TO SEARCH OR NOT TO SEARCH: THE MICKELSON/LICKLITER COMEDY

If you were watching the 2001 Buick Invitational, you probably thought you were watching a live Rules of Golf seminar. So many rulings took place in a 10-minute span that it was difficult to keep them all straight.

Background Information:
1. On the third playoff hole, the 425-yard 17th hole at Torrey Pines, Phil Mickelson sent his tee shot into a deep ravine to the left of the fairway. Frank Lickliter stepped up and promptly put his ball in nearly the identical spot.
2. Mickelson and Lickliter both declared they would play a provisional ball and both shots landed in the fairway.
3. As they approached the ravine, marshals were already searching for both balls. The marshals located Lickliter’s ball right away and found Mickelson’s ball a few minutes later.
4. Since both of the original balls were found, the provisional balls were abandoned and the players headed back to the tee to play again.
5. As both players got back to the tee, Lickliter teed off followed by Mickelson.
6. Mickelson would eventually win the tournament with a double bogey after Lickliter three putted for triple bogey.

Explanation of the applicable Rules of Golf
Despite the fact the television announcers repeatedly stated that both players hit the ball in the hazard, that was not the case. The ravine to the left side of the fairway was not marked as a water hazard. Since both players thought their ball might be lost in the ravine, each player informed the other that he intended to play a provisional ball under Rule 27.

After both players hit their provisional ball in the fairway, the players headed to the ravine to search for their balls. Lickliter’s original ball was not lost because it was located immediately, so his provisional ball was abandoned (Rule 27-2c). Mickelson’s original ball was also found, so his provisional ball was also abandoned.

Desipite his protests, which were heard by millions of viewers, Mickelson had to abandon his provisional ball, which was long and in the middle of the fairway, based on three Decisions on the Rules of Golf: 27-2/2, 27-2b/6 and 27-2c/2. The basic premise of these decisions states that if a player’s original ball is found within the five-minute search period, then the player must identify the ball and continue play with that ball. If nobody would have searched for his ball, he could have declared the ball lost and continued to play the hole with the provisional ball.

After Mickelson and Lickliter each identified their original ball, each player declared their ball unplayable under Rule 28. Under penalty of one stroke, the players had three options: play a ball from the original spot, drop a ball within two club-lengths of the current spot not nearer the hole, or drop a ball in line with the current spot and the hole. Since dropping a ball anywhere near the current spots was nearly impossible, both players chose the first option of playing from the teeing ground.

Lickliter was the first to arrive at the tee and was informed by a Rules official to tee off, with Mickelson to hit second. This was the opposite order of play from the original shots. However, in stroke play there is no penalty for playing out of turn.

This is a confusing situation, but it really shows how knowing the Rules of Golf can help make you a more successful player.

For other questions on the Rules of Golf, check out the other articles in NOGA's USGA Rules Corner! Play well, and get to know the Rules of Golf!