Golf is popularly known as the gentleman’s game. And, the gentleman for the third round at East Lake Golf Club was Sahith Theegala. It was the par-4, 3rd hole at the newly renovated course. After making a birdie on the previous hole, the golfer had driven the ball into a fairway bunker. However, his approach from the bunker saw him touching the sand while taking the backswing, or so the pro believed.

As soon as he hit his tee shot at the following par-4, 4th hole, Theegala went ahead and called a PGA Tour rules official to let them know of the possible infarction. Consequently, the 26-year-old was assessed a two-shot penalty after analyst Mark Dusbabek came on the NBC Broadcast to confirm the same.

“He feels that he touched the sand on his last hole when he was taking his backswing,” said Dusbabek while recounting the instance with the pro, “It is a penalty if you touch the sand while your ball is in the sand.” Although the golfer was deemed a penalty for the unintended infarction, the fact that he called it in himself left many fans impressed.

Sahith Theegala gets dubbed a ‘man of integrity’ by a golf fan!

After the third round of play, Theegala managed to put up a figure of 5-under 66 on Saturday, while placing himself at T3, nine strokes behind the likes of Scottie Scheffler, who is at T1. But had he not called himself in, the golfer would have just been seven strokes behind the current world No. 1 on the leaderboard.

“We have confirmation that he feels that he did,” said Dusbabek, “So it’s going to be a two-shot penalty for him.” Sahith Theegala’s actions, meanwhile, which left him at 17-under after the three rounds earned the approval of many fans for one of them commented, “Didn’t think Sahith could get any higher in my book,” while another dubbed him a “man of integrity.”

If there’s someone who has had his fair share of controversies, it’s Patrick Reed. Back at the 2019 Hero World Challenge, the golfer had moved the sand from behind the ball as he readied himself to play his third shot on the par-5, 11th hole. As a result, he was informed of the violation and given a two-stroke penalty due to the same.

His reaction? Well, the golfer pleaded his case and argued that looking at the shot from a different angle would spot his club not being directly behind the ball. But unfortunately for the athlete, the replay was crystal clear for the officials. Sahith Theegala’s recent actions were compared to Reed’s as a couple of followers responded, “Not everybody’s Patrick Reed. Classy act,” and “Honorable man., unlike that Patrick Reed guy... Sahith is a class act.“

Rule 12.2b. of the USGA handbook points out how the player must not “touch sand in the bunker with your club: In making your backswing for a stroke.” It also highlights how the sand shouldn’t be disturbed in the area right in front of or behind the ball, or while making a practice swing. Some fans couldn’t help but express their dissatisfaction with the regulations as they commented, “Dumb rule” and “Another dumb rule brought to by @PGATOUR.“

Regardless of the penalty issued to him, Sahith Theegala would hope to dish out his best on the final day of play on September 1. What’s more, he would look to beat the likes of Scheffler and Collin Morikawa, all the while raking in the winner’s cut of the whopping $25 million at the FedEx Cup finale.