Brandel Chamblee has suggested a controversial moment involving Brooks Koepka’s caddie could have been handled more honestly.
An enthralling opening round of The Masters at Augusta National was not without controversial talking points, with one of the most divisive being moments caught on video between Koepka’s caddie Ricky Elliott and Gary Woodland’s, Brennan Little.
Elliott appeared to say “five” to Little as the two crossed paths following the LIV Golf player’s second shot on the 15th. That seemed to indicate that Elliott had given advice to his counterpart on the club Koepka used, which would have been a breach of Rule 10.2a of the Rules of Golf, which states: “During a round, a player must not give advice to anyone in the competition who was playing on the course.” In that instance, the caddie is an extension of the player, hence why it could have constituted a breach of the rules.
pic.twitter.com/lSG9H8pbkRApril 6, 2023
There was enough in the incident for The Masters Committee to get involved, who questioned Elliott following Koepka’s round. However, it eventually determined that there had been no breach of the rules.
That didn’t appear to go down well with The Golf Channel’s Brandel Chamblee, though, who seemed to suggest that the incident was cut and dried enough for more honesty to have prevailed. He tweeted: “Bobby Jones was known to have called penalties on himself that cost him majors… there’s a reason the highest honor given by the USGA is the Bobby Jones award… I think he would have been disappointed today.”
Bobby Jones was known to have called penalties on himself that cost him majors… there’s a reason the highest honor given by the USGA is the Bobby Jones award… I think he would have been disappointed today.April 7, 2023
Not everyone agreed, including Major-winning caddie Craig Connelly, who tweeted it “happens every single day” and also responded to Chamblee’s tweet saying: “Aye... what utter pish!”
Aye... what utter pish! https://t.co/S1rXS7uTa5April 7, 2023
After Koepka’s round, he was asked about the incident when talking to the media, and denied there had been an issue. He said: “We looked at it when we got back in. GW [Woodland] and Butchie [Little] had no idea what we were hitting; they didn't even know because - I know that fact because GW asked me what we hit walking off, when we were walking down. So that's all I can give you.”
Following the incident involving the two caddies, Koepka finished strongly. He birdied the 15th, then closed out his round with two more to leave him tied for the lead with Viktor Hovland and Jon Rahm.
The controversial moment involving Koepka's caddie wasn’t the only matter that led to questions in the opening round. A rules incident involving Collin Morikawa had set social media alight after he marked and replaced his ball on the 6th hole. However, Morikawa was also later cleared of any breach of the Rules.
