From Steve Elling, CBS Sports Senior Writer:
Rarely has a ruling touched off such a firestorm of commentary. The PGA Tour, which had nothing to do with the administration of the event, posted the following on its Facebook page, where fans were going ballistic: "The PGA Tour did not make the ruling and had no authority over the outcome. Your comments are appreciated, but please keep them clean of foul language and attacks."
Johnson's professional peers jumped to his defense, although as any judge or referee will be quick to note, ignorance of the rule is no excuse.
"I didn't see any notice in the locker room but I wasn't looking for them," Ian Poulter wrote. "They may have been there."
Former Masters champion Trevor Immelman wrote: "Gutted for Dustin. Shocking rule, 900+ bunkers and probably only 100 rakes. I don't get it! That is ridiculous, since when can a 1000 spectators walk through a bunker? Stupid!"
LPGA star Paula Creamer chimed in with: "That is a horrible call. I just can't believe it."
PGA Tour veteran Joe Ogilvie: "I'm stupefied they are even considering penalizing Dustin. If anything, it is ground under repair."
Elling is doing his duty for his employer, who have spent many millions on PGA event rights, and have millions to lose if the public turns away. Fair enough, his article supports the PGA to the hilt. He even quotes the owner of Whistling Straits, the course of 1,200 bunkers:
"It's a bunker," Kohler said. "Whether it's outside the ropes or inside the ropes doesn't make any difference, it's still a bunker. Hard lessons in life I tell you, but it was on the rules sheet.
"I'm not sure it's negative. It's hard, it's terrible and it's crushing for Dustin. It's crushing for everyone that watched and heard and feels for Dustin. On the other hand, darn it, it's the rules of golf.
"The point is, golf has rules. And the beauty of golf is, those rules apply to all of us. Be it professional or amateur and the values of golf have evolved from the rules of golf. And it's those values that are really quite precious. "They all knew it."
Really? Is every square inch of sand of a flat surface on a golf course a bunker? Do fans get to stand in bunkers?
OS took a few minutes to review the Facebook comments referenced above.If you think OS has a low opinion of the PGA, you ain't read nothin' til you read these!
The PGA.Com Facebook page appears to have shut down all further comment, but the stream of invective and protest previous to that act of courage is overwhelmingly negative.
Yeah, baby, yeah! That'll show all them ignorant, pissant, nobody-worth-knowing fans! They're just the ones who tune in to our events every Sunday, buy tickets and merchandise to events, take lessons with our members, volunteer for our tournaments. We'll do just fine without them!
This will not go away soon. This calls everything about the PGA into question.
Golfers know and love the game, almost at a religious level, because they play it with such dedication. It gives people such joy, such a sense of accomplishment, at whatever level they play. They love the game, and revere it, because honesty and fair play lie at the very heart of it.
The PGA just pissed all over them, and let them know they don't care a fig for their opinion.
This will not go away soon.
PS: This view from Golf Channel.
They still remember what the game was about.
OS misses Arnie, Jack, Lee, Ben, and Gary. It was a game played with and for love and honor.
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