Rules Change

Taken from BBC sport website

Golfers wrongly signing a scorecard after unknowingly breaching a rule will no longer be disqualified on the strength of video evidence.

The sport's governing bodies, the R&A and United States Golf Association, have amended the rules.

Padraig Harrington was disqualified from an event in Abu Dhabi in January having signed a wrong score.

The Irishman's hand brushed the back of his ball during the first round and he was later found guilty by TV evidence.

A viewer phoned in to bring the incident to the attention of the European Tour after the Dubliner, who failed to add the two-shot penalty, had wrongly signed his scorecard, resulting in the disqualification.

"I looked down and was pretty sure it had just oscillated and had not moved, so I continued on," Harrington said at the time.

"At the end of the day that's good enough, but I wouldn't have done anything differently - there was nothing I could do about it at that moment in time."

Colombian Camilo Villegas was also disqualified for a rule violation at a tournament in Hawaii in January.

Once again, a viewer called in after noticing during the first round that Villegas had moved a blade of grass near a divot while his ball was still in motion on the 15th hole.

The South American should have also added a two-stroke penalty which meant he made a nine on the hole instead of a double-bogey seven, which he had marked.

The new ruling came into force from the start of the 2011 Masters.

Peter Dawson, R&A chief executive, said: "For some time we have been concerned that, in certain limited circumstances, disproportionate disqualification penalties have been required by the rules.

"This carefully considered decision reflects our desire to ensure that the rules of golf remain fair and relevant in the changing environment in which the game is played today."

Players in breach of golf's rules may still be penalised, retrospectively, by officials.

About time, it shows us that the Rules People want a fair result.

TheLyth