Lucas Herbert explains two-stroke penalty and responds to criticism
Chaina’s Haotong Li wasn’t the only golfer given a two-stroke penalty, Australia Lucas Herbert was also deemed to have broken the rules of golf.
Lucas Herbert was handed a two-stroke penalty for a rules violation during the third round of the Omega Dubai Desert Classic on the weekend. Herbert was found to have improved his lie in a waste area (which is deemed be played under the same rules as a bunker) when he attempted to scrape away some loose impediments behind the ball with his club.
The new rules of golf allow players to ground their club in a bunker and remove loose impediments but not at the expense of improving your lie. The penalty drew swift criticism on Twitter.
If I ever witnessed a playing partner do this, a 2 shot penalty would be the least of his worries! pic.twitter.com/Ltv7HP9jjc
— GaryEvans (@garyevanspro) January 29, 2019
You’d think that a pro would realise that this isn’t allowed, even in a waste area!
Lucas Herbert incurred a 2-shot penalty in R3 for this.#OmegaDubaiDesertClassic pic.twitter.com/4Erg5gARKG— brucemac (@tweetingolfer) January 26, 2019
Herbert arrived back in Australia on Tuesday to play in next week’s Vic Open and was gave his side of the story on the Inside The Ropes podcast.
Herbert admitted he broke the rules of golf but was adamant he was not a cheat with the removal of the impediments he removed were further behind the golf ball then the cameras indicated. Listen to the full podcast (also featuring Karrie Webb) here.
.@lhgolf5 has waited until today to explain what happened in Dubai with THAT two-shot penalty.
Hear the full discussion with @AndyMaherDFA, @Hayesy24 & @MichaelClayto15 on Ep 79 – out this arvo! #InsideTheRopes pic.twitter.com/rx3PYlaDD1
— Inside The Ropes (@InsideThe_Ropes) January 29, 2019