Abu Dhabi: Padraig Harrington was disqualified from the Abu Dhabi Championship on Friday for signing an incorrect scorecard after a television viewer noticed the Irishman move his ball a fraction on the seventh green.
The viewer phoned European Tour officials to explain they had spotted Harrington marginally knocking his ball forward on the par-three hole while replacing his marker during Thursday's first round.
The three-times major champion was playing the hole as his 16th having started on the back nine and eventually signed for a seven-under-par 65 to end the first day just a stroke behind leader Charl Schwartzel.
Harrington was therefore considered guilty under the Rules of Golf for signing an incorrect score as he should have called a two-stroke penalty on himself for moving the ball.
"I didnt think it had moved but then I now get three days practice ahead me which is something I will enjoy doing," he laughed as he told reporters.
"I had a 20-footer and when I was picking up my coin and I clearly hit my golf ball, as I brushed it with my hand when I was picking up my marker.
"I looked down at the time and I established in the way I line up the golf ball that the ball had moved.
MINUTE MOVEMENT
"When you look at TV footage it looks as though the ball rocks forward and then in slow motion its pretty clear the ball has moved three dimples."
Harrington was contacted in his hotel room ahead of meeting European Tour senior referee Andy McFee on Friday morning at the Abu Dhabi Golf Club to look at footage of the incident.
McFee revealed he had been aware of the incident late on Thursday and decided to sleep on it rather than bother Harrington.
"I couldn't get Padraig back here last night because everybody was closing down so I decided to sleep on it and speak to Padraig this morning," McFee said.
"Basically, Padraig has marked his ball on green number seven and as he goes to replace the ball, he puts the ball down on the turf and as he goes to remove his coin his finger catches the back of the ball and ball moves forward.
"Now its a minute movement but its a move, and the ball moves forward.
"There is no penalty for that under the rules because if you are in the act of replacing a ball, provided the movement of the ball is directly attributable to the specific act of your hand moving the ball or coin, then there is no penalty.
"But the rule is specific in that the ball must be replaced. Padraig doesn't replace the ball and that incurs a penalty under Rule 23A and for a breach of that rule the penalty is two strokes.
"So instead of recording a three on the seventh hole he should have recorded a five and because he signed for a score lower than actually taken... the penalty is disqualification."
The incident marked the second occasion in Harringtons career he has been disqualified.
In May 2000, the Irishman suffered the penalty at the Benson and Hedges International Open at The Belfry in England for not signing his new course record score card from the opening day.
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