PGA institutes code of conduct policy: Will it be used or just lip service?

NEWTOWN SQUARE, Pa. – Justin Thomas tomahawked a golf club, Jon Rahm hit a volunteer in the face with a divot and Rory McIlroy answered a question at a press conference with an NSFW four-letter word.

None of these examples of boorish behavior during the first round of the 108^th PGA Championship at Aronimink Golf Club merited a warning under the code of conduct policy adopted by the PGA of America this year. 

Kerry Haigh, the PGA’s Chief of Competitions, explained at a press conference on Wednesday that it was instituted to police behavior by competitors so “everyone is behaving appropriately, professionally, and as we would want our children and people watching to see the major championship,” after a collaborative effort with the PGA Tour and DP World Tour.

“We had a number of meetings to discuss the issue and how we could come up with a program that we feel is fair and effective,” Haigh added.

This week’s code of conduct is posted in the Aronimink locker room, and cites 14 examples of “unacceptable behavior.” Despite Thomas, who heaved his club to the ground after his tee shot at 14 on Thursday, Rahm’s divot hitting a volunteer on No. 7 (he apologized after the round and explained it was accidental) and McIlroy’s language during his press conference (the first item on the list of unacceptable behavior), no punishment was doled out on Thursday, according to a PGA media official.

Any decision is at the discretion of the PGA’s Rules Committee. But allowing such behavior to go unpunished on the first day of the policy calls into question if it will be used at all or is merely messing up the locker room wallpaper.

A similar policy was instituted by Augusta National last month, which didn’t hesitate to issue a warning to Sergio Garcia after he damaged the turf and broke the shaft of his driver over the leg of a bench during the final round of the Masters. Robert MacIntyre also reportedly received a stern talking to after he was caught on camera raising his middle finger after hitting a shot into the water at the 15^th hole. 

“If a player does something sort of egregious, unfortunately, we would give a warning to that player, and if they were to do it again, there would be a two-shot penalty,” Haigh explained.

It is still to be seen what it will take for a warning to be issued by the PGA rules committee. More and more, players are showing that a policy of this sort is necessary.    

“It's really for the good of the game that we're implementing it,” Haigh said.

Adam Schupak is a senior writer for Golfweek, covering the PGA Tour.