The Open Championship to Impose Warnings or Penalties for Aggressive Behavior

▲ Royal Birkdale Golf Club, host of The Open Championship

The organizing committee for major golf tournaments has announced a new player code of conduct starting this year, which will impose penalties on players who engage in aggressive behavior.

The organizing committee for The Open Championship, the final major of the season which begins on July 16 (Korea Standard Time), has also announced a player code of conduct similar to those implemented at previous major tournaments.

The code of conduct states, "If the actions of a player (or caddie) deviate significantly from the standards expected in the spirit of the game, the chief referee, in consultation with the tournament director, may issue an official warning, a two-stroke penalty, or disqualification, taking into account the frequency, impact, intent, and severity of the violation. An official warning is not necessarily required before applying a two-stroke penalty or disqualification."

In previous major tournaments, some players received penalties for throwing or breaking their golf clubs.

At the Masters Tournament in April, Sergio Garcia (Spain) received a warning after slamming his driver into the ground and breaking it.

Joaquin Niemann (Chile) was handed a two-stroke penalty at the U.S. Open in June after throwing his wedge following two consecutive drives that went out of bounds (OB).

At the time, the United States Golf Association (USGA), which hosts the U.S. Open, imposed the two-stroke penalty on Niemann without a prior warning.

Jon Rahm (Spain), who describes himself as a "passionate" player, agreed with the tournament organizers' code of conduct in an interview with the Associated Press on July 15, but added, "I wish they would give a warning before giving a penalty."

Rahm, ranked 11th in the Official World Golf Ranking, also expressed frustration, saying, "I don't know why the player code of conduct is receiving more attention than slow play. For slow play, they give a warning before imposing a penalty."

Rahm, who won the U.S. Open (2021) and the Masters (2023), has competed in The Open Championship nine times but has yet to win the title.

His best finish was a tie for second place at Royal Liverpool in 2023.

(Photo: AP, Yonhap News)

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