2-stroke penalty gives Texan title

LITTLE ROCK — A penalty separated Little Rock’s Alex Carpenter from another victory Sunday.

Carpenter was forced to call a two stroke penalty on himself just before signing his scorecard and lost the Maumelle Classic by one stroke to Stetson McMillan of Hideaway, Texas.

McMillan shot 10-under par 206 over three days to edge out Carpenter and Carpenter’s Abilene Christian teammate Tyler Sheppard, who both finished at 9 under.

Carpenter committed the penalty on the 17th hole in a bunker when he raked the sand before striking his ball.

“I feel extremely happy that I won, but I feel terrible about how it went down with Alex having to take a penalty,” McMillan said. “It’s my first win in a long time.”

McMillan, who plays at Stephen F. Austin, shot a 5-under 67 Sunday. He was presented the winner’s green jacket by Carpenter, who was the defending champion and coming off a victory in the prestigious Southern Amateur last week.

“In my head, I know I played a good round of golf today,” Carpenter said. “I did what I needed to do. Stetson played well today and had a good tournament. I’m proud of him for winning.”

Even with the two-stroke penalty, Carpenter still could have forced a playoff with a par on the 18th hole. But he three-putted from the front of the green for a bogey.

At the time, he wasn’t sure if he had won by one stroke, tied McMillan or lost by one stroke.

Sheppard started the day one stroke ahead of Carpenter and two strokes ahead of McMillan. Carpenter shot a 5-under 31 on the front nine and held a three-stroke lead on the back nine.

McMillan got within one stroke of Carpenter after making an eagle on the 12th and birdies on the 13th and 15th. Coupled with a bogey by Carpenter on the 16th, it left both at 11 under with two holes to play.

“I played 12, 13, 14 and 15 and 4 under par, which was huge considering where I was at and where Alex was at the time,” McMillan said.

McMillan hit the front of the 17th green, a 174-yard par 3. Carpenter mis hit his shot, finding the left bunker.

When Carpenter reached the bunker, a rake was sitting in the sand toward the front of the bunker, about 15 feet from Carpenter’s ball. Carpenter picked up the rake to move it and raked the sand where his footprints were.

Carpenter dropped the rake outside the bunker and walked back in to hit his shot. He hit the shot of the tournament. The ball popped out high and hit softly on the green, tracking right for the hole. It rolled all the way across the green and dropped into the center of the cup for a birdie to put him at 12 under.

McMillan then three-putted the hole for a bogey, dropping him back to 10 under.

“I was thinking he was going to make par at worst, and he hit his shot perfect,” said McMillan, who thought the championship had slipped away.

As Carpenter was leaving the green, a spectator approached him and told him he needed to take a two-stroke penalty.

Neither Sheppard nor McMillan, both in the same group, saw what had happened. But there were more than 50 spectators, most in golf carts, surrounding the green. And some apparently saw Carpenter rake the trap.

Carpenter admitted to raking the trap, but said it didn’t give him any advantage. Until questioned, he didn’t believe he had violated any rules.

There was a lengthy delay at the 18th tee after McMillan and Sheppard hit their tee shots. Carpenter wanted to make sure it was all right for him to hit and waited for Maumelle Country Club PGA professional Cary Maddox to arrive.

After a short delay, Maddox told Carpenter to play the18th hole and that they would sort it out afterward. He hit his tee shot down the middle of the fairway, but couldn’t hold it together.

After McMillan tapped in for par to finish at 10 under, Carpenter missed his par put to finish at either 9 or 11 under, depending on the ruling.

Carpenter didn’t sign his scorecard as he and Maddox tried to determine what had happened. Maddox then placed a phone call to Adam Carney, who is the PGA professional at Ridge Pointe Country Club in Jonesboro. Carney is a PGA master golf professional and considered one of the state’s most knowledgeable rules officials.

The rule in question is 13-4 in the Rules of Golf. It prohibits players from testing the condition of the hazard or touching the ground in the hazard with a hand or club.

Had Carpenter moved the rake, hit his shot and then went back to rake the bunker, he would not have been in violation.

Maddox believed Carpenter should be penalized. Carney confirmed that via telephone after speaking to Carpenter about what he had done.

“It was pretty exhilarating to make that shot and pull it off. But that’s the rules of golf,” Carpenter said. “Everyone has to abide by them. I don’t deserve any different treatment. I accept the responsibility for it.”