Two balls touching in bunker @ Kapalua

[jobin]

I saw the UTube of this recent incident and read a few comments on the WRX ProTour forum.

As described, two balls rolled into a greenside bunker and were touching when at rest. The RO was called over and spoke his words to the the players. Finau then measured one club length away and put a marker into the bunker sand.

Morikowa then hit his ball onto the green. 

 

Meantime Finau's caddy was cleaning Tony's ball and handed it back to him, which he then replaced onto the measured place. No ball dropping here. Well, i'm not positive the same ball was used. The Q was asked whether proper and correct to clean the ball under these conditions. When a ball on the fairway interferes with my play i may ask the owner to mark and move.  Unless recently changed, he was not permitted to clean the ball. Many videos available showing pros tenderly holding ball with finger and thumb making obvious the intent.

 

So, i do know (some here would argue otherwise) that under  any 'relief' situation, whether free or paid, the ball may be cleaned or replaced.  But was Finau taking 'relief'? And is the above mentioned fairway situation now changed to permit cleaning when asked to mark and move?  The Rules goalposts keep moving on me so, plz forgive my ignorance!

[nsxguy]

Seems to me the ball should not have been cleaned.

 

15.3b/2

 

(2) When Relief Is Allowed from Interfering Ball. If a player reasonably believes that another player’s ball anywhere on the course might interfere with the player’s own play:

• The player may require the other player to mark the spot and lift the ball (see Rule 14.1), and the ball must not be cleaned (except when lifted from the putting green under Rule 13.1b) and must be replaced on its original spot (see Rule 14.2).

• If the other player does not mark the spot before lifting the ball or cleans the lifted ball when not allowed, he or she gets one penalty stroke.

• In stroke play only, a player required to lift his or her ball under this Rule may play first instead.

[Newby]

The caddie did in fact ask the referee if he could clean the ball. The ref nodded his agreement.

The ref got it wrong.

[davep043]

@nsxguy has the right rule, the ball shouldn't have been cleaned.  I wondered if the referee thought that Finau had hit first.  If so, and if Morikawa's ball had caused Finau's to move, Finau would have had to replace his at the original spot, and would have been allowed to clean it.  Or maybe the referee simply made a mistake.

[Newby]

23 minutes ago, davep043 said:

@nsxguy has the right rule, the ball shouldn't have been cleaned.  I wondered if the referee thought that Finau had hit first.  If so, and if Morikawa's ball had caused Finau's to move, Finau would have had to replace his at the original spot, and would have been allowed to clean it.  Or maybe the referee simply made a mistake.

I got the impression that during the video it had been explained (confirmed) to the referee that the second ball (ie rightmost) had joined and followed the channel made by the first ball.