Webb riled by rules controversy over green marker
The Age
Monday February 7, 2011
KARRIE Webb left Commonwealth last night with the sweet taste of a birdie at the 18th hole and a fine final round of three-under-par 70.But Australia's top-ranked player was still hot about a rules controversy the previous night, when she stood accused momentarily of cheating.Webb was critical of Golf Australia's handling of the issue, which blew up after her third round late on Saturday. Golf Australia's rules officials queried Webb's use of a tee laid behind her ball marker on the greens; the Queenslander told them she used the tee to help her read putts from the other side of the hole.The seven-time major championship winner told Golf Australia that she had been doing it for years; that many players on the American tour used the method."I think it was really badly handled, actually," Webb said. "It could have been handled better. Any player you talk to thought they were pulling a prank on me. I mean girls in my group today were doing it."They didn't check at first. They told me I'd breached a rule but they couldn't tell me which rule I'd breached. Then after I came in and finished my playing partner's scorecard, then they asked me why I do it."That's why it was handled poorly. I was trying to get what ruling I could have breached. They couldn't tell me what ruling because it wasn't in the decisions book and it wasn't in the Rules of Golf."They said they called the R and A [Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews] and then I asked [playing partner] Christina Kim how many people on the LPGA put a tee behind the ball and she said, 'About 70 per cent'."That was the end of the issue. I don't know why Christina Kim's word was taken more than mine, so it was a pretty frustrating end to the day."Webb was involved in a heated exchange but Golf Australia's tournament director Trevor Herden said later that he merely wanted to check the situation rather than have Webb sign for an incorrect scorecard and face disqualification."When Trevor pulled me aside I'd been in quite a few bad spots for the day," Webb said. "I was trying to think what I'd done wrong but when he said what he said, I laughed, because I've been doing it for five years. At least five years. I couldn't even tell you how long."Webb, who was playing her first tournament for two months, had her best day yesterday, and ended up sneaking into the top 10."It's not a bad result for not feeling 100 per cent on my game," she said.Webb is playing the Ladies Masters on the Gold Coast this week, followed by tournaments in Asia.
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