DP World Tour pro fined after rules controversy that's stunned fellow players

The DP World Tour has confirmed Sam Bairstow has been fined £25,000 following an outrageous rules controversy at the Nexo Championship earlier this month.

According to a report in the Telegraph, fellow players are said to be frustrated that Bairstow, 27, has not been suspended from the DP World Tour following his actions on Donald Trump's International Links in Aberdeenshire. 

The incident came to light after a golf fan recorded what Bairstow did on the 14th hole during the first round. 

Bairstow, a one-time winner on the Challenge Tour, struck an errant tee shot way left into the deep rough.

As he went to address his second shot with the ball well above his feet, his golf ball suddenly submerged deep into the grass. 

The Englishman was seen looking around at his caddie before then playing his ball as it lied for his second shot without taking a one-stroke penalty for having made his ball move. 

Bairstow then proceeded to chip his ball out onto the fairway and he went on to make a bogey en route to a round of 1-over 73. 

But that was only the start of what was to come for Bairstow as the golf fan had already sent his video in to DP World Tour HQ for a closer inspection.

After reviewing the fan's footage, which you can watch in the link at the bottom of this article, Bairstow was asked by tournament officials to give his side of the story. 

Bairstow denied any knowledge of having broken the rules.

But then after watching the video back, he accepted he should have taken a two-stroke penalty - one for not replacing his ball and another for playing his ball from the wrong spot. 

His bogey-five should therefore have been recorded as a triple-bogey seven, and ultimately a round of 3-over 75. 

Bairstow later disqualified himself from the tournament and did not play in the second round. 

But copies of the video, obtained by the Telegraph, have since been sent round to other players and caddies on the DP World Tour.

And it's not gone down well. 

A number of players believe Bairstow should be suspended because he failed to call the penalty on himself.

One unnamed Tour pro has told the Telegraph, "this has been hushed up and many of us are unhappy."

The pro added "this is affecting people’s livings and the Tour must be more transparent and not be so paranoid about a wider negative reaction."

The DP World Tour has since convened a hearing into the incident, and has decided to hand Bairstow a £25,000 fine for his actions. 

The Telegraph has obtained a statement from Bairstow, which reads: "At my address position I could not see the ball at all but I could see the markings on the ball when I moved to the side where the video was taken.

"Something looked different when I re -addressed the ball for a second time so I checked my markings on the ball to ensure they were in the same position, which they were.

"I know I should have called a referee, and I really regret that I didn’t. I know who I am as a person, and so do the people who are close to me. I fully acknowledge by not calling a referee at the time, I didn’t play my part in respect of the Tour and my fellow players.

"After being shown the video after my round, I did what I could at the time by disqualifying myself from the tournament. I completely respect the Tour processes and I accept the additional sanction. I hope I can now move on and concentrate on playing the game I love."

Bairstow played in the Betfred British Masters this week but he went on to miss the cut on 5-over par following rounds of 76 and 73. 

The Telegraph obtained a copy of the golf fan's video of Bairstow, which you can watch here.