PGA Tour fans disgusted over JT Poston rules controversy at The American Express

Golf fans were left seething on social media during the second round of The American Express after PGA Tour rules officials took an absolute age to let JT Poston know whether he was being penalised a stroke or not. 

The rules controversy all began as Poston stood over his approach shot into the par-4 2nd on the Pete Dye Stadium Course. 

Poston waggled his wedge behind the ball several times while locking his eyes on the pin. 

When his eyes did return to look at this ball, he discovered the ball had rolled back only slightly from its original position. 

Poston immediately called in his playing partner Jake Knapp, who deemed he had not done anything to cause the ball to move.

A PGA Tour rules official was then called over as he listened to Poston's assessment as to what happened.

Poston admitted his ball had rolled back slightly from its original spot, which was on an upslope, but that his club had not touched the ball to make it move. 

The three-time PGA Tour winner deemed his ball had only rolled backwards slightly while he was waggling his club in the air over the ball. 

The PGA Tour rules official walkie-talkied his conversation with Poston over to other PGA Tour rules officials back at base. 

They looked over the slo-mo TV coverage there and then but still weren't confident enough to officially determine whether Poston had directly caused his ball to move or whether it had just rolled back on its own accord. 

The pending outcome of a possible penalty stroke on the 2nd hole clearly rattled Poston who played a below-average shot into the green from 94 yards to 22 feet. 

Poston, who led the tournament after the first round on Thursday courtesy of a stunning 10-under par 62 on the Nicklaus Tournament Course, then proceeded to bogey the par-4 3rd and par-3 6th.

He then compounded those mistakes by sending his tee shot into the water at the par-4 7th as the wheels well and truly came off for him. 

Poston was seeing red fast, clearly frustrated PGA Tour rules officials were taking their time over reaching a decision. 

On-course commentator and former PGA Tour pro John Rollins made that point clear as he followed Poston's every move during the second round.

"It's clearly affected him," said Rollins, as Poston slammed his club into the turf after finding water down the 7th.

"A lot of this is the wondering and waiting for some sort of outcome to the ruling.

"This is all still some kind of spin off as to what happened on the 2nd fairway."

Poston went on to make a double bogey on the 7th as he tumbled down the leaderboard and out of contention. 

He was then finally informed by a PGA Tour rules official as he trudged down the par-5 8th that he was not going to be penalised a stroke. 

The decision to not penalise Poston a shot on the 2nd hole took the best part of nearly two hours.

There was apparently not enough evidence. 

But sadly for Poston the damage was being done on his scorecard as a result of his mental state. 

"So the rules official looked at the video many, many times to determine if the ball moved when he grounded the club behind the ball, and he has determined that there's not enough evidence that he caused the ball to move so the committee has determined no penalty," confirmed PGA Tour director of TV rules and video Rich Pierson. 

Scroll below to see how PGA Tour fans reacted to it all...

PGA Tour fans were left fuming on social media, especially those that had wagered on Poston or picked him in their fantasy team for the week, as they could tell Poston's mind was not in the game. 

"It's ridiculous the PGA Tour rules officials haven't got an answer for JT Poston yet," tweeted one irate golf fan.

"It's been four f****** holes!!! He's in absolute meltdown, and it's pretty hard to not think it's because of this bulls***."

Another disgruntled PGA Tour fan wrote: "The refs taking that long to determine no penalty after JT Poston has already f****d his round beyond repair is heinous."

"Absolute disgrace it's taken so long to tell Poston whether he's being penalised or not. He's clearly not touched the ball, should never be a penalty," wrote another PGA Tour fan. 

"You have to love PGA Tour rules officials, total joke what is going on with JT Poston at The Amex," commented another fan on social media. 

"Poston's head has completely gone, and mine would be too. Why can't they just give him a ruling there and then so he can get on with his round," tweeted another. 

Keep up to date with live scores of The American Express here.

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