Jim Nantz called out the "internet police" during Sunday's CBS Sports broadcast after a clip began to circulate on social media of one of Hideki Matsuyama's chip shots.
The Genesis Invitational winner went long of the par 5 17th in two on Sunday and cameras were locked in on his ball as he was getting set to hit his chip shot. Matsuyama was moving his club under and close to the ball, with some social media users potentially suggesting that he may have moved his ball or infringed the rules.
The clip had hundreds of thousands of views across social media, but the majority seemed to bat it away and side with Matsuyama.
"Smh (shaking my head) any golfer knows this is fine," former pro James Nitties wrote, while a fan said: "Oscillating. No movement. Stand down everyone."
Hideki’s chip on 17… Moving? https://t.co/eYYhAxqbpgFebruary 18, 2024
The discussion was picked up by the CBS studio, with Jim Nantz getting clarification that the Japanese star's ball stayed in the same position and therefore he was within the rules.
Nantz addressed the clip, saying that the "internet police" had been "Playing a game of gotcha they think, with Matsuyama behind the 17th a moment ago, saying "Hey that ball moved! This isn't right!"
"The ball did not move, the ball just shifted a little bit but it stayed in its same position. The ball has to move to a different position, whether up, down, to the side, doesn't matter. It just didn't move its same position," Mark Dusbabek, Senior Director TV Rules & Review Analyst, said on air.
"The ball just shifted a little bit but it stayed in its same position. The ball has to move to a different position."Rules and Review Analyst Mark Dusbabek on Hideki's chip on 17. pic.twitter.com/QeTQaSpaKQFebruary 18, 2024
"Go find somebody else to pick on," Jim Nantz said.
Rule 8.1b states you are allowed to: "Ground the club lightly right in front of or right behind the ball. “Ground the club lightly” means allowing the weight of the club to be supported by the grass, soil, sand or other material on or above the ground surface."
The rule even clarifies that "there is no penalty even if doing so improves the conditions affecting the stroke" as long as you are not "pressing the club on the ground."
Matsuyama ended up chipping his ball stone dead for his ninth birdie of the day in an incredible 62. It was one shy of the Riviera course record but is the lowest final round ever recorded at the famous LA venue.
The 2021 Masters champion picked up a check of $4m with his ninth PGA Tour victory, which takes him back inside the world's top 20.
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