GOLFWEEK STAFFTwo-time PGA Tour winner J.P. Hayes disqualified himself from the second stage of Q-School last week after using a nonconforming ball, according to the
Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel.Hayes’ caddie gave him a ball on the 12th hole during the first round at Deerwood Country Club. When Hayes marked his ball on the green, he realized it was not the same model Titleist he started the round with, a violation of the one-ball rule.
Hayes called over a rules official, who assessed Hayes a two-stroke penalty. Hayes shot a first-round 74 with the penalty, then shot 71 in the second round. Hayes was T-44 at 1-over 145; the top 20 and ties after 72 holes (which fell at 4-under 284) advanced to the final stage.
After his second round, Hayes realized the ball may not be on the USGA’s approved list.
“It was a Titleist prototype, and somehow it had gotten into my bag,” Hayes told the
Journal-Sentinel. “It had been four weeks since Titleist gave me some prototype balls and I tested them. I have no idea or why it was still in there.
“I called an official in Houston that night and said, ‘I think I may have a problem. He said they’d call Titleist the next day. I pretty much knew at that point I was going to be disqualified.”
Hayes finished 176th on the 2008 PGA Tour money list. Hayes estimated that he will get into between 10 and 12 tournaments next year on past champions status, and a handful more for sponsor exemptions.GOLFWEEK STAFF
Two-time PGA Tour winner J.P. Hayes disqualified himself from the second stage of Q-School last week after using a nonconforming ball, according to the
Journal-Sentinel.Hayes’ caddie gave him a ball on the 12th hole during the first round at Deerwood Country Club. When Hayes marked his ball on the green, he realized it was not the same model Titleist he started the round with, a violation of the one-ball rule.
Hayes called over a rules official, who assessed Hayes a two-stroke penalty. Hayes shot a first-round 74 with the penalty, then shot 71 in the second round. Hayes was T-44 at 1-over 145; the top 20 and ties after 72 holes (which fell at 4-under 284) advanced to the final stage.
After his second round, Hayes realized the ball may not be on the USGA’s approved list.
“It was a Titleist prototype, and somehow it had gotten into my bag,” Hayes told the
Journal-Sentinel. “It had been four weeks since Titleist gave me some prototype balls and I tested them. I have no idea or why it was still in there.
“I called an official in Houston that night and said, ‘I think I may have a problem. He said they’d call Titleist the next day. I pretty much knew at that point I was going to be disqualified.”
Hayes finished 176th on the 2008 PGA Tour money list. Hayes estimated that he will get into between 10 and 12 tournaments next year on past champions status, and a handful more for sponsor exemptions.
Posted: 11/19/2008
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