Golf Fans Callout Rule Change After Kevin Roy at the Center of Bunker Rule Controversy Spark Debate

Bunker Controversy Sparks Outrage at the 2025 John Deere Classic!
PGA Tour pro Kevin Roy is making headlines — but not just for his impressive play. After carding strong rounds of 65, 67, and 70, Roy found himself in the spotlight for a controversial bunker raking ruling during Round 3 that left fans and analysts furious.

🏌️‍♂️ Did the rules official give Roy an unfair edge?
🔥 Why are fans calling it a “blatant rules abuse”?
⚖️ Could this one moment impact the final leaderboard — especially with Cameron Champ tied with Roy?

We break down the full incident, the rulebook loophole, and the heated fan reactions as the 2025 John Deere Classic heads into its final day.

📲 Watch now for exclusive insight, expert opinions, and the viral tweets that ignited a firestorm.

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PGA Tour pro Kevin Roy is having one of the strongest stretches of his career in 2025, highlighted by a T8 finish at the Rocket Classic and an impressive start to the John Deere Classic. Yet, while he’s chasing his first ever PGA Tour win, a recent ruling during Saturday’s round has stirred up a storm among golf fans. Not for his scorecard, but for a bunker controversy that’s raising questions about rule enforcement and fair play. It all started during Royy’s third round at TPC Deer Run where he carded a 70 after strong opening rounds of 65 and 67. At one point, he even found himself near the top of the leaderboard. But during play on Saturday, a seemingly routine bunker shot led to unexpected drama. After failing to escape a greenside bunker with his first attempt, Royy’s ball came to rest just above a footprint, his own. Seeking clarification, Roy called for a rules official. The ruling he received allowed him to rake the sand around his footprint before taking his next shot because the area was deemed to be not in his line of play. That decision, which allowed him to smooth the bunker without penalty, was met with swift criticism on social media. Golf analyst Joseph Lammana of Fried Egg Golf highlighted the moment online, prompting fans and experts alike to question whether Roy had gained an unfair advantage. Under rule 12.2b2 of the USGA’s rules of golf, players are allowed to rake a bunker to care for the course so long as it doesn’t improve conditions affecting their next stroke, such as their lie, stance, area of intended swing, or line of play. after a ball is played from a bunker. Rule 12.2b3 allows for raking without restrictions. However, interpreting whether a raking action improves the player’s condition can be highly subjective that I in this case. Some fans felt Roy was pushing the boundaries. One user wrote, “This is very bad. Blatantly tried to abuse the rules and no push back from the official.” Another tweeted, “Surely that was wrong.” and included a screenshot of the rule itself. Golf podcast, “No laying up joined the conversation with co-founder TC calling the ruling simply bad.” Lemana responded at a loss for words. TC make it make sense. Not good. Another fan added with sarcasm. Roy better not beat Chan by one. The tour would be hearing from my lawyers. At the end of Saturday’s round, both Kevin Roy and Cameron Champ were tied at minus1, just outside the top 10 and within striking distance of the leaders. The potential for a one-stroke margin between Roy and a rival like Champ only added fuel to the growing debate. This isn’t the first time a bunker decision has caused controversy in 2025. Earlier in the year at the Mexico Open at Vidanta, defending champion Jake Knap was penalized after failing to escape a bunker and angrily swiping the sand with his club. Initially, he was handed a two-stroke penalty for violating rule 12.2B, 2B, which prohibits touching the sand before a stroke. But officials later determined his action was an emotional outburst, not an intentional rule breach, and rescended the penalty to I, in contrast, Kevin Royy’s situation is less about emotional impulse and more about the interpretation of intent and rule application. The fact that a rule’s official approved the action doesn’t make it less controversial in the eyes of many fans. As the 2025 John Deere Classic heads into its final day, all eyes are on whether Kevin Roy can secure a career-defining first PGA Tour victory or if this bunker ruling will continue to overshadow his performance. With emotions running high and the leaderboard tightly packed, any edge, perceived or real, is magnified. Whether this moment becomes a mere footnote in Royy’s journey or sparks a larger conversation about rule reform, one thing is certain. The fine line between gamesmanship and gamesmanship gone too far is under the microscope once again on the PGA tour.