At the time of writing, the third event of the FedEx Cup playoffs has just wrapped up. With that, the FedEx Cup champion was Tommy Fleetwood. Among all the excitement, there was an incident during the second round that had fans lukewarm on the tournament, as they felt it was unnecessary. That is how preferred lies was implemented for the round. Fans took their grievances to the internet and let their opinion be known.
Why Were Preferred Lies In Effect?
Ahead of round two of the Tour Championship, the tee times had to be moved up due to incoming storms. Seeing the storm, the PGA Tour decided that it would be appropriate to allow preferred lies for the day. The goal is to avoid mud balls, something that can easily throw off any swing. The PGA Championship back in May is a good example of how bad mud balls can be for pro players. With a ball veering off course due to how the aerodynamics are destroyed by some mud.
Fan Reaction
The fans are now impressed with the decision of preferred lies. Why is that? Two reasons. The first reason is that preferred lies is usually seen as a form of sanctioned cheating. Play it as it lies is a common rule followed by anyone playing for fun or sport. It is a rule that is so well known that the only thing more well known is the scoring system. The second reason why fans are upset is that the East Lake Golf Club is not seen as a very difficult course. Fans already had issues with that alone, as seen with this response to the preferred lies announcement.
“I know these are 30 of the best players in the world, but when they shoot 61 and other low numbers, it makes a farce of a tournament with so much prize money. A true championship should be played on a demanding championship course.”
The rest of the comments echo this sentiment around preferred lies and the course itself. A sentiment that has come up among the comments is that the pros should be able to play in whatever condition, including with mud balls. It brings to mind the image of Hideki Matsuyama practicing in a downpour ahead of the PGA Championship. The same major that didn’t use preferred lies and saw mudballs everywhere.
Preferred Lies And The PGA Tour
The tour has to walk a thin line when it comes to making its decisions about playing conditions. On the one hand, it has to keep the players happy and make sure they feel like they are all on equal footing. On the other hand, the fans are always watching and listening and are well aware of what the rules say. The fairness of each tournament and the rules can conflict, which is where these exceptions, like preferred lies, come from. Yet at the same time, players have played in the rain before, and some actively train in the rain. It comes as to reason that the top players would know how to adapt to said conditions. However, the Tour has made its decision for the Tour Championship already, a decision that leaves one side unhappy.
Main Photo Credit: © Brett Davis-Imagn Images
