After Wednesday’s opening round at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship, European Tour player Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano took to Twitter to comment on the day, his first competitive round under golf’s new rules. But he included a reference to Simon Dyson, another European pro who was fined and suspended for illegally tapping down spike marks in 2013.
“First competitive round of the year on @EuropeanTour with the new rules on effect,” Fernandez-Castano wrote on Twitter after his opening-round 72. “Tapping down spikemarks felt so weird, it will take some time to get used to it – Unless you are Simon Dyson and you have been doing it for years.”
First competitive round of the year on @EuropeanTour with the new rules on effect. Tapping down spikemarks felt so weird, it will take some time to get used to it – Unless you are Simon Dyson and you have been doing it for years.
— Gonzalo Fdez-Castaño (@gfcgolf) January 16, 2019
A follower suggested that Fernandez-Castano tag Dyson in the post, to which he replied that Dyson had blocked him, making a tag impossible.
I would if I could. He blocked me long ago.
— Gonzalo Fdez-Castaño (@gfcgolf) January 16, 2019
But Dyson didn’t take kindly to the slight. “He hasn’t got the f—– balls!!! Sad little man,” he wrote in a tweet that was later deleted. He followed up with several more, though he insisted he wasn’t going to get further involved.
Can’t be arsed..the incident was 6 years ago..some of us have actually moved on.. https://t.co/znADqqUmi9
— SimonDysonAcademy (@simondyson77) January 16, 2019
Didn’t bite 6 years ago so not going to start now..😂
— SimonDysonAcademy (@simondyson77) January 16, 2019
Some people.. pic.twitter.com/jhhMP4PAUk
— SimonDysonAcademy (@simondyson77) January 16, 2019
Exactly..thanks Kate 👍🏼 https://t.co/nBRb3QPFbr
— SimonDysonAcademy (@simondyson77) January 16, 2019
An old tweet from Fernandez-Castano makes it clear this is a beef that goes back years. “Used to like him, not anymore,” he wrote of Dyson in 2014.
“@RonanMcGrath: @gfcgolf What do you like most about Simon Dyson? #askgonzo” Used to like him, not anymore
— Gonzalo Fdez-Castaño (@gfcgolf) September 14, 2014
Fernandez-Castano opened with an even-par 72 in Abu Dhabi. His shot at Dyson referenced a 2013 incident at the BMW Masters in Shanghai. Dyson, the tournament co-leader, was caught on video using his ball to press down a spike mark on the green in direct line of his short par putt. After reviewing the footage, he was disqualified from the event, which Fernandez-Castano went on to win.
Later, Dyson attended a hearing at which he was found guilty of a “serious breach” of the tour’s code of behavior. He was fined $49,000 and suspended for two months, though the suspension was deferred for an 18-month probationary period. Dyson released a statement denying that he was deliberately attempting to break the rules. In subsequent interviews, he called the fallout from the incident “the worst moment of my career.”
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