What Is the Meaning of an Asterisk on a Golf Leaderboard?
Sometimes in a golf event, players are shown on a leaderboard with an asterisk next to their names. This shows that these players started the round on the 10th hole, or what is commonly referred to as "the back nine" of the golf course.
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Function
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Instead of playing holes one through 18 in that order, golfers with an asterisk next to their names play holes 10 through 18, then hole one through 9. The golfers still have to play all 18 holes; the order is just changed.
Benefits
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When crunched for time, a golf organization may decide that instead of starting one group of golfers at a time on the first hole, it may be faster to have a group begin on the first hole and another on the 10th hole.
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Not a Shotgun Start
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Beginning the round on the 10th hole should not be confused with a "shotgun start," in which each group begins the round at multiple holes.
No Wrongdoing
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Many times, sports use asterisks to indicate that a player had an unfair advantage. This is not the case with an asterisk on a golf leaderboard.
Frequency
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The frequency of the asterisk in golf is unique to the particular event. Of the four major championships in 2009, The Master's, The British Open and The PGA Championship didn't use the asterisk system on their final day, but The U.S. Open did.
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References
- Photo Credit Image by Flickr.com, courtesy of Vidbynäs Golf Club
