The Genesis Invitational is well underway over at Torrey Pines and while the conditions have been brutal yet entertaining over on the west coast of America, some golf fans have still found reason to complain.
Wind and rain swept across San Diego to make the golf course as difficult as you can find on the PGA Tour as players struggled to really get any sort of scores going.
Seamus Power and Patrick Rodgers did manage to set the early pace at a more than respectable three-under par, while Scottie Scheffler was also sniffing around the leaderboard with some excellent play.
In fairness, the conditions made for more entertaining golf and with players not immediately going 10 or 11 under par, it means we’re in for an exciting weekend.
Still, while the wind and rain were obviously causing trouble, golf fans found reason to complain thanks to the PGA Tour’s decision to allow preferred lies.
Golf fans annoyed at preferred lie decision at the Genesis Invitational
With conditions so bad at Torrey Pines, there was always a chance that the TOUR would interject to help and they announced that preferred lines would be in play, at least for round one.
However, while it seemed like an obvious call to make, golf fans seemed less than impressed over on social media.
One fan labelled the decision ’embarrassing’, while another used their opportunity to suggest this is why viewership is down.
“Another reason why nobody is watching. They don’t play the same game we do.”
While another golf fan suggested it’s as good as cheating.
“Lift, clean and cheat is perfect for these exclusive preferred reduced field exhibitions.”
With another following a similar route and sarcastically mocking the decision from the PGA Tour.
“Sorry we tried to make the course difficult like Riviera, you can choose your lies and clean the ball so you don’t have to shoot anywhere near par.”
The criticism didn’t stop there, though, as one fan labelled the whole event ‘disgusting’.
“Disgusting. Play a real golf tournament”
While another avid viewer admitted they wanted the chaos of playing the ball as it lies.
“I wanted carnage and mud balls everywhere. +3 leader would’ve been elite”
Still, there was at least one fan calling out the complainers, with a suggestion the same people complaining about this ruling are the same complaining of having to play from divots.
“Why does the same crowd that hates people having to hit out of a divot, also hate lift, clean, and place? Seems like some hypocrisy.”
The PGA Tour were right on this occasion
While a lot of people were complaining about the preferred lie ruling and there is an argument to be made that it pampers the golfers a bit, the conditions were terrible at times in round one.
With scoring around the three-under mark at best, playing without preferred lies would have seen level par being a success story.
Of course, we all like to see the top players really tested and the US Open is renowned for being tough to score at on a yearly basis.
But with winds, rains, and no real sign of improvement, the Genesis might well have got to a point of being unwatchable if players were simply asked to hack it around from plugged lies and worse.
On this occasion, despite the critics, the PGA Tour seem to have made the right call.
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