Since assuming his role as Mayacama’s “Honorary Golf Professional” back in January of 2022, we have all seen glimpses of Teddy in his new role as a Rules Official at some of Golf’s most prestigious events. While it’s hard to rate the importance of one event over another, we want to congratulate him for being selected as a Rules Official for the 2024 Paris Olympic Games. He will be serving as an “International Technical Official” — the Olympics term for “Rules Official/Referee” — for the Women’s Olympic games taking place at Le Golf National in Paris on August 7-10. 

We caught up with Teddy to talk about this prestigious appointment and some of his experiences over the past few years as the Senior Vice Chairman of the PGA of America Rules Committee.

Congratulations on being selected to be a Rules Official for the 2024 Paris Olympic Games. How did you first hear that you were invited to serve as a Rules Official at The Olympics?

Thank you! I received the invitation from our PGA of America Rules Committee Chairman Dave McAtee back in December. The International Golf Federation is the organization that extends the invitations to Golf Associations around the World to assist with conducting the Olympic Golf Competition, and those Associations select individuals from within their.  associations to support Olympic Golf. Our PGA of America Rules Committee sends one “International Technical Official” to the Men’s Olympic Competition and one to the Women’s Competition.

What are the other Golf Associations that are invited to be a part of the Olympic games?

There are several — it’s similar to the athletes representing their countries from around the world. The IGF extends invitations to all of the major Golf Associations. We have officials coming from the PGA of America, PGA Tour, LPGA Tour, the USGA and Augusta National Golf Club from America. We also have representatives from the European Tour (DP World Tour), the Ladies European Tour (LET), the Royal & Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews, and the French Golf Federation. So just like the players, it’s an international crew represented by Golf Associations from around the world.

Will you stay in the Olympic Village?

No. The IGF has accommodations for officials, players and caddies at Le Golf National, the venue for the golf competition. Some players opt to stay in the Olympic Village, while others prefer to stay right at the venue.

We assume Susie will be going with you?

Sadly, no. The security for the Paris games will only permit accredited officials to enter the hotel, and that accreditation does not extend to family (spouse or otherwise).

So will this be the biggest championship that you have been a part of as a Rules Official?

Being on a global stage, with so many athletes competing in so many different sports, probably yes. It’s hard to rank them. Each competition has its rightful place in the game. Certainly golf’s Major Championships and The Ryder Cup all carry a prestige that can shape a player’s legacy, but so does an Olympic Gold Medal.

As a Referee for a competition on a national or world stage, how do you prepare?

I read the Rules of Golf! Not from cover to cover, but I always brush up on certain rules and clarifications that tend to come into play.  And once on site, I walk the course several times, usually with different officials. On those walks, we try to anticipate potential situations that are likely to occur and what type of relief might be available to a player. We’re always expecting the unexpected.

I guess we all want to know what it’s like when you’re called into a situation with a prominent player and the championship could be on the line. How do you deal with that?

Fortunately it’s not an everyday occurrence, but when it does happen, you just need to deal with it calmly, try to read the player and gauge their emotional state. They usually have their ball in a situation that could be costly and they’re looking to you to get them out. Scottie (Scheffler) is a great one to deal with in that regard. When called in, he usually greets you with “Hey, am I getting out of here?” You deal with the ball… it doesn’t have a face. Assess the situation and let the player know their options, and do it calmly without quoting the rule book. They’re not interested in knowing rule numbers or the text of the rule, they just want to get the ball back on the ground and play golf.

Have you had any situations that you wish you had handled differently?

Yes! 2023 BMW Championship. DP World Tour. 11th hole at Wentworth. The player shall remain nameless, but he’s a good guy who ended up with a bad lie. He called for a ruling and the referee denied the player relief from an abnormal course condition. The player asked for a second opinion and I responded to the call. His ball was in the rough, well away from the fairway, in what was likely damage caused by an animal at one time, but was now just a worn and bare area of dirt. The player’s ball was in a bad lie, but in my opinion there was nothing that would entitle the player to free relief. I politely let him know and the player was clearly not happy with the decision and grew more and more agitated during the conversation. I get it, they’re playing for a lot of prize money and under a great amount of pressure. But ultimately the ruling was correct. I’m not sure how it could have been handled differently, but you never want to leave a player in that state. At some point, you have to let the player know that the decision is final and move on.    

Last question — do you have a favorite championship that you’ve worked?

That’s like asking what’s your favorite golf course... Mayacama is in my top 5, along with about 15 others! Obviously being from Augusta Georgia, I pinch myself every time I drive down Magnolia Lane and walk on the grounds of Augusta National Golf Club to officiate at The Masters Tournament. It’s always an emotional experience for me. There’s one that hasn’t happened yet... I’ll be a referee at the 155th Open Championship at The Old Course in St. Andrews in 2027! And I’m totally excited about this opportunity at The Olympics. The Antonopoulos family is from Argos Greece, which is about 90 miles from Olympia and the origin of the Olympic Games, so its great honor for me and my family to be appointed as an “International Technical Official” at The Paris Olympic Games!