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CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Mindful of the mixed weather forecast for later in the day, Stewart Cink playfully looked at the graying, threatening skies and realized he might be living a charmed life.
Of late, he's had enough electric moments.
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| You're darn right, Stewart Cink is happy after not being dinged two strokes. (AP) |
The world's 14th-ranked player almost got zapped on Saturday for his second crazy, unwitting rules infraction in five weeks, nearly derailing his third-round 65 at the Wachovia Championship, which matched the low round of the week.
In fact, he was dinged, albeit briefly, for a two-shot penalty that was later rescinded.
For roughly 20 minutes, Cink was in limbo as officials tried to determine whether he had committed a violation by placing his hand on the ground while inside the painted hazard line on the water-strewn 17th green. In a rarity, Cink was first assessed the penalty, then had it waved when officials determined he should be given dispensation.
The affable Cink is used to getting called into the principal's office, so to speak. Five weeks ago in New Orleans, he was disqualified after committing a breach of rules that didn't become apparent to him until he had started playing the following day -- hours after he had signed his scorecard. If this guy spent any more time thumbing through the rulebook, he'd need a traveling attorney. As is sometimes the case, even folks who enforce the rules for a living sometimes have difficulty interpreting golf's gray areas.
In reverse chronological order, Cink's latest case was the most spectacular of the three rules issues in which he has become notably involved.
After lighting up the first 15 holes, he smoked a 4-iron over the green on Quail Hollow's par-3 17th, which is surrounded on three sides by water. The ball came to rest on the rock bulkhead, inches from toppling into the water hazard. As Cink tried to get a read on his putt from off the rocky ledge, he bent down and placed his hand on the ground for balance -- inside the painted hazard line.
He knew immediately that he might have broken a rule and called for a rules official in the scoring center when he finished. At first blush, PGA Tour rules official Tony Wallin hit the Ryder Cup veteran with a two-shot penalty -- Cink's score was changed from a 65 on the electronic scoreboards to a 67 for several minutes -- before receiving clarification. He spoke with the USGA and another rules official on site before reversing himself.
"You're allowed to touch the ground in a hazard as long as nothing is done that constitutes testing the hazard," Wallin said. "He clearly didn't test the hazard."
Cracked Cink: "Well, I was balancing my hand because I wanted to get as low as possible, and I really didn't feel comfortable doing the Camilo (Villegas) Spiderman right there on the rock wall with the water."
Best of all, Cink popped the 30-foot putt from atop the narrow rock wall, watched it hop through the rough, onto the green and break three feet into the hole for his final birdie of the day. By the end of the afternoon, he had climbed 36 spots into a tie for fourth, which represented a miracle of sorts, given that he was 5 over through his first 12 holes on Thursday.
