PGA Tour pro PENALISED after waiting too long for his ball to drop at US PGA!

Lee Hodges was penalised after waiting too long for his ball to drop into the cup on the 17th during round three of the US PGA. But many golf fans think it was the wrong call!

Andy Roberts

20 May 2023

PGA Tour pro PENALISED after waiting too long for his ball to drop at US PGA! — PGA Tour pro PENALISED after waiting too long for his ball to drop at US…

PGA Tour pro Lee Hodges was penalised a stroke after waiting too long for his ball to fall into the cup on the par-4 17th in the third round of the US PGA Championship at Oak Hill.

According to Rule 13.3a, a golfer has 10 seconds to wait for their putt to drop when it comes to rest on the lip of the hole.

This is after having taken a 'reasonable' amount of time to get up to the hole.

The rule states: "If any part of a player's ball overhangs the lip of the hole, the player is allowed a reasonable time to reach the hole and 10 more seconds to wait to see whether the ball will fall into the hole."

In the video clip, which you can watch below, Hodges' par putt nestles over the back right of the cup.

WATCH: RAHM SMASHES UP A MICROPHONE AFTER SHANKING CHIP SHOT AT US PGA

Hodges stands there for some 30 seconds in the hope his ball will drop, while being egged on by playing partner Jordan Spieth who is heard saying: "I think it's going to drop."

The ball eventually did drop into the hole, but after 34 seconds from the moment it initially came to rest behind the edge of the hole.

Hodges wrote down a par on his scorecard but a rules official would later deem he took an unreasonable amount of time to get up to his ball and so his score on the 17th turned into a bogey-five.

Taking a look at the responses from golf fans on social media, and a majority believe Hodges got a tough break here.

While some fans thought it was the right call, many others were not so sure given the ball was still in motion - and you can't hit a moving ball.

Anyway, here's the video clip so you can make your own mind up.

WATCH HODGES' PUTT HERE:

Lee Hodges waited for this par putt to drop at No. 17 but later had a stroke added for violating the 10-second rule. pic.twitter.com/1jTfAK3UJe
— Underdog Golf (@Underdog__Golf) May 20, 2023

Robbed. They need to un-review this one.
— GOLF INJURY REPORT (@InjuryReportPGA) May 20, 2023

Absolutely disgusting change of the rule. The ball was moving all the time
— John Duffy (@johncduffy72) May 20, 2023

Pretty self explanatory. Can disagree with the rule, but its the rule.
— Justin Durand (Florida Drip) (@Justin_Durand80) May 20, 2023

It was still moving!!! If he hit it while it was still moving it’s also a one stroke penalty! What the hell was he supposed to do!??!
— Omniscient Yotes Fan (@OmnicntYotesFan) May 20, 2023

In a statement sent to GolfMagic after the incident, the PGA wrote the following:

"Lee Hodges, from Athens, AL, received a one-stroke penalty for a breach of Rule 13.3a during the third round of the 105th PGA Championship at Oak Hill Country Club in Rochester, NY. During play of the 17th hole, Hodges played his first putt to the edge of the hole and after having walked up to the hole, behind his ball, he then waited more than ten seconds. The ball then fell into the hole, after the ten second limit provided for in the Rule. As a result, Hodges received a one-stroke penalty, under Rule 13.3a, and the ball was holed."

Hodges, ranked 143rd in the world, went on to card a 75 to fall back to 10-over par.

PGA Tour pro Si Woo Kim was docked a shot for doing something very similar at the 2021 RBC Heritage at Hilton Head.

After putting from long range off the green, Kim's ball eventually fell into the cup for what he thought was a birdie-three.

Here's how golf fans reacted to Kim's penalty