Through the green? - Tim Clark's ball embedded in the bunker

[noonan]

Since the whole course is a sandy area - why did he not get a free drop for embedded ball?

[David_Elvins]

Jerry,

Probably because the bunker was not "closely mown".  

Rules of golf allow relief from embedded ball through the green on  closely mown areas only.  (Some courses have a local rule that allow relief "through the green".)

25-2. Embedded Ball
A ball embedded in its own pitch-mark in the ground in any closely mown area through the green may be lifted, cleaned and dropped, without penalty, as near as possible to the spot where it lay but not nearer the hole. The ball when dropped must first strike a part of the course through the green. "Closely mown area" means any area of the course, including paths through the rough, cut to fairway height or less.

EDIT: But just read that normally the PGA tour has a local rule 'through the green' so I am not sure now.  Maybe they didnt this week due to the waste areas?

[Padraig Dooley]

There is an exception in the local rule that if the ball plugs in a sandy area there is no free relief.

[noonan]

Thanks!

[Jon Wiggett]

Isn't the sandy/waste area regarded as rough and so no relief?

Jon