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BMW PGA CHAMPIONSHIPMay 24, 2012Graeme McDowellVIRGINIA WATER, ENGLAND GRAEME McDOWELL: Two shot penalty on the last, disappointed. I hit a bad tee shot into the right trees, and, you know, as I tried to get in there, have a look at the ball, it's like an interconnected set of branches and the ball was actually hovering in some branches. As soon as I got in there, I felt the hole area, like I say, being connected and I felt like the ball might have oscillated in some shape or form. I said to Richard Boxall coming down the fairway, can you have the TV look at that, I'm not 100 per cent sure about this. So obviously I've gone ahead and chipped it out, and made my 6, but you know, TV footage has showed that the ball has literally rotated a couple of dimples, and because I didn't attempt to replace that ball, even though I was unsure if it had moved at that point, I was supposed to‑‑ that's a one‑shot penalty. Obviously move the ball, you have to replace it or attempt to replace it and I didn't do that, so it's a two‑shot penalty. Q. But you called it on yourself. It wasn't a viewer who called it in. GRAEME McDOWELL: In the end, yeah, a viewer and a spectator and all of the above. But I had already said to Richard Boxall that I was not happy with what happened. Just one of those things. The TV cameras were there. We got it in slow‑mow, Hi‑Def, so there's no arguing. Like I say, because I didn't attempt to replace the ball, it was an extra shot, as well. So disappointed with that in the end. So it's a 6 turned into an 8 and I played okay today. I was cruising along quite nicely and played 17 and got out of my rhythm and made a bad swing on 18. That's the way the rules can go. Q. Westy said he's never seen anything and he's never heard of that before in all his time out here; in effect, you can't even go and have a look at your ball. GRAEME McDOWELL: I was literally was ten feet away, and you know, the footage they showed me, I was standing probably from here to you (indicates distance of 6 feet). It's just one of those crazy scenarios unfortunately. Looking back I'm not sure what I could have done. The ball was perched until I got ten foot from it, and at that point it was too late. Just kind of one of those freak scenarios in golf. Like I said, that caused it all, but unfortunately it was a compounded error. Q. How was the rest of your round? GRAEME McDOWELL: It was okay. I didn't drive the ball well enough. This golf course, you hit a lot of drivers, and I didn't feel like I got into my rhythm very well with the driver. But felt like I handled these greens well. So like I said, tee‑to‑green, I was average. I was cleaning up well, so made some nice putts. Hanging in there with a chance to finish 4‑4 for 69, but didn't quite transpire that way. Q. How do you feel now? Do you feel a hard day done? GRAEME McDOWELL: Not really. The rules are there for everyone's protection. It's easy to say that when you're on the wrong side of them. And yeah, I'm disappointed that‑‑ how are you supposed to attempt to place the ball when you're not sure it's moved in the first place? It's just a harsh one. John Paramor said the second you have any doubt, you need to call one of the guys in, because they can obviously try to guide you through it a little bit. It's hard. It's hard. You know, when you put these Hi‑Def cameras and stuff and balls are moving by dimples and stuff, there's a few guys that have got on the wrong side of that rule, and it's harsh, and it's there for everyone's protection. Yeah, I'm disappointed with that finish. Q. What would have happened if you had actually thought, oh, it did move, and then it hadn't moved; you would then be in trouble again. GRAEME McDOWELL: That's an interesting question. I suppose if you thought it's moved, there's a pretty decent chance it has moved, you know what I'm saying. It's my fault. Like I said I probably should have called a referee in at that point. I know what to do in the future let's put it that way. Yeah, the Rules of Golf, they are very precise and very in‑depth and it's impossible to know every idiosyncrasy of them. But, yeah, I've cost myself a shot there by getting a little careless, and like I said, should have called a ref in. Yeah, disappointed. Q. Has that ever happened? GRAEME McDOWELL: I've never really heard of that one. Like I say, not even close to my address position and I've caused the ball to move. It's a strange one. Q. How many times in a season would you call a referee over the last number of years? GRAEME McDOWELL: How many times to call in a referee to help with a ruling? You probably call a ref once every couple of rounds really. Because we are all so scared, you know, because there's cameras around and the rules are so intricate and you're taking relief from grandstands; is it a club, plus a club quarter or is it in there plus one. There's so many strange little fiddly rules that we are all so damned scared to take relief from a sprinkler when we are on TV just because‑‑ there are so many watching who like the Rules of Golf, and you know, like I say, it ends up slowing the pace of play down because you have to call a ref and the ref might be ten minutes away. It's just one of those things. But once the ref is there, we are protected because we can't do anything wrong at that point. Even if a referee gives you a wrong ruling, it's correct, because he's told you to do it. Q. Obviously it's the Hi‑Def, slow‑mo stuff that's making it so much more difficult. GRAEME McDOWELL: You could argue that it's the reason why golf is so much fun to watch on TV now as well because of these cameras. Every now and again, a guy gets killed by a couple of dimples moving, but the ball has moved, and that's tough cookies. Q. That would have saved you one shot? GRAEME McDOWELL: Would have saved me one by getting JP then because then would I have attempted to place the ball. Would have had to wait, get the feedback from the TV, see if it's moved, try to replace it, and then I'm in the same position trying to get it out and make six instead of seven. As soon as I got in there, I felt something was wrong. You know, I just didn't‑‑ like I say, the whole area felt like it was just kind of bouncing, you know what I'm saying. Like I say, that's why I said to Boxie after I played my third shot, can you get the TV cameras out to have a look at this for me because I'm not sure what's just happened in there. And like I say, a spectator has called and someone on the couch has called. That's the way she goes. Q. Would you call it as an unplayable? GRAEME McDOWELL: Well, what are you supposed to do? I'm from here to you guys from the golf ball, and it's pretty tough to call an unplayable because it looked half playable. So I'm going to have to attempt to approach the ball. The ball was actually semi‑playable. It's a funky rule, not exactly something that happens every day. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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