Rules Ruckus

SUGAR GROVE, Ill.-- As if we needed more delays, a close to 10-minute argument just ended on the 18th fairway of the 2009 Solheim Cup's final morning match. Michelle Wie's ball had stopped in an area of the fairway that had residual damage from the bad weather earlier in the week. LPGA Rules official Janet Lindsay was called over for a ruling, and she said that officials had looked at the area before the competition started and deemed it Ground Under Repair, which would allow Wie a free drop. The problem was, they hadn't marked the area or noted it on the official Rules sheet.Â

European team captain Alison Nicholas disputed the ruling, practically got in Lindsay's face, and lots of walkie-talkie chatting with other rules officials commenced.

Despite heavy protesting from the Europeans, the ruling eventually stood, and Wie got her free drop. Perhaps karma had something to do with it, or perhaps the Europeans just got fired up, but Wie then continued to put her approach in the front bunker, Catriona Matthew birdied the hole, and the Europeans turned a losing match into a halve.Â

It was a bizarre ending to a great match.Â

--Stina Sternberg