‘That’s a bad call’: Sam Burns denied relief from soggy lie as U.S. Open hopes washed away

OAKMONT, Pa. – Sam Burns’ U.S. Open hopes were washed away Sunday evening on Oakmont’s back nine. Literally.

Burns’ closing 40 to cap an 8-over 78 included a ruling in the 15th fairway that didn’t go in Burns’ favor.

The 54-hole leader was tied for the lead at 1 over when he found the right part of the fairway. When he stepped up to his ball, water splashed up from the highly saturated ground, a product of heavy rains that soaked Oakmont so much that play was suspended for nearly two hours that afternoon.

“That’s kind of the low part of the fairway there,” Burns explained. “When I walked into it, clearly you could see water coming up. Took practice swings, and it’s just water splashing every single time.”

So, Burns called over a rules official, hoping for free relief from temporary water.

But the official disagreed. The second official did, too.

Temporary water is described by the Rules of Golf as “any temporary accumulation of water on the surface of the ground (such as puddles from rain or irrigation or an overflow from a body of water) that is not in a penalty area and can be seen before or after the player takes a stance (without pressing down excessively with their feet).”

Additionally: “It is not enough for the ground to be merely wet, muddy or soft or for the water to be momentarily visible as the player steps on the ground; an accumulation of water must remain present either before or after the stance is taken.”

Burns’ playing competitor, Adam Scott, seemed to side with Burns afterward: “I was thinking of asking as well. It was borderline unplayable. The water was like so close to the surface. Like the shot I hit on 11, it’s bizarre. I just don’t know. It was like an aquaplane on the ground.”

NBC analyst Brad Faxon left nothing to doubt with his opinion of the soggy situation: “He should have been able to take relief from there. That’s a bad call.”

“At the end of the day, it’s not up to me, it’s up to the rules official,” Burns added. “That’s kind of that.”

Having to play the ball as it lies, Burns hooked a 5-iron into the left rough, making a huge splash when his clubhead made contact with the ground. He then took an extra swipe at the turf before telling his caddie, Travis Perkins, “That’s ridiculous.”

Burns would double-bogey the hole and eventually finishing T-7, five shots back of winner J.J. Spaun.

“I did the best I could,” Burns said. “I was 100 percent locked in on what I was trying to do. Ultimately, it felt like the water just kind of got in the way, and I went left. It is what it is.”

“I went out there and gave it the best I had,” Burns later added. “Golf’s a hard game, especially on this golf course. At the end of the day, I can hold my head high.”