Attempt to Copy Justin Thomas Earns Golfer a Tongue-Lashing from Rule Official at the Walker Cup

Golf’s got its traditions, and most of the time, it is not something you would want to toy with. Especially at the more graceful, buttoned-up events. But now and then, in the spirit of keeping things lively, it can swing a little too far. Take the Walker Cup that just wrapped up. Michael LaSasso, during a practice round at the Walker Cup, held his putter horizontally to check the line of the putt. It felt more Ryder Cup than Walker Cup. And, as you’d guess, apparently not everyone loved it.

Andy Johsnon and Brendan Porath spoke on it at The Shotgun Start podcast. Porath brought up LaSasso’s antics and questioned whether it was really embraced by people, “like it would’ve been at, you know, Bethpage or something.” Johnson then revealed he’d heard the same story: “The rules official in the group, [Geoff] Shackleford, told me this, went up to him afterwards and said effectively this ‘That’s not in the spirit of the Walker Cup.'”

This draws echoes from a similar incident at the Ryder Cup. Back in 2021 at Whistling Straits, Justin Thomas pulled the same move after being denied a short concession. He held his putter across the line of a 34-inch putt to suggest it was “inside the leather.” Later that day, Bryson DeChambeau and Shane Lowry did the same. This gesture drew plenty of criticism.

Victorious at Cypress Point

Michael La Sasso and Team USA capture the 50th @WalkerCup @michael_lasasso | #HottyToddy pic.twitter.com/U91c5fy56N

— Ole Miss Men’s Golf (@OleMissMGolf) September 8, 2025

Butch Harmon called them “classless,” but a few others saw it as gamesmanship from the Americans, who were making the Europeans “putt” everything out. Either way, the putter-measuring became one of the most talked-about moments of the session. Unlike a similar incident at the 2019 President Cup, where Thomas later apologized and admitted it “didn’t come off as a good luck,” he never addressed the 2021 version.

This whole dust-up really shows the gap between the Walker Cup and its big professional cousin, the Ryder Cup. Where the Ryder Cup thrives on controversies, the Walker Cup runs on some of the strictest codes in golf. Amateur status is itself sacred. A sponsorship deal or prize check can disqualify a player outright. And the culture is just as strict as the eligibility rules. Under Rule 1.2a, a player can actually be disqualified for ‘serious misconduct’ if their actions are considered contrary to the game’s spirit. That’s an extreme penalty, though, and most situations are handled quietly, as LaSasso’s was.

However, there are a few instances from the Walker Cup that have received their fair share of backlash. One moment in particular was the curious concession between Ireland’s John Gaugh and the US’s Gordon Sargent in their singles clash. With the match hanging in the balance and every point pivotal to the overall outcome, the two players surprised everyone by conceding short putts almost in a hurry.

Anywho, Michael LaSasso, despite having a very energetic personality, still often acts in accordance with the ‘spirit’ of the Walker Cup. For instance, the crucial Sunday singles matches were still in play when LaSasso teed off against Gavin Tiernan of Great Britain & Ireland. The match was tight, but Teirnan closed it out 2&1. If this had happened at the Ryder Cup, there could have been chances of clenched fists and visible frustration caught by the camera. But here, LaSasso simply shook Tiernan’s hand, acknowledged the moment, and walked off. There was no drama, no theatrics, but just quiet sportsmanship. But, despite having no records of rule-breaking, he still ended up catching everyone’s eyes. “Rebel of Ole’ Miss,” as Porath called him.

Regardless, the Walker Cup ended with team USA’s victory of 17-9, making it their 50th title. This happening right before the Ryder Cup is bound to heat things up for Bethpage. But even though the two events are often called cousins, they couldn’t be more different. There are many such instances to prove so.

The Walker Cup isn’t the Ryder Cup

If you want the sharpest example of why the Walker Cup and Ryder Cup live in different worlds, look back at the 1999 Ryder Cup – the Battle of Brookline. On the 17th green, Justin Leonard drained a 45-foot birdie putt, and before Jose Maria Olazabal even had a chance to line up his own 25-footer, the American team, their caddies, and even family members stormed the green in celebration. In the chaos, people trampled across Olazabal’s putting line. He went on to miss, and the US clinched the Cup. The win stood, but the celebration was widely condemned as one of the most egregious breaches of etiquette in Ryder Cup history. “That was no way to behave,” Olazabal said later.

There are many more such instances. Take, for instance, Patrick Reed‘s “shush” gesture in 2014, or when Colin Montgomerie endured heckling from US fans in 1999. None of these would fly at the Walker Cup. Respect for the players and the opponents is baked into the amateur code. There is a sense of decorum; team victories are celebrated, but never at the expense of an opponent’s shot. Here, the line between passion and disrespect isn’t meant to be blurred.

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