Memories of the farcical scenes at the 2004 US Open came flooding back at Sunningdale today when play was suspended in the Open Championship qualifying event.
Eight European Tour players were caught up in controversy over the positioning of the hole on the fourth green of the Old Course, with Argentina's Ricardo Gonzalez five-putting and Australian Brett Rumford four-putting after hitting his tee shot to two feet.
The same had happened on the eighth hole in the final round at Shinnecock Hills in New York two years ago, but this time officials reacted differently.
Open Championship committee chairman Martin Kippax immediately confessed to making a mistake and then took the decision that the hole would be re-positioned and the eight affected players would play it again.
Amid fury at Shinnecock the scores all had to stand, with Kevin Stadler hitting a two-foot putt into a bunker and fellow American Jerry Kelly commenting: "When are the USGA (United States Golf Association) going to grow a head?"
Not told until the end of their opening rounds of the 36-hole event the eight were then taken in buggies back to the fourth tee to try again - with very different results.
Swede Fredrik Andersson Hed was furious because after a par three the first time he double-bogeyed and so had to change his four-under-par 66 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."
England's Richard Bland was far from happy either. He birdied the first time after being 18 inches from a hole-in-one, but then took three and so went from 72 to 73.
The happiest, though, was Gonzalez. Instead of a triple-bogey six he parred and with a three-under 67 was the early leader on the course.
Bland, from Southampton, said: "It's not rocket science not to put the flag where it was. Anything with a small bit of speed that didn't go in was going to roll off the green, as I saw with Ricardo.
"Because I'd made a two I asked if I had to play it again and was told 'Yes'."
