Robert MacIntyre Slams "Ridiculous" Rule That Fueled His BMW PGA Championship Collapse

Robert MacIntyre closed the BMW PGA Championship with a strong finish: birdie, birdie, eagle. This four-under surge on the final holes at Wentworth moved him to 13 under for the tournament, placing him in a tie for 10th. However, despite the positive end to his round, MacIntyre voiced his strong disagreement with a ruling he encountered on the 11th hole.

The Scotsman, ranked 19th in the world, felt a specific rule regarding repaired pitch marks was "ridiculous." His drive on the par-4 11th landed in the fairway but was plugged, or at least partially embedded, in a previous player's pitch mark. While a newer rule generally allows for relief from an embedded ball, an exception exists: if a referee determines the pitch mark has been repaired in any way, relief is not granted.

The rule states that a pitch mark is considered repaired if it has been pressed down or otherwise altered, even if the repair is incomplete or incidental. Examples include pressing down a mark with a club or foot, attempting a repair with a tee, or if maintenance equipment has passed over the area. Such repairs can leave an indentation, preventing relief under this local rule.

In MacIntyre's situation, an official ruled that the pitch mark had indeed been repaired, denying him free relief. "It was in our opinion a partly-repaired pitchmark," DP World Tour chief referee Mark Litton later confirmed to The Scotsman.

MacIntyre expressed his exasperation, questioning the logic of the rule. "What is the point of changing the rules for a plugged ball when I have split the fairway on 11?" he asked. "The ball has pitched in a pitch mark but, because the pitch mark has been deemed to have been stood on, cut or whatever it was, I didn’t get relief."

He further explained, "I even got a second opinion. But, because the sides of the pitch mark weren’t standing up and it looked as though someone had stood on it or a buggy had gone over it. I didn’t get relief."

MacIntyre called the rule "absolutely ridiculous," emphasizing that it relies entirely on a referee's judgment. He believed the mark could have occurred that same morning and appeared plugged.

This ruling from 96 yards out led to MacIntyre hitting his approach long into the rough. After an initial chip attempt that remained in the thick grass, he required two more shots to finish the hole, resulting in his second consecutive bogey. The misfortune continued on the par-5 12th, where he made another bogey, pushing him to one over for his round.

MacIntyre admitted that the ruling on the 11th caused him to "just lose the plot from there." He acknowledged a need to improve his attitude but stated he was "absolutely fizzing with the ruling."

He suggested that golf's governing bodies need to simplify rules, particularly concerning embedded balls. "They need to simplify the rules," he told The Scotsman. "If it is in a plug mark, it’s in a plug mark."