Open championship international qualifying at Sunningdale

FOUR PUTTS FROM TWO FEET ... THEN PIN
POSITION IS MOVED BY R&A OFFICIAL

Play was suspended amid farcical scenes at the Open championship qualifying event at Sunningdale today to allow tournament officials to alter the pin location on the fourth hole.
R&A Championship committee chairman Martin Kippax made the decision after eight players had finished the hole, asking that they all replay it and disregard their original score. He was prompted by increasing frustration from the players, typified by Australian Brett Rumford, who four-putted after hitting his tee shot to within two feet of the hole. Argentina's Ricardo Gonzalez also fell foul of the pin placement, five-putting.
"I chose the pin positions because of the weather we've had and the forecast we had for today," said Kippax. "The chance of thunderstorms meant that I chose a place where we would hopefully be able to continue play. I was then made aware by a referee on the course that we had a potential problem. I went out and saw that it was in an unplayable position."
Not all of the eight players were happy with Kippax's decision to replay the hole however. Sweden's Fredrik Andersson Hed was furious after his initial par 3 was replaced by a double-bogey 5 at the second attempt, taking his four-under-par 66 up to a 68.
"I think the European Tour should do the pins," he said. "Every time I've played in an event run by the R&A (Royal and Ancient Club) there have been one or two that were barely playable."
A field of 120 are competing on the old course at Sunningdale for 16 places in the Open at Carnoustie.