MEXICO CITY – Social media can be a wonderful way to connect with those with similar interests, but it’s not the best way to make a golf ruling.
This point was made clear on Saturday when Phil Mickelson pushed his drive well left of the 10th fairway at the WGC-Mexico Championship and was granted a drop.
The social media second-guessing started immediately with some suggesting Mickelson’s ball had been lost but that wasn’t the case.
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According to PGA Tour rules official Stephen Cox, who made the ruling, Mickelson’s ball was picked up by a fan and moved from the spot where it had come to rest.
After confirming with numerous sources in the crowd that Mickelson’s golf ball had been moved, Cox said the only thing he really had to determine was where it had been picked up, which was from a forward tee of the adjacent ninth hole.
Mickelson was allowed to drop where his golf ball originally was and he made an impressive par on the hole.
Lefty also needed rulings on Nos. 11 and 12 after wayward tee shots, but he still managed to post an under-par round (68).