Top 5 Rules Controversy in the History of PGA Championship, Ranked

Barely a week is left before the second major of the season kicks in. The 2025 PGA Championship, at Quail Hollow, will kick off next Thursday, May 15. It will be the 107th iteration of the tournament. And in this century-long history, the PGA Championship has witnessed moments of stunning rules decisions.

There have been times when a potential champion ended up losing the tournament because of a penalty. Or at times, when some past champion was saved from an embarrassing rules gaffe. Here are five instances where golfers were penalized too harshly at the PGA Championship.

Dustin Johnson’s hard luck at the 2010 PGA Championship

Dustin Johnson was winning. The Wanamaker Trophy was in his grasp. Then suddenly it wasn’t. On the 72nd hole, he grounded the club on the sand trap, which he deemed to be a waste area. In his defense, Whistling Straits has over 1000 bunkers, or areas with sand. Most of which are not considered a bunker on most days. But on that fateful Sunday, a local rule was in play that determined that all sand areas would be considered a bunker. Apparently, DJ didn’t get the memo. Or even if he did, the thought never crossed his mind.

And you can’t blame the LIV Golf pro. The area was trampled by fans. And as per the notice pasted on the locker room, all sandy areas, including those outside the ropes, will be considered hazards, and no free relief will be given. Which also meant Johnson couldn’t ground his club, which he clearly did.

A two-stroke penalty kicked him out of the top spot despite him holding a one-shot lead heading into the final hole. He missed the playoffs and walked away with a T5.

David Lipsky was penalized for being late.

David Lipsky was sure he made the cut at the 2019 PGA Championship. But then he had to wait. On Friday, the American International shot 2-over 72 at Bethpage Black, which still put him comfortably on the right side of the cutline. But then, the PGA of America assessed a two-stroke penalty on him.

He was late.

The PGA of America decided that the Las Vegas native was walking towards the first tee but wasn’t in the starting area during his tee time. Hence, a two-shot penalty. He still made the cut, but on the number.

Lee Hodges’s par turns into a bogey at the 2023 PGA Championship.

In more recent memory, Lee Hodges bore the brunt of a strange ruling at the 2023 PGA Championship. His par putt on the 17th hole at the Oak Hill Country Club rested on the edge of the hole for a little too long. 34 seconds, to be exact. Eventually, that did drop. Hodges heaved a sigh of relief.

Only for a few minutes.

The PGA of America decided it wouldn’t count, as players are given a reasonable amount of time to wait. Ten seconds. So, under rule 13.3a, he was assessed a one-stroke penalty. His par changed to a bogey.

Cameron Tringale signed the wrong scorecard at the 2020 PGA Championship

In the 2020 PGA Championship, Cameron Tringale was penalized for one of the strangest reasons in golf—signing a wrong scorecard. He carded 68, enough to make the cut on number. But then he actually signed for a lower score on the par-3 8th. He was disqualified under Rule 3.3b(3). Ironically, that was the second time he signed the wrong scorecard and self-reported. In 2014, too, Tringale was disqualified for a similar reason.

Phil Mickelson was sure of a rule until he wasn’t

Perhaps it would’ve been the most infamous rules controversy. Perhaps Phil Mickelson would’ve had to swallow his word. Lefty’s tee shot plunged into the water during the second round. He took a two-club-length measure from the place where his ball dropped. But the ruling had been changed, and Mickelson was allowed to take only one club length, a rule the six-time major winner was unaware of. A second rules official was brought in. He backed his colleague, and Mickelson was forced to admit the mistake. And he was saved from a one-shot penalty.

A rules gaffe is part of the sport we love. And it’s of little surprise that the PGA Championship has witnessed the most common to the most weird rulings in golf. Despite multiple changes in golf’s rules over the past couple of years, players, sometimes unaware, make costly mistakes. Surely, the 2025 iteration at Quail Hollow won’t be any different.