Sahith Theegala calls penalty on himself that could cost millions of dollars

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ATLANTA — Strokes are expensive in the $100 million Tour Championship, and Sahith Theegala had to give two back to the field after calling a penalty on himself on the par-4 third hole Saturday at East Lake Golf Club.

After his drive found the right fairway bunker, Theegala hit his second shot onto the green from 149 yards. But after two-putting from 39 feet, Theegala alerted PGA Tour rules official Mike Stiller that he believed he’d brushed the sand with his clubhead on the start of the backswing—considered testing the sand, a violation of Rule 12.2b—and was assessed a two-shot penalty.

NBC broadcasters studied a slow-motion replay of the shot and had trouble ascertaining whether or not Theegala indeed had brushed the sand.

“Wow, I don’t see much there Dan,” analyst Kevin Kisner said to host Dan Hicks. “I’d be arguing with Deuce [lead rules official Mark Dusbabek] again when I got done—‘Give me my two shots back.’”

“The thing that’s interesting about this,” Dusbabek said on the broadcast, “is that Sahith called it on himself. He’s gone to our official and said I touched the sand.”

Later, Dusbabek returned to the broadcast and said officials had confirmed via video that Theegala had moved sand on his backswing, noting there was a “ridge” of sand behind the club that was no longer there after Theegala’s swing. Dusbabek said Theegala was notified on the course that the penalty was confirmed.

Playing in his first Tour Championship, the finale of the FedEx Cup Playoffs, Theegala, 26, was coming off a rare birdie at the par-3 second hole that had propelled him into sole possession of fourth place at 13 under par. He dropped into a tie for sixth with the penalty strokes. At the conclusion of Sunday’s final round, should nothing change, that would be a difference of $2.875 million in bonus earnings.

Fortunately, he has plenty of holes to get the strokes back.

This article was originally published on golfdigest.com