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As surprising as it may seem, it was Rory McIlroy who played first on Saturday 13th in the quarter-finals of the WGC Match Play against Xander Schauffele, even though the American had dropped 100 meters from the hole after seeing his ball will end up in the water.
Explanations. Since the publication of this article concerning the Order of Play rule in Match Play, and relating to the episode of the quarter-final between Rory McIlroy and Xander Schauffele, Antoine Trojani and the referees of the ffgolf, meeting this weekend in Omaha Beach made it clear that it was indeed the turn of the Northern Irish to play first on the 13 to 20 meters from the hole even if his opponent had decided to hit his 3rd shot from the dropping zone located nearly 100 meters away from the green.
Indeed it is the point where the player's ball rests after his first shot that is authentic and not the place from where he is about to play his next shot. Without taking into consideration the depth of the penalty area where Schauffele's ball lay, the referees estimated that it was about 10 meters from the hole while Rory McIlroy had sent his ball to the back of the green at 20 meters.
In match-play a player may play his stroke before his opponent's even if his ball is closer to the hole. He never incurs a penalty but risks having to play again. Indeed, if the rule indicates that a player can ask his opponent to replay a stroke when the latter has played before his turn, which is determined according to the distance of the balls to the hole (the furthest from the hole in front of play first), there is an exception.
It is specified at the bottom of rule 6.4a dealing with the order of play in match play and explains that the two players can agree not to follow the order of play in order to speed up the game. 6.4a
Match play
(1) Order of Play.
The player and his opponent must play in the following order: From the tee of the first hole.
At the first hole, the honor is determined by the order of the tee toss made by the Committee or, if there is none, by agreement or by coin toss (e.g. by tossing a coin ). From all other holes: The player who wins a hole has the honor at the next teeing area.
If the hole is tied, the player who had the honor at the previous teeing ground keeps it.
If a player requests a timely ruling (see Rule 20.1b) which has not yet been decided by the Committee and which could affect the determination of the honor for the next hole, the honor is determined by agreement or by drawing lots.
After both players have started the hole: The ball furthest from the hole must be played first.
If the balls are the same distance from the hole or if their respective distances are not known, the ball to be played first is determined by agreement or by drawing lots.
The opponent can cancel the stroke of a player who played out of turn. If a player plays when it was his opponent's turn to play, there is no penalty but the opponent may cancel the move: This must be done immediately, and before either players make another move.
When the opponent cancels the move, he cannot reverse the cancellation. If the opponent cancels the stroke, the player must, when it is his turn to play, play a ball from the spot where that stroke was made. If the opponent does not cancel the stroke, the stroke counts and the ball is in play and must be played as it lies.
Exception Play out of turn by agreement to save time: To save time: The player can invite his opponent to play out of turn or can accept the opponent's request to play out of turn. If the opponent then makes a stroke out of turn, the player has lost the right to cancel the stroke.
