INCHEON, South Korea — An obscure penalty clause, tucked away in the farthest depths of golf's rulebook, took center stage at the Presidents Cup on Friday after Phil Mickelson changed the type of ball he had been playing with mid-round.
Mickelson and U.S. playing partner Zach Johnson were all square through six against the Internationals' Jason Day and Adam Scott when Mickelson switched to a harder ball to get extra distance from the tee going into the par-five seventh.
Mickelson teed off but while walking down the fairway was struck with the thought he may have broken a rule and consulted captain Jay Haas and a referee, who raised the issue with the rules committee.