After battling for 17 holes in the Round of 16 at the US Amateur, golfer Segundo Oliva Pinto saw his second shot land in a bunker on the 18th hole. There, his bid for the most prestigious amateur title in golf would end.
Bound with Tyler Strafaci in the last hole at Bandon Dunes, Oliva Pinto automatically managed to lose the 18th hole when his caddy made the big mistake of jumping into the bunker and hitting the sand, apparently to test his texture.
As it turns out, you can not do that.
American amateur golfer loses in brutal fashion
Specifically, Oliva Pinto’s caddy violated this section of Rule 12.2 of the USGA Rulebook:
b. Restrictions on touching sand in Bunker
Before you make a bunker at your ball, do not:
Deliberately touch sand in the bunker with your hand, a club or listen as another object to test the condition of the sand and learn information for your next stroke
Not much room there. Oliva Pinto’s caddy was clearly touched by the sand, though he would later deny what was clearly captured on camera. That was all it took to put Strafaci 1-up and give him the win.
The golfer who lost his caddy by his own hand was stunned after that happened.
Ryan Lavner of golf channel I’m just trying to make an up-and-down and win the game. “” Data-reactid = “31”> “I’m asking my caddy what happened, and I’m totally shocked,” Pinto said, according to Ryan Lavner of golf channel I’m just trying to make an up-and-down and win the game. ”
On the muscle at the US Amateur is an invitation to the next US Open, Masters and British Open, so the loss here is not unimportant for Oliva Pinto, who is currently playing for UNC Greensboro.
Numerous golfers have lost laps in a bunker, but rarely is it their caddy who does the deed. (Photo by David Cannon / Getty Images)
