Was Sam Burns Unlucky Not To Get Relief At The US Open?

Sam Burns was controversially not allowed a drop from standing water on the 15th hole while tied for the lead at the US Open.

The Louisiana man had casual or 'temporary' water under his feet on the fairway and believed his ball was also in a wet area so asked for a free drop. His request was twice denied by USGA officials to the surprise of many fans.

Burns' approach then veered off well left into the thick, wet rough and led to a costly double bogey that dropped him two out of the lead. The 54-hole leader then bogeyed the next to drop to eight-over-par for the round and end his hopes of winning his maiden Major.

"Yeah, that fairway slopes left to right. That's kind of the low part of the fairway there. When I walked into it, clearly you could see water coming up," Burns said.

"Took practice swings and it's just water splashing every single time. Called a rules official over, they disagreed. I looked at it again. I thought maybe I should get a second opinion. That rules official also disagreed.

"At the end of the day, it's not up to me, it's up to the rules official. That's kind of that.

"From that point, Travis and I said, Look let's focus on the shot, try to execute. I did the best I could. I was 100 percent locked in on what I was trying to do.

"Ultimately, it felt like the water just kind of got in the way, and I went left. It is what it is."

A video on X from Normal Sport's Kyle Porter showing the scene of Burns' shot immediately after he hit his approach certainly showed the American was unlucky not to get relief.

"Why he didn't get the lift was a mystery," Ewen Murray said on the Sky Sports broadcast. Commentator Wayne Riley also believed the five-time PGA Tour winner should have been awarded free relief and described it as "bizarre."

"I still don't understand the drop on 15," Murray later said.

Rich Beem was in agreement, asking: "Don't you have to give the benefit of the doubt to the player?

"I think that's absurd."

Whether the ruling was correct or not, Burns clearly can feel unlucky with what went down on the 15th.

Standing water: What the rules say

The Rule that applies with regards standing water on the golf course is Rule 16.1 – Abnormal Course Conditions (Including Immovable Obstructions.)

It confirms that free relief is allowed from interference from animal holes, ground under repair, immovable obstruction and – key for us here – “Temporary Water.”

Temporary Water is defined in The Rules as, “Any temporary accumulation of water on the surface of the ground (such as puddles from rain or irrigation or an overflow from a body of water) that: Is not in a penalty area, and can be seen before or after the player takes a stance (without pressing down excessively with their feet).”

You're entitled to a free drop if your ball touches or is in or on the abnormal course condition – in this case the standing or temporary water.

You also get a free drop if the temporary water physically interferes with your stance or area of intended swing. Basically – if you’re standing in the water or if your club is going to hit the water in making a stroke.