Inside the new rules policing player behavior at PGA Championship

Last summer, at the U.S. Open, Rory McIlroy smashed a tee box marker, which would draw a quick warning today. A few days later, at the same event, Wyndham Clark damaged a locker in Oakmont’s locker room, an episode to which he had to answer in the following months. That all took place after Clark threw his driver at last year’s PGA Championship, hitting a sign and snapping the shaft.

Of course, there is no meaning to a code of conduct without consequences. This week’s locker-room posting added plenty of relevant context to how the code will be upheld by the PGA of America. Each major (and tour) is expected to maintain similar codes in general, but may implement and communicate them slightly differently. Aspects like frequency of breach, player intent and severity will determine how a governing body — in this case the PGA of America — will rule.

Implementation of the PGA Championship’s “Code of conduct.” Sean Zak

Upon first breach, a warning will be issued, though if the “severity of misconduct” is excessive, it could immediately bypass a warning. Upon second breach of the code, the infracting player would receive a two-shot penalty, and a third breach would result in a player being disqualified. Players are similarly held responsible for the actions of their caddies. The information of such a breach is not likely to be spelled out with great clarity, however. At least not this week.

PGA of America officials confirmed that, in the event of a warning, no official alert would be made. Obviously, in the event of a second breach, those added two strokes would need to be explained. Garcia’s warning at Augusta National was issued by Jeff Yang, the Masters’ chairman of competitions committee, and later confirmed by the club.

The PGA Tour has been developing a conduct policy and its collaboration with the various majors led to implementations at the Masters and PGA of America events. The Tour itself has not yet ratified a policy as it still needs to go through the Tour’s governance process for approval. Same goes for the DP World Tour. How that all looks in reality remains to be seen, but the PGA of America first used this code at its Senior PGA Championship last month.

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