Golfer Parker McLachlin posted a comment to Twitter during the final round of the Frys.com Open on Sunday, unknowingly breaking a PGA Tour rule prohibiting the use of electronic devices during competition.
Monday, the three-year veteran received a phone call from Rick George, executive vice president and chief of operations for the PGA Tour, who told him that the tweet violated Tour policy. But, according to McLachlin, George said that disciplinary action against the player is unlikely.
"Basically, in [Sunday's] round we had a pretty long wait on the back nine sitting on the tee," McLachlin told ESPN.com. "The guys that I was playing with [Brad Faxon and Glen Day] were checking football scores and someone yelled out, 'You should tweet about what you're doing right now.' I was like, that's a good idea. I didn't really think too much about it."
"We don't discuss our disciplinary action regarding players," George said. "Parker and I had a discussion about his use of a cell phone in regard to tour policy and we'll leave it at that."
Under the user name, @ParkerMcLachlin, the player tweeted: "Just made birdie on 4. Waiting on 5th tee. First tweet during a tourney round. Don't want to get too used to this!"
While using electronic devices during competitive play doesn't violate USGA or R&A rules, it is prohibited by the PGA Tour. It is covered in the player handbook each player received at the beginning of each season.
"I didn't realize the impact of cell phone restrictions during competition," McLachlin added. "We're on our cell phones a good amount during practice rounds on the range. I think cell phones are so commonplace these days. My thought was the [former] LPGA commissioner [Carolyn Bivens] was encouraging their players to tweet a few months back, Stewart Cink is a big tweeter, so I didn't really think that it was wrong to do."
Faxon and Day also technically violated the PGA Tour rules by checking football scores on a cell phone. George said that he hadn't spoken to either player as of Monday evening.
McLachlin, who said he tweets "about two or three times per week," sees a time when such social networking is actually encouraged during tournament rounds.
"It seems like one of those things where it could be an evolving rule," he said. "Today it's obviously against PGA Tour rules, but 10 years from now it might be something that could increase popularity or increase the interactiveness during the rounds."
As for the PGA Tour's stance on in-round tweeting, George was steadfast in keeping the status quo, maintaining, "Not during competition, no."
McLachlin shot a final-round 1-over-par 71 to finish in 73rd place in the tournament. He is currently in 173rd place on the PGA Tour money list.
Jason Sobel is a golf writer for ESPN.com.