In playing from the hazard, Pettersson
brushed the grass during the backward movement of the club. However he also touched,
and moved, a leaf that was not attached and therefore a loose impediment. This
is a breach of Rule 13-4c,
which states that a player must not touch or move a loose impediment before
making a stroke at the ball when both the loose impediment and the ball are in
the same hazard. If he does, it is a two stroke penalty.
The Definition
of a Stroke is the forward movement
of the club with the intention of striking at and moving the ball. The
backswing is not a part of the stroke.
Therefore moving a loose impediment in the backswing is a violation of Rule 13-4c.
Since Pettersson moved the leaf prior to the forward movement of his club, and
was in breach of Rule 13-4c,
he was assessed a two-stroke penalty. Since Rule 13-2
(Improving Lie, Area of Intended Stance or Swing, or Line of Play) does not
prohibit the movement of loose impediments that Rule did not apply.