English golfer wins DP World Tour event but is put in his place by a rules official
Matt Wallace won his first DP World Tour title since 2018 at the Omega European Masters after being put in his place by a rules official. He began the day with a four-shot lead but found himself competing in a play-off after Alfredo Garcia-Heredia birdied the last hole to join him on 11-under-par.
Wallace carded a birdie on the play-off hole, with Garcia-Heredia failing to hole his own birdie attempt to hand victory to the Englishman. He roared with relief when his putt dropped, fighting back tears in his post-round interview after ending his six-year wait for a DP World Tour title.
"That's a hard day," he told Sky Sports. "I felt like I played alright. I felt there was a score out there but I couldn't get anything going. I just kept pushing and Alfredo did what he had to do at the end there.
"It's a lot easier to make birdie when you need to on the last. I've been playing great and you don't want to give it away. I stuck at it."
Earlier in the day, Wallace was scolded by a rules official after trying to help Andrew 'Beef' Johnston in the rough. On the ninth hole, Johnston's ball landed just below a scoreboard which was classed as a temporary immovable obstruction (TIO).
Relief is usually allowed when there is physical interference or line of sight interference from the TIO. In this case, there was physical interference for Johnston and he summoned an official to help him with the ruling.
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Wallace then made his way over to provide his take on the rule, telling Johnston: "Take relief and it's then two [club lengths] from there. It's a new rule. It's not a swing. It's nearest point right?"
The rules official was quick to put Wallace in his place, though, as he clapped back: "Let me do it, I'm the referee." It prompted laughter from the fans around the course, with Wallace responding by walking off with his hands in the air and a smile on his face.
Johnston was then told by the rules official what he needed to do in order to take full relief from the scoreboard.
"Immovable obstruction, then you are free, then you have one club length," said the official. "Take your club, make your swing, the nearest point of relief is here." Johnston took his drop under no penalty shot and played it with his driver, eventually making par.
English golfer wins DP World Tour event but is put in his place by a rules official
English golfer wins DP World Tour event but is put in his place by a rules official
English golfer wins DP World Tour event but is put in his place by a rules official
English golfer wins DP World Tour event but is put in his place by a rules official
English golfer wins DP World Tour event but is put in his place by a rules official
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