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USGA, R&A create local rule in wake of Dustin Johnson's U.S. Open issues

Ryan Ballengee

If you’ll recall, the U.S. Open was nearly marred by a rules controversy.

Eventual winner Dustin Johnson had his final round and championship put into limbo when his ball moved on the fifth green at Oakmont Country Club. After the walking rules official declared Johnson didn’t cause the ball to move, USGA officials kept looking at the footage. As Johnson was making his back-nine run toward his first major, the USGA informed Johnson that he might — might — be penalized for the ball moving.

Johnson played on, winning the title anyhow, even with the post-round protestations of the USGA that they would award the in-limbo penalty stroke. Widely panned for how they handled the situation, the USGA acknowledged the fault but blamed the language of the Rules of Golf that left them in what they felt was an almost impossible situation to ignore.

Dustin Johnson was pleading his case to a USGA rules official at the U.S. Open. (Getty Images)
Dustin Johnson was pleading his case to a USGA rules official at the U.S. Open. (Getty Images)

Now, the USGA and R&A have introduced a change to the Rules of Golf that should prevent this kind of situation in the future.

Starting Jan. 1, 2017, a new Local Rule (meaning it doesn’t have to be used by every tournament) absolves a player if they accidentally cause their ball or ball marker to move on the green. The change reads in full:

Rules 18-2, 18-3 and 20-1 are modified as follows:

When a player’s ball lies on the putting green, there is no penalty if the ball or ball-marker is accidentally moved by the player, his partner, his opponent, or any of their caddies or equipment.

The moved ball or ball-marker must be replaced as provided in Rules 18-2, 18-3 and 20-1.

This Local Rule applies only when the player’s ball or ball-marker lies on the putting green and any movement is accidental.

Note: If it is determined that a player’s ball on the putting green was moved as a result of wind, water or some other natural cause such as the effects of gravity, the ball must be played as it lies from its new location. A ball-marker moved in such circumstances is replaced.

This change would have prevented Johnson from being penalized, and it corrects a correction to Rule 18-2 that made it more vague and difficult to interpret.

All of golf’s major governing bodies have agreed to implement the rule in their events starting in 2017.