign the card, which she did.
- When LPGA Officials were verifying cards and scores on Friday evening, they had a fully signed card. They did not know that Michelle left the scoring area without signing her score card. They had a signed card – for all players – and proceeded with the daily round verification.
Saturday, July 19
- While the third round was underway – and all players were on the course -- an LPGA staff member overheard volunteers discussing the events from Friday re: Michelle’s card and the staff member asked the volunteers to recount the situation. Realizing there was an issue, the staff member alerted an LPGA Official. The LPGA Officials gathered the facts and interviewed various individuals – some of whom were onsite and some who were not working the event that day -- and all reported the same story. LPGA Officials decided not to disrupt the pairing and determined they would speak with Michelle when she completed her round. It was important to get Michelle’s side of the story, but interrupting the round would have impacted Michelle’s fellow competitors as well. When the round was complete and she was advised of the situation, Michelle confirmed the details and the LPGA imposed the disqualification effective with the end of the second round.
- LPGA Officials were in contact with the USGA as soon as the incident was reported.
USGA Explanation of Rule 6-6b
Wie Disqualification
Michelle Wie was disqualified from the State Farm Classic in Springfield, IL, when she failed to sign her score card before returning it to the Committee following her second round on Friday, July 18, 2008.
Rule 6-6b (Signing and Returning Score Card) governed the situation: After completion of the round, the competitor should check his score for each hole and settle any doubtful points with the Committee. He must ensure that the marker or markers have signed the score card, sign the score card himself and return it to the Committee as soon as possible.
PENALTY FOR BREACH OF RULE 6-6b: Disqualification.
The Committee in charge of a competition must decide when a score card is considered returned - Decision 6-6c/1 (When Score Card Considered Returned). The LPGA Hard Card (Local Rules and Conditions of Competition that apply at all LPGA competitions) includes the following: A player is deemed to have returned her score card to the Committee when she leaves the roped area of the scoring tent or leaves the scoring trailer.
Ms. Wie turned in her score card and left the roped scoring area without signing her card. A scoring volunteer noticed that the card was missing a signature and caught up with Ms. Wie who was approximately 40 yards from the tent. The volunteer asked Ms. Wie to then sign the card, which she did.
LPGA Rules of Golf officials were not made aware of the incident until after Ms. Wie had started her third round on Saturday morning. At that time, they gathered the facts of the situation by interviewing the scoring volunteers. Because Ms. Wie's group was well into their round when the facts of the case were determined, LPGA officials decided to not disrupt them, and the officials waited to speak with Ms. Wie after she finished her round on Saturday. She confirmed the facts of the incident provided by the scoring volunteers.
LPGA Officials were in contact with the USGA soon after the incident was reported. The on-site officials proceeded cautiously and correctly.
The player's signature is required per Rule 6-6b and is a traditional part of the game as players are ultimately responsible for verifying their own scores. In addition, the player's signature gives a finality and certainty to the process of recording scores and allows the player complete control of the situation. Although the early game was typically at match play, the regulations of stroke play competitions, as far back as 1816 required markers (someone to verify a player's score). The requirement for the player's signature first appeared in the Rules of Golf book in 1948. The first joint R&A-USGA code of 1952 specified that: "The competitor is solely responsible for the correctness of the score recorded for each hole."
The Rules Are The Rules by Ron Sirak, Golf World
Wie's disqualification highlights what we all know to be true:
Golf is different, no one is watching you most of the time
July 21, 2008 - Part of what makes sports fun is the predictability of the fans. Every time an umpire blows a call the talk shows are swamped the next day with irate folks demanding instant replay in baseball. And just as surely, every time a professional golfer is penalized for a scoring mistake there will be those who argue long and loud that in an EZ Pass world there is no longer a need for players to check and sign their scorecard. They would be wrong.
The latest scoring blunder in golf is made more emotional--and thus more complicated--by the fact it involved Michelle Wie, an 18-year-old box-office draw who appeared to be playing her way out of a two-year slump this past weekend at the LPGA State Farm Classic with rounds of 67-65-67. Wie was just one stroke off the 54-hole lead of Yani Tseng and seemed to have a good chance to win her first LPGA event and first tournament of any kind in five years.
But moments after finishing her third round Saturday at Panther Creek Country Club in Springfield, Ill., Wie was disqualified on a technicality--not signing her scorecard. We are already getting e-mails at Golf World saying this is an archaic rule. But why is it archaic? Who knows better than the player what he or she shot? The Rest of the Story>>
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