PERSPECTIVE FROM THE 19^TH HOLE: This is the title I chose for my personal blog, which is meant to give me an outlet for one of my favorite crafts – writing – plus use an image from my favorite sport, golf. Out of college, my first job was as a reporter for the Daily Astorian in Astoria, Oregon, and I went on from there to practice writing in all of my professional positions, including as a Congressional press secretary in Washington, D.C., an Oregon state government manager in Salem and Portland, press secretary for Oregon’s last Republican governor (Vic Atiyeh), and a private sector lobbyist. This blog also allows me to link another favorite pastime – politics and the art of developing public policy – to what I write.

There already have been a lot of comments about the strange goings-on on the final day of the U.S. Open last Sunday, but let me add my two cents worth.

I do so as a regular golfer, plus a member and supporter of the United States Golf Association (USGA).

First, this summary of the situation. Early in his round, Johnson’s ball moved just a bit as he was on the fourth green. Before he had “addressed the ball” (which means before he had grounded his putter behind the ball ready to take a stroke), the ball moved fractionally. Johnson caught it and called the rules official over – the official was walking with and assigned to Johnson’s group – to note the movement and discuss his options. [Note this action. The competitor took the initiative to inquire about a possible rules infraction rather than, as in some many other sports, to hide it.]

The on-site rules official and Johnson reached an agreement he had not taken action to cause the ball to move, so no penalty was called.

Rather than that being the end of it, USGA officials intervened, telling Johnson on the 12^th tee that a review of the video of the situation might indicate that a penalty could still be called. But the decision would await the completion of his round.

Stupid, I say, on two grounds:

1. Johnson did not ground his putter behind the ball, thus there should be no penalty, especially because the greens were running very fast, about 15 on the stimp-meter.

2. The referee WITH the match had reached a decision that there would not be a penalty.

Higher-ups at the USGA intervened and took action that could have cost Johnson his first win in a golf major. It turned out that he played well through to the end, winning by an assumed four strikes. But the USGA imposed a one-stroke penalty, so the final margin was three.

That’s good news, both for Johnson and the USGA, not to mention to other golfers around the world.

Johnson won his first major and, his performance enabled the USGA to avoid a situation where it could have determined the outcome, not on the golf course, but in the video review room.

Still, the USGA’s action risked harm to the golf industry, just as industry leaders are trying to good on a priority on bringing more people into the game, an emphasis that is not helped by an illogical and ill-timed rules intervention.

Kudos to Dustin Johnson!