Pro Golfer's Distraction Leads to Unusual Rules Incident at Players Championship
During the final round of the Players Championship, Bud Cauley inadvertently committed an unusual rules violation when he stepped on Lucas Glover's ball on the 16th hole. The incident occurred while Cauley was distracted watching Rory McIlroy's shot on the adjacent 17th hole.
Bud Cauley stepping on Lucas Glover's ball at the Players Championship Sunday.
The rules for this situation are clear: when a ball is moved by an outside influence (such as a player, spectator, or animal), there is no penalty. The ball should simply be replaced as close as possible to its original position.
Despite the mishap, Cauley maintained his composure, finishing with:
- A par on hole 16
- A birdie on hole 17 (after hitting his tee shot to within 6 feet)
- A par on the final hole
He completed his round with a two-over 74, ending at eight under for the tournament. While not the finish he hoped for, it marked a significant improvement for the world No. 251, who had only made one Players cut in his previous four attempts.
"I just couldn't get it going," Cauley reflected afterward. "I'd follow up a good hole with a bad hole, and unfortunately too many mistakes."