Harrington disqualified in Abu Dhabi

Golf:Pádraig Harrington has been disqualified from the Abu Dhabi Championship for signing an incorrect scorecard after a television viewer noticed the Dubliner move his ball a fraction on the seventh green during yesterday's first round.

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.

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 this morning. "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 hadn't moved. 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 this morning at the Abu Dhabi Golf Club to look at footage of the incident.

McFee revealed he had been aware of the incident late last night and decided to sleep on it rather than bother Harrington.

"I couldn't get Pádraig back here last night because everybody was closing down so I decided to sleep on it and speak to Pádraig this morning," McFee said. "Basically, Pádraig 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. Pádraig 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, he suffered the penalty at the Benson and Hedges International Open at The Belfry for not signing his new course record score card from the opening day.

It is not the first instance of an eagle-eyed television viewer getting a player disquafied. Just two weeks ago, Camilo Villegas's disqualification from the Tournament of Champions in Hawaii was prompted by a fan and sparked heated debate among the players.

"An armchair official tweeted in to get Camilo DQ'd," Ian Poulter said in a Twitter posting. "What is wrong with people? Have they got nothing better to do? Yes the rules are the rules. It was a mistake on Camilo's behalf. He didn't know he had done wrong, but people calling in? No one likes a snitch."

Former US Ryder Cup captain Paul Azinger felt the calling in of violations effectively protected the golfers.

"A TV viewer calling in a DQ stinks for the player, but no player wants to get away with breaking a rule," Azinger tweeted. "TV protects the field . . . so many rules the players don't know them all. Players on TV are more closely scrutinised. That will never change."

Villegas had carded a one-under-par 72 in the opening round but he violated Rule 23-1 at the par-five 15th where he twice chipped up to the green only to watch as his ball rolled back to him. On the second occasion, he illegally flicked away a loose divot of grass as the ball was trickling back down the slope.

His infraction was spotted by Dave Andrews, who was watching the action on television with friends in Daytona Beach, Florida. After checking the rules on the United States Golf Association's website, Andrews tweeted the PGA Tour and the Golf Channel.

Meanwhile, overnight leader Charl Schwartzel remained at the head of things, but after going clear at 10 under par the South African then had three bogeys in four holes. He did come back with another birdie, though, and with two holes of his second round to go he stood eight under, one in front of Northern Ireland’s US Open champion Graeme McDowell, England’s David Lynn and Swede Niclas Fasth.

Colin Montgomerie, in a real return to form in the week he handed over the Ryder Cup captaincy to Jose Maria Olazabal, was four under along with Phil Mickelson and Rory McIlroy, with world number one Lee Westwood one further back and yet to resume.