Imagine playing the final inning of Game 7 in the World Series and not knowing what the score was.
That would seem pretty stupid now wouldn't it?
Well believe it or not, the players in the final round of the U.S. Open at Oakmont faced the golf equivalent of that scenerio in Sunday's final round.
After his ball appeared to slightly move prior to address on the fifth hole, tournament leader Dustin Johnson called for a rules official, who agreed with his assessment that the ball moved on its own, absolving him of any penalty.
The tournament continued, and Johnson built up a two-stroke lead by the time he reached the 12th tee, where he was informed that the USGA was reviewing the incident and wouldn't have a ruling until after the round.
If the governing body deemed he forced the ball to move, Johnson would be slapped with a one-stroke penalty.
The absurd decision by the USGA forced Johnson, and the rest of the players chasing him, to play the rest of the back nine with no idea of his score.
Fellow tour pros quickly took to Twitter to defend the long-hitting 31-year-old, roasting the USGA in the process.
Lemme get this straight.. DJ doesn't address it. It's ruled that he didn't cause it to move. Now you tell him he may have? Now? This a joke?
— Jordan Spieth (@JordanSpieth) June 19, 2016
This is ridiculous... No penalty whatsoever for DJ. Let the guy play without this crap in his head. Amateur hour from @USGA
— Rory McIlroy (@McIlroyRory) June 19, 2016
This isn't right for anyone on that golf course. If it was me I wouldn't hit another shot until this farce was rectified.
— Rory McIlroy (@McIlroyRory) June 19, 2016
.@JordanSpieth @McIlroyRory w/ you boys! The fact that the @usga thinks that DJ caused the ball to move is completely ridiculous! Laughable!
— Rickie Fowler (@RickieFowler) June 19, 2016
Hey @USGA u mad???
— Justin Thomas (@JustinThomas34) June 19, 2016
@USGA treatment of @DJohnsonPGA absolutely shocking. No way he made the ball move.
— Ernie Els (@TheBig_Easy) June 19, 2016
USGA they roll the greens 3 times. Double cut them. What else could cause it to move. How bout gravity!! So bad it's sickening
— Mark Calcavecchia (@MarkCalc) June 19, 2016
Behind the scences LIVE
— Steve Elkington (@elkpga) June 19, 2016
Fu%me pic.twitter.com/ux0QEuT262
This comes from the same people that told us driving distance hasn't increased.....
— Trevor Immelman (@TrevorImmelman) June 19, 2016
What is the USGA up to? Are they trying to say DJ is lying about what happened and now they think he should be hit with penalty. Not funny
— Stuart Appleby (@StuartAppleby) June 19, 2016
Come on @usga. It's been a fun week to watch golf... Don't screw it up... What a joke. Come on @djohnsonpga
— Camilo Villegas (@CamiloVillegasR) June 19, 2016
There's a guy playing the final 6 holes of a Major Championship not knowing what his score is. Is this real life?
— Roberto Castro (@cicioCASTRO) June 19, 2016
The USGA eventually ruled after the round that Johnson had forced his ball to move, and assessed the one-stroke penalty, cutting his margin of victory from four to three.
