It will forever be known as  – ‘Harrington’s Rule’.

Golf’s ruling bodies, the R & A and the USGA have voted on changes to the rule that saw Padraig Harrington disqualified from January’s HSBC Abu Dhabi Championship.

Harrington was thrown out of his first event of the New Year when ‘slow mo’ video footage, looked at well after he had handed in his card, showed he had accidently bumped his ball forward in removing his marker.

Under the then ‘Rules of Golf’ the European Tour had no option but to disqualify the triple Major Champion for signing for an incorrect score.

Padraig Harrington certain to be delighted with rule change.

So under Decision 33-7/4.5 if a player is not aware, and in Harrington’s case TV footage in Abu Dhabi, clearly showed he wasn’t, he/she has breached a Rule then the player still receives a penalty associated with the breach, but is not disqualified.

Also in circumstances where a player is in a hazard and unknowingly touches a branch or something in his/her backswing, the same rule applies.

In revising the decision, the R & A and the USGA confirmed the disqualification penalty still applies for score card breaches that arise out of ignorance of the Rules of Golf.

Peter Dawson, CEO of the R & A and Mike Davis, CEO of the USGA attended the Masters Media Centre on Thursday morning for further explain the change in the rule.

Davis did indicate that, in Harrington’s case, had the breach not been detected on ‘slow mo’ video and he had of won the event and prizes and prize money had been distributed, then no action could have been taken against Harrington under the ‘statute of limitation’ provision.

Bernie McGuire at Augusta National.