- My Forums
- Tiger Rant
- LSU Recruiting
- SEC Rant
- Saints Talk
- Pelicans Talk
- More Sports Board
- Fantasy Sports
- Golf Board
- Soccer Board
- O-T Lounge
- Tech Board
- Home/Garden Board
- Outdoor Board
- Health/Fitness Board
- Movie/TV Board
- Book Board
- Music Board
- Political Talk
- Money Talk
- Fark Board
- Gaming Board
- Travel Board
- Food/Drink Board
- Ticket Exchange
- TD Help Board
Customize My Forums- View All Forums
- Show Left Links
- Topic Sort Options
- Trending Topics
- Recent Topics
- Active Topics
Started By
Message
Did Viktor Hovland Ground His Club ?
Posted on 8/31/26 at 7:22 am
Posted on 8/31/26 at 7:22 am
Viktor Hovland was at the center of a major rules controversy during the 2026 Tour Championship after footage appeared to show his club getting dangerously close to the bunker sand. Golf fans immediately questioned whether Hovland had grounded his club and should have received a penalty.
Youtube Link
Youtube Link
This post was edited on 8/31/26 at 7:37 am
9
Posted on 8/31/26 at 8:02 am to The Torch
Can someone tell me what the advantage here would be? Are you not allowed to have the club touch the sand?
Posted on 8/31/26 at 8:07 am to Arthur Bach
quote:
Are you not allowed to have the club touch the sand?
Touching the sand with your club immediately in front of or behind your ball, during a practice swing or during your backswing is a penalty (see Rule 12.2b(1)). If you do this, you get a loss of hole penalty in match play or two penalty strokes in stroke play.
This post was edited on 8/31/26 at 10:56 am
Posted on 8/31/26 at 8:39 am to The Torch
Had he been given a 2-stroke penalty, he would have finished in an 8-way tie for third instead of having a solo second place finish.
If my quick math is correct, an 8-way tie for third would have paid out $1.946 million.
So, with the favorable ruling, he "saved" a little over $3 million. Helluva ruling!
For the record, I don't think his club touched the sand and I didn't see any sand move.
If my quick math is correct, an 8-way tie for third would have paid out $1.946 million.
So, with the favorable ruling, he "saved" a little over $3 million. Helluva ruling!
For the record, I don't think his club touched the sand and I didn't see any sand move.
This post was edited on 8/31/26 at 8:41 am
Posted on 8/31/26 at 8:43 am to The Torch
I’ve seen the up close video 100x now.. He didn’t touch the sand. He was damn close but he didn’t ground it.
Posted on 8/31/26 at 8:45 am to Arthur Bach
quote:
Can someone tell me what the advantage here would be? Are you not allowed to have the club touch the sand?
The rule is there to prevent players from testing the conditions to get an exact idea of what they need to do. They have to draw the line somewhere. So, not allowing any contact is where they draw it.
Considering how manicured PGA Tour bunkers are these days, there probably isn't a huge advantage gained since they know exactly how the bunker will play.
Posted on 8/31/26 at 8:58 am to DestrehanTiger
Thank you for helping me understand this
New to the game so it sort of seems like an odd rule
New to the game so it sort of seems like an odd rule
Posted on 8/31/26 at 9:28 am to The Torch
If it was Bryson Dechambeau, Rory would have cried to the tournament rules committee and they would have accessed him a 2 stroke penalty after the round.
In no way did Hovland improve his lie, but when he pulls his club away for the last time you can see the indention in the sand where his club touched. By the book, it's a penalty.
In no way did Hovland improve his lie, but when he pulls his club away for the last time you can see the indention in the sand where his club touched. By the book, it's a penalty.
Posted on 8/31/26 at 9:32 am to DarkDrifter
Bunkers are interesting hazards.
Unlike other hazards, you can’t take a practice swing or ground club.
If you drop out of a bunker, it’s two shots- I’ve thought about it when embedded under lip. Drop in bunker is one shot.
IMO, hazards are hazards, having the same rules for bunkers as other hazards would give the player options- especially when bunkers are poorly maintained.
Unlike other hazards, you can’t take a practice swing or ground club.
If you drop out of a bunker, it’s two shots- I’ve thought about it when embedded under lip. Drop in bunker is one shot.
IMO, hazards are hazards, having the same rules for bunkers as other hazards would give the player options- especially when bunkers are poorly maintained.
Posted on 8/31/26 at 9:58 am to The Torch
That is an awesome example of hovering. Im gonna practice that
This post was edited on 8/31/26 at 9:59 am
Posted on 8/31/26 at 10:03 am to makersmark1
quote:
Unlike other hazards, you can’t take a practice swing or ground club.
Fun Fact: it only applies to bu ker the ball is currently in. if there is a another bunker nearby you can go take a practice swing in that bunker without penalty.
Posted on 8/31/26 at 10:08 am to The Torch
Loading Twitter/X Embed...
If tweet fails to load, click here. I think he definitely touched the sand. I don't think this should be a penalty though. Couldn't tell in real time, and I really don't think that affected his shot. I don't like using slo-mo zoomed in replay to determine if something almost microscopic happened like that.
Posted on 8/31/26 at 10:36 am to medtiger
well the rules official was asked on the live broadcast about the inquiry and he stated point blank that they'd reviewed the vid multiple times and saw no grounding. I don't know why anyone is still laboring over this.
Posted on 8/31/26 at 10:41 am to The Torch
He absolutely touched the sand. On his last waggle or whatever you want to call it, before he hits the ball, you can see the sand change behind the ball, there's a new flat spot, about the size of a quarter, it's clear as day to me. Does it matter? I don't think so.
Not sure why anyone would downvote this, it's clear as day. I don't think it was intentional, and it didn't matter.
Not sure why anyone would downvote this, it's clear as day. I don't think it was intentional, and it didn't matter.
This post was edited on 8/31/26 at 4:48 pm
Posted on 8/31/26 at 11:25 am to The Torch
Didn't look like the sand under the wedge moved at all.
I say no grounding.
I say no grounding.
This post was edited on 8/31/26 at 11:27 am
Posted on 8/31/26 at 12:39 pm to i am dan
His feet were grounded
Posted on 8/31/26 at 2:26 pm to coolpapaboze
quote:
He absolutely touched the sand. On his last waggle or whatever you want to call it, before he hits the ball, you can see the sand change behind the ball, there's a new flat spot, about the size of a quarter, it's clear as day to me. Does it matter? I don't think so.
couldn't agree more. The rule doesn't exist for this purpose and under a slow motion, zoomed in review.
It was incredibly incidental and I'm glad they didn't penalize him.
Posted on 8/31/26 at 2:45 pm to DarkDrifter
I mean you can literally see the sand change on his last waggle.
Posted on 8/31/26 at 2:47 pm to MrSpock
Tour manicured conditions: bunker shots is not that hard.
Variable depth of sand at some clubs, shots can vary from thin rockets to fluffing it.
Variable depth of sand at some clubs, shots can vary from thin rockets to fluffing it.
.jpg)
Posted on 8/31/26 at 4:09 pm to The Torch
quote:
Did Viktor Hovland Ground His Club ?
No.
Page 1 of 2
Popular
Back to top
Follow TigerDroppings for LSU Football News