Pro Disqualified After Playoff Victory Following Video Footage Review

A professional golfer on the 2020 Pro Tour was disqualified after initially being awarded victory in a playoff. Chris Hanson and Dan Brown tied for the lead at Rockcliffe Hall before drama ensued during the playoff.

As the playoff of the 2020 Pro Tour event was live streamed, officials reviewed the footage after the event and deemed Hanson to have taken an illegal drop; despite satisfying his playing partner at the time. As such, Hanson was disqualified with Dan Brown named as the winner and recipient of £5,000.

"On reviewing the playoff footage after some live viewing concerns regarding Chris Hanson's drop on the final playoff hole and after speaking with a PGA Official it has come to our attention that the ball was dropped in the wrong place. Resulting in Chris being disqualified from the playoff," Adam Walker, Co-Founder of the 2020 Pro Tour, said in a statement.

"Dan Brown now stands as the Golf Travel People Masters Champion and wins a cheque for £5,000. Congratulations to Dan Brown once again and thanks to the Golf Travel People for their continued support."

Hanson's drive came to rest against a railing that did not define the boundary of the course. As per the rules of golf, this is deemed to be an immovable obstruction as part of Rule 16.1 - Abnormal Course Conditions. An immovable obstruction is any obstruction that can't be moved without unreasonable effort or without damaging the obstruction or the course. It must also not meet the criteria of movable obstruction (which by definition, is the exact reverse). The Committee can determine any obstruction to be immovable, even if it meets the definition of movable.

This can be best defined by the image below:

Hanson proceeded to take free relief, which is permitted by the rules, however he did so in an area that was not his nearest point of relief. He went on to birdie the hole to win the title, or so he thought.

Using the above diagram as a reference, Hanson should have taken a drop to the left of the railing (the immovable obstruction) in an area where the immovable obstruction did not impede his swing. A player is not permitted to take a drop in an area that is further than the nearest point of relief in order to achieve a clearer line of play - which is what Hanson did.

Whilst painstakingly disappointing for Hanson, this is not the first time video footage has interfered with a rules infraction. In 2017 Lexi Thompson led the ANA Inspiration by two strokes after 54 holes but a ruling cost her a four shot penalty.

Officials retroactively assessed Thompson with a two-stroke penalty for playing from the wrong place plus an additional two strokes for signing an incorrect scorecard after the third round. This was applied once a viewer had contacted the LPGA Tour to express concerns after watching the broadcast. Thompson and her playing partners were informed during the final round where the American went from leading the tournament to falling two strokes off the lead. She would ultimately lose out in a playoff.

The United States Golf Association and the R&A, the organisations in charge of golf’s rules, said in a statement shortly after the incident that it would limit the use of video evidence that could not reasonably be seen with the "naked eye" or when players used their "reasonable judgement." This however, does not impact Hanson as the correct drop area was easily identifiable.

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