The $10 Million Drop: How a Rule Change Nearly Cost Tommy Fleetwood a Fortune

Imagine if a subtle change to a golf rule could dictate whether a player pockets a staggering $10 million. For European Ryder Cup star Tommy Fleetwood, this wasn't a hypothetical thought experiment, but a razor-thin reality tied to the timing of a significant rule alteration and his FedEx Cup destiny.

The rule in question, Rule 14.3b, concerns how players take a drop.

Before 2019, golfers typically dropped the ball from shoulder height. The updated regulation, designed to promote greater consistency and fairness, mandates dropping from knee height. While seemingly minor, this distinction can profoundly affect where the ball comes to rest, influencing subsequent shots and, crucially, a player's score.

The article specifically references a scenario where, had the knee-height drop rule been in effect during a critical moment of Fleetwood's season, his outcome might have been dramatically different.

A drop taken from shoulder height under the old rule could have resulted in a more favorable lie, or a less punitive re-drop situation, compared to how it might have unfolded under the new, stricter knee-height protocol.

In the high-stakes arena of the PGA Tour and the season-long FedEx Cup, every single stroke carries immense weight.

The FedEx Cup Playoffs culminate in a championship where prize money escalates exponentially with each position. A mere stroke, or even a perceived advantage from a drop, could easily shift a player's standing by several places, translating into millions of dollars.

The hypothetical calculation revealed a stunning potential loss for Fleetwood: $10 million.

This wasn't just a small bonus; it represented a substantial portion of the top-tier FedEx Cup payouts. A slightly different lie after a drop, leading to a bogey instead of a par, or pushing him just one or two places down the leaderboard at a critical juncture, could have had catastrophic financial implications.

Thankfully for Fleetwood, the rule change was not retroactive, and he played under the rules as they were understood at the time.

Yet, this fascinating 'what if' scenario serves as a powerful testament to the fine margins that define professional golf. It highlights how rule interpretations, their timing, and a player's performance converge to determine not only victory and defeat but also the immense financial success that accompanies it.

It’s a vivid reminder that in golf, every detail, down to the height of a drop, truly matters.