Why Matt Fitzpatrick was unable to replace cracked driver at BMW Championship

During Sunday's final round of the BMW Championship, Matt Fitzpatrick called for a ruling on the eighth tee after noticing a crack in his driver clubface. He was not able to replace the damaged club, however.

This is why.

PGA TOUR Chief Referee Stephen Cox said a "minor crack" was visible on the face of Fitzpatrick's driver. While a crack can impact the club's performance, it does not meet the threshold of being "significantly damaged" that would allow it to be replaced under the USGA's Model Local Rule G-9. The rule provides examples of when a club may be replaced, while also stating that "a club face or clubhead is not 'broken or significantly damaged' solely because it is cracked."

“The rule details a number of situations where the club would be allowed to be replaced, but the rule states that a crack in and of itself does not meet the threshold of being significantly damaged," Cox said. "In our assessment -- not only the first official, but also a couple of others including myself -- that threshold of being significantly damaged hadn't been met. Although there was a small crack in the face, there was no separation in the metals and on that basis that threshold wasn't met."

England’s Fitzpatrick came into the week at 36th in the FedExCup standings, needing a strong finish at Castle Pines to advance to the top-30 TOUR Championship at East Lake in Atlanta, where someone will win the FedExCup.

Rounds of 74-72-71 put him on his back foot, and he needed a low one Sunday. He made seven birdies Sunday but they were offset by three bogeys and a double bogey, en route to a 2-under 70 that will leave him shy of a trip to East Lake.

Fitzpatrick finished the week at 1-under 287, in the middle of the pack on the Castle Pines leaderboard.