Yes, and he was assessed a two-stroke penalty for violating it. The author and I are saying that is insufficient in this case.
Please quote the rule ...
I never knew Maxine Waters was a Freeper. :-P
Golf is more like Bridge than like Poker. In Poker, bluffing and deception are part of the game, and one can hesitate or think longer than usual before a bet for the purpose of deception - not a gentleman's game. In Bridge, players are expected to avoid any deceptive actions. One can choose the card to be played in order to deceive the opponents, but one cannot hesitate in that play for the purpose of deception.
Based on Golf etiquette, I'm with you. Intentionally incurring a penalty is a violation of the general spirit of the game. To paraphrase the Supreme Court: It's in the penumbra of the rules of Golf.
Why is that penalty insufficient?
Is there some kind of discretionary leeway for the tournament officials to assess a penalty higher than two strokes for that foul?
Or instead is the penalty for that foul carved in stone (fixed at two strokes)?
Again, what does the relevant rule state?
Is there some alternate rule that could have been applied in order to give a greater penalty?
Why should the penalty be anything beyond what the tournament rules specify?
He was assessed the penalty according to the current rules. He knew the rule and he used it. A loophole, yup. So change the rule. You can’t change the penalty because you don’t like it. Again, change the rule. And you can bet they will.
On the flip side, it was pretty classless.
Phil screwed up and apologized rather quickly. It is now getting overblown coverage.