A controversial 'Hammer' throw by Wyndham Clark sparked the TGL's first major rules debate on Tuesday night. The moment put Xander Schauffele in a tough spot and left both players defending their interpretation of the rules.

Things went sideways when Xander Schauffele was over the ball at the 13th hole. That's when Clark used the hammer throw, and later explained why.

“So Derek, our ref, he normally puts his hand out, like there’s a signal he does, and you can’t throw it anymore,” Clark said during the press conference on Tuesday at TGL.

“I look at him, and he hadn’t done it, and he kind of nodded, saying you could do it," he added. However, officials couldn't leave it at that.

They reviewed the sequence and ruled that Schauffele had already addressed the ball before Clark threw the hammer.

According to TGL’s rulebook, if a player has already addressed the ball, the Hammer cannot be thrown. If it is thrown at that moment, it doesn’t count. As a result, Clark’s attempt was overturned. After the match, Clark addressed the situation directly.

Although Clark defended his attempt, Schauffele faced the immediate consequences on the course.

Xander Schauffele Caught in TGL’s First Hammer Timing Ruling

The ruling erased the throw and gave 10-time-PGA Tour winner Xander Schauffele another opportunity, but it did not change the outcome.

Schauffele failed to get the ball out, conceded the hole, and The Bay moved ahead on its way to a 5–3 win.

“It netted out terrible for us,” Schauffele said. “We were going to decline it anyway, and then I hit such a bad shot they didn’t even have an opportunity to throw a Hammer. It actually worked out worse.”

Clark later admitted the moment felt uncertain from his side as well. He believed the on-course referee had signaled that the throw was permissible.

Do you think the referee made the right call, or should the Hammer have counted?

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Written by

Aditi Singh