by Jimmy Patrick

Created on: August 17, 2010

The reason a golfer is not allowed to ground a club in a hazard is because, theoretically, they could use the club to alter the lie to their advantage. Dustin Johnson didn't alter his lie in the gallery-trampled bunker on the 72nd hole of the PGA Championship on Sunday, but he did ground his club in a bunker, breaking one of the rules of golf.

The bunker rule was posted all over the Whistling Straits clubhouse since the beginning of the championship week. It read as follows:

 "All areas of the course that were designed and built as sand bunkers will be played as bunkers (hazards), whether or not they have been raked. Some will probably include foot prints, heel prints and tire tracks."

Johnson grounded his club prior to his approach shot to the 18th green (see video here). According to the Chicago Tribune, he said he assumed the bunker was a waste area - golfers are allowed to ground clubs in waste areas. The mistake is an unfortunate one, and many spectators probably don't undertand how a penalty applies to someone who didn't knowingly cheat. Johnson's mistake immediately brings to mind the 1968 Masters, the one Bob Goalby won because Roberto DeVicenzo signed for a higher score than he actually shot. In both cases the player would have been in a playoff, but for the simple violation.

Johnson gained national attention in June when he led the U.S. Open at Pebble Beach by three shots going into the final round. He collapsed early in that round and shot an 82 to finish five stokes behind winner Graeme McDowell. His final round that day got off to a horrible start when he made a triple-bogey on the second hole and followed with a double-bogey and a bogey on the third and fourth holes.

The PGA Championship's final round started much better for Johnson, this time starting three shots behind Nick Watney. Johnson teed off in the final group with Watney and started the day with a monstrous drive off the first tee setting up a birdie. Watney double-bogeyed the hole providing a three-shot swing that tied Johnson for the lead.

Johnson played superb golf down the stretch, making birdies on the 16th and 17th to take a one-stroke lead to the final hole. His wayward drive on 18 planted his ball in the bunker that would eventually be his downfall. He recovered nicely to set up a short putt for par and the championship. He missed the putt and later told reporters the only thing that could've made the situation worse would have been making that putt.

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