Scottie Scheffler receives Temporary Immovable Obstruction relief at British Open

World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler was allowed a free drop on the 17th hole of the British Open after his 3-wood shot and a provisional landed behind the grandstand and could not be located. Officials applied the Temporary Immovable Obstruction (TIO) rule, which provides relief when a ball is known or virtually certain to have entered a TIO, even if the ball is not found. Scheffler’s relief shot landed within 10 feet of the hole, and he made a birdie, moving to one stroke behind leader Cameron Young. He finished the tournament in fourth place, three strokes behind winner Ryan Fox, after bogeying the final hole.

Scheffler explained the situation to NBC’s Cara Banks, saying the ball “skipped off the grass in front of me and it flew over the grandstand… fortunately it was in the TIO so I was able to get relief.”

The ruling prompted mixed reactions from players and spectators. Professional golfer Michael Kim expressed surprise on social media, while another fan described the decision as “nasty work and completely against the spirit of the game.” The controversy followed a separate incident in which Bryson DeChambeau received a two-stroke penalty for improving his swing area by stepping on high grass, a decision also made by the R&A.