To lift, clean, and place, or not—that’s the burning question for the PGA Tour. Mostly, they’ve given a thumbs up, allowing golfers to do what fans despise most. Take the 2025 Genesis Invitational, where officials permitted ‘preferred lies’ due to the soggy conditions at Torrey Pines. Fans erupted in outrage, claiming it threatened the sport’s integrity, quipping, “So Lift, Clean & Cheat?!?! Got it!” Now, nearly four months later, we’re back to the same debate at the RBC Heritage, thanks to the uncertain weather conditions.
The opening round of the 2025 RBC Canadian Open will face challenging weather conditions. Temperatures are expected to peak at 21 degrees Celsius, with a RealFeel of the same. The sky will remain mostly cloudy, with about 94 percent cloud cover. The forecast shows a 98 percent chance of rain, with around 13.2 millimeters expected over four hours. Additionally, there’s a 39 percent likelihood of thunderstorms throughout the day. The result? Preferred lies for the PGA Tour pros.
In their latest update about the $9.5M RBC Canadian Open’s weather conditions during the first round, the PGA Tour announced, “Thursday weather forecast for the RBC Canadian Open. Preferred lies with be played in the first round.” Interestingly, the Tour did not allow a preferred lie during the soggy Sunday round at the 2024 RBC Canadian Open. However, before that, at the 2009 RBC Canadian Open, the Tour allowed it once again. The wet conditions from 1.5 inches of rain that fell overnight impacted the 2009 RBC Canadian Open at Glen Abbey Golf Club. To accommodate the soggy course, officials allowed players to use preferred lies in the fairways.
Thursday weather forecast for the RBC Canadian Open.
Preferred lies with be played in the first round. pic.twitter.com/KaAoC5dhi3
— PGA TOUR Communications (@PGATOURComms) June 5, 2025
So, what exactly is this infamous ‘preferred lie’? Preferred lies, also known as “lift, clean, and place,” is a temporary golf rule that lets players move their ball in the fairway without penalty. Officials implement this rule when course conditions are poor, such as after heavy rain, which makes some areas muddy or unplayable. On the PGA Tour, this often occurs after significant rainfall. When this rule is in effect, players can mark their ball’s position, lift it, clean it if necessary, and then place it back within a specified distance—usually one club length or six inches—without moving it closer to the hole.
This controversy stems from Jay Monahan’s statement at the 2022 Travelers Championship, where he said they “welcome good, healthy competition,” but deemed the LIV Saudi Golf League as not fitting that description. The validity of allowing golfers leeway in an outside sport depends on who you ask. Fans have expressed their discontent, with one stating, “Nothing is sacred anymore,” regarding the Tour’s decision to allow preferred lies during the 2025 Zurich Classic. Aside from the Zurich Classic and the Genesis Invitational, the PGA Tour also introduced preferred lies at the 2025 Houston Open and during the first round of the 2025 CJ CUP Byron Nelson. However, the fans’ irritation also stems from the Tour’s inconsistency in implementing this particular ruling at its events.
That one time, the PGA Tour introduced preferred life in… perfect conditions
At the 2021 Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines, the PGA Tour implemented lift, clean, and place rules on a sunny Thursday, despite no rain in the immediate forecast. This decision surprised many, as the day was described as “picture perfect” by broadcaster Trey Wingo. The Tour’s ruling was based on anticipated heavy rain for Friday, which would affect play on both the South and North courses being used for the tournament. The notice clearly stated that preferred lies were in effect to prepare for the expected challenging conditions.
This proactive approach was unusual, as lift, clean, and place rules are typically enacted only after heavy rain has already impacted the course. The decision came after a week of unpredictable weather in San Diego, including a course shutdown on Monday due to high winds. Under these rules, players are allowed to lift their golf balls from areas cut to fairway height or less, clean them, and then place them back within a specified distance. This ruling aimed to ensure fair play and maintain the quality of the tournament as conditions were expected to worsen. Despite this, fans couldn’t help but be baffled at its implementation during a perfect sunny day. Undoubtedly, the PGA Tour has been pretty inconsistent in its implementation of this particular controversial ruling.
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