SHEBOYGAN, Wis. (AP) — Brooks Koepka lost a long argument with rules officials who would not grant him relief from an awkward lie near a drain on the 15th hole at the Ryder Cup on Saturday.
Koepka and his partner, Daniel Berger, argued with a pair of rules officials that a drain placed near a bunker to the right of the fairway would interfere with Koepka's downswing — an issue made more serious because Koepka has been dealing with a wrist injury.
According to Rule 16.1, free relief is allowed when an abnormal course condition, including immovable obstructions such as a drain, “physically interferes with the player’s area of intended stance or area of intended swing.”
The referee with the group would not grant relief because he said the drain did not interfere with Koepka's swing. Another referee was called over and also refused relief for Koepka.
“Have you ever seen me hit a ball? Don't you think my club might hit right here?” Koepka argued, as he pointed at the drain tucked into the area near a bunker and situated a pace or two ahead of the ball.
After the ruling, Koepka chopped down on the ball and got it to the front of the green. He and Berger combined to two-putt and tie the hole. They trailed Sergio Garcia and Jon Rahm 1-down with three holes left.
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The Associated Press
