The 2010 PGA Championship was played on a torture chamber of a golf course. Wind, rain, fog delays and over one thousand sand traps, and the best players in the world had to navigate their way through it competing only against each other. For Realtors it seemed like just another day at the office. Buyers trying to steal properties, unrealistic sellers, banks with underwriters, home inspections and appraisers are all lurking about trying to make your life difficult.
Through 71 out of 72 holes Dustin Johnson was in position to seal the deal and write his name in the history books with the Wannamaker Trophy, and the check for $1,350,000 was about to be his. When he blocked out his tee shot on the last hole and the ball sailed deep to the right and into the gallery it settled into an unraked bunker, he still had a chance to make par and win. At worst he would make a bogey and have to play a 3 hole playoff against two other players.
There was only one minor detail that he, and his caddy, overlooked. They didn't realize that it was a bunker, and it is a two stroke penalty to ground your club in there. The penalty for not paying attention, in this transaction, is about $1,000,000.00, and having to answer the question "How could you be so stupid?" for the rest of his life.
With all of the wind, rain and fog (extensions) in this crazy real estate market it is no time to forget the rules of the game. For Dustin Johnson, all he had to do was ask for a ruling from the official assigned to his group. Instead his deal never got to the closing table.
Comments(0)