Why PGA Tour Have Introduced Internal Out Of Bounds For Tour Championship

PGA Tour Enforces Internal Out-of-Bounds Rule on 18th Hole Strategy at Tour Championship

The PGA Tour has recently implemented an internal out-of-bounds ruling that has impacted the strategies of several players, including Scottie Scheffler, at this year’s Tour Championship. This decision directly affects how players approach the 18th hole at East Lake Golf Club, the venue that has hosted the event since 2004. The changes stem from a comprehensive restoration of the course by architect Andrew Green, which has introduced new challenges for the players.

One of the most significant alterations is the expanded lake in front of the green on the par-5 18th hole, along with the removal of several trees that previously separated the 18th fairway from the 10th fairway. These changes have led some players to explore an alternative strategy during practice rounds: playing down the 10th fairway to avoid the hazards on the 18th.

However, the PGA Tour has now closed off this option by declaring the 10th fairway internal out of bounds during play on the 18th hole. A similar ruling has been applied to the sixth hole, preventing players from using the seventh fairway as an alternate route. The PGA Tour cited safety concerns as the primary reason for this decision.

In a statement, the PGA Tour explained, “For the safety of spectators, players, caddies, and everyone on the property at East Lake Golf Club, the PGA Tour Rules Committee has established two internal boundaries for this week’s Tour Championship. The fairway on No. 7 is out of bounds during play of No. 6, and the fairway on No. 10 is out of bounds during play of No. 18.”

Chief Referee Gary Young elaborated on the reasoning, saying, “This decision was made primarily out of safety concerns, specifically to prevent players from effectively putting people in harm’s way by taking an alternate route. When it sounds like that is going to be a possibility, it necessitates an internal boundary.”

Before the event, Scottie Scheffler, who begins the tournament with a two-shot lead over Xander Schauffele, discussed his consideration of using the 10th fairway. Scheffler explained, “The way they reshaped the fairway there, the fairway crowns like this, and it’s a very difficult fairway to hit. If your ball goes into the right rough and you don’t get a good lie, you have to chip it 10 yards down the fairway because there’s nowhere really to lay up. Before there used to be some opportunity there, where now there’s not. You’re now hitting it across the lake.”

Scheffler noted that the changes have made it much more challenging to find a safe spot on the 18th fairway. He added, “If you hit it into the right rough, you’re now hitting it over a pond to a fairway that’s pretty narrow. If you hit it in the left rough, you probably can’t hold the green from there, and if you don’t get it to the fairway, you’re going to be in the water. It seems like a safer play to take all that out of play, hit it down 10.”

Scheffler wasn’t alone in his assessment; Xander Schauffele also considered using the same tactic. However, with the PGA Tour’s ruling, players will need to devise new strategies to navigate the significantly altered course.

As the players prepare to compete on this revamped version of East Lake Golf Club, they must now confront the challenges of the 18th hole without the alternative route that some had planned to use. The PGA Tour’s decision emphasizes safety while ensuring the integrity of the competition remains intact.