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‘We’re F–Ed’- Ian Poulter Unhappy With Rules Situation at the Northern Trust 2021

Published 08/20/2021, 3:00 PM EDT

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via Reuters

The Northern Trust, which is the first event of the FedExCup playoffs, is currently underway. The Liberty National Golf Course, New Jersey, is the host of the event for the second time in two years. Meanwhile, Ian Poulter, who is currently competing at the Northern Trust, had an unfortunate incident on the 15th hole during the opening round. 

The Englishman saw that his ball was resting up against a sewer right side of the fairway. And that sewer, sadly, was in a penalty area, and Poulter looked extremely agitated and frustrated with it. 

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Ian Poulter and his frustrating 15th hole at the Northern Trust

via Reuters

Ian Poulter, on the 15th hole, saw his lie and said, “Call the referee, we’re f–ked against the concrete.” He was one-over-par for the day and already knew his fate. Ian’s ball was resting against an immovable obstruction inside the penalty area. And according to the rules, they do not give free relief in the penalty area. However, Poulter had two options, either play as it lies or take a drop out of the penalty area with a penalty stroke. 

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Hence, Poulter chose the first option to play as it lies, but before that had a word with the rules official Gary Young. “How is that a hazard line?” Poulter asked, pointing at the red line to the left of where his ball was that ran parallel to a cart path. “The water is 30 frickin’ yards that way.”

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However, if Poulter had taken a drop out of the penalty area, the ball would have been on the cart path, and he would have got a free relief. But still, Ian would have added a penalty stroke for dropping out of the penalty area in the first place. 

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Furthermore, Poulter played the shot back in the fairway and avoided the penalty stroke by playing as it lies. He then came up short of the green with his third stroke, followed by nearly holing out his fourth. But unfortunately, Ian went on to tap in for a bogey on the 15th. However, he recovered from it with a birdie on the 16th and finished his round one with a score of 72 and remained one over par for the day. 

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Written by:

Amey Kulkarni

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Amey Kulkarni is a Golf writer at EssentiallySports. He is currently pursuing his Bachelor’s degree in mass media. Before joining EssentiallySports he used to write articles on Golf and Cricket on his personal blog cricgolf.
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