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Several new rules were implemented this year by the USGA in an effort to speed up the game and bring it back to where players are less reliant on things like green-reading books.
Some of these new rules have been met with much consternation from PGA Tour pros, among them the new the knee-height requirement for dropping a ball. Right, Rickie Fowler?
This is the appropriate drop form, as demonstrated by @RickieFowler @NoLayingUp @the_woke_yolk pic.twitter.com/Hjh5PvgUTm
— Ryan Kennedy (@kennedyryanj) February 28, 2019
Another one of those new rules causing controversy is the prohibition of caddies standing behind players. This particular rule change came into play this past weekend when Adam Schenk received a two-stroke penalty for just such a thing at the Honda Classic.
2017 PGA Tour Player of the Year Justin Thomas wasn’t having it and expressed his dismay on Twitter.
#growthegame @USGA https://t.co/jc5E0Y7TjP
— Justin Thomas (@JustinThomas34) March 2, 2019
Totally agree… I more so say things in hopes that the USGA starts communicating with the current players to better the game and the sport. The rules are rules, no getting past that. Just hoping going forward, communication is had and ALL GOLFERS benefit from any changes 👌🏽 https://t.co/86TE7L8AnR
— Justin Thomas (@JustinThomas34) March 2, 2019
Well, the USGA wasn’t going to stand idly by and just take that. No, sir. So they fired back with this message that sounds more like it was meant to be sent in a direct message than an actual public tweet.
“Justin, we need to talk. You’ve cancelled every meeting we’ve planned with you, but we are reaching out again. We were at the first 5 events, and tournaments last year, and your tour has had a seat at the table for 7 years. We’d love nothing more than to give you a seat. Call us.”
https://twitter.com/jetpack/status/1101978749199925248Someone’s salty. And Thomas says it’s just not true, saying, “It was a little upsetting just because it was inaccurate. I haven’t canceled anything, especially any meetings, but it is what it is. All I want is the best for the game of golf and the best for the sport, and that’s what we’re going to continue to try to communicate with each other to get that.”
The USGA later backtracked, pretty hard, after Thomas claimed he had no idea what they were talking about.
https://twitter.com/jetpack/status/1102039214160601088Then on Tuesday, the USGA basically issued a full retraction.
https://twitter.com/jetpack/status/1102974347399127041Man, and here I was thinking that the NBA was the sports organization with the most drama.
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[CBS Sports]