PALM HARBOR, Fla. – England’s Matt Wallace called a one-stroke penalty on himself during Friday’s second round of the Valspar Championship, a decision that ultimately helped him make the cut at the Copperhead Course. The incident occurred on the par-5 11th hole, where Wallace’s tee shot landed in the pine straw.
Facing a delicate lie, Wallace said his caddie, Jamie Lane, had cautioned him about the potential for issues with his second shot. As he addressed the ball, a twig interfered with his stance, forcing him to hover his club. During his pre-shot waggle, Wallace believes he inadvertently caused the ball to move.
“I didn’t know whether it was in the action of my swing or anything,” Wallace explained to reporters after his round, “but I definitely touched it, and then the ball moved from that.” Despite initially believing no one had witnessed the infraction, Wallace immediately called for a rules official.
The penalty proved a pivotal moment in Wallace’s tournament. At two-over par for the event, he was on the cusp of missing the cut. “You’re not just doing it for yourself though, even though it’s such an individual sport,” Wallace said. “You’re doing it to protect the rest of the field. You’re doing it for your caddie, your team, your family. I would rather miss the cut doing something like that by one shot, and then giving it my all for the rest, than making it and knowing something’s happened. So I called it on myself.”
Following the penalty, Wallace remarkably rallied. He salvaged par on the 11th, then proceeded to birdie three of his next four holes – the 14th with a 22-foot putt, the 15th from 6 feet, and the 17th with a 27-foot putt. A par on the 18th completed a round of three-under 68, bringing his two-round total to one-under par and securing his place in the weekend rounds.
“Yeah,” Wallace said, reflecting on his unexpected turnaround, “maybe a bit of good karma coming my way.” He finished eight strokes behind leader Sungjae Im.
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