It’s the first time that Matsuyama, ranked twelfth on this planet, has been disqualified from a PGA Tour occasion, coming on the match which he achieved the primary of his eight PGA Tour wins at in 2014.
Chief referee and PGA Tour Senior Match Director Steve Rintoul stated officers had been made conscious of a possible “non-conforming” membership after Matsuyama’s preliminary tee-off and had spoken to the 30-year-old to verify that he had used it.
The markings had been utilized by one of many Japanese golfers’ staff to assist with alignment, Rintoul stated. Whereas it isn’t a violation of the foundations so as to add small sharpie marks to assist alignment, it’s when it’s deemed to “unduly have an effect on the efficiency of a ball,” the referee defined.
“What was completed there with that substance, which could be very a lot a white-out substance we’d use at dwelling, was a coding not solely within the grooves however was very thick alongside the face,” Rintoul advised NBC Sports activities.
“Now, he is utilized a substance to the face, which renders the membership non-conforming … a participant is disqualified in the event that they use a non-conforming membership.”
Having shot a 3-over 39 on the primary 9 holes, Matsuyama was knowledgeable of his disqualification on the tenth tee.
“I am not going to say he was anticipating it, nevertheless it wasn’t as a lot a shock as it might have been if it had been unknown,” Rintoul stated.
Matsuyama had been chasing his second PGA Tour win of 2022 after triumphing on the Sony Open in Hawaii in January.
DeChambeau again in motion
Six golfers sit tied for the lead at 5-under 67 after Thursday’s motion, the very best quantity ever following a gap spherical on the Memorial Match.
American trio Luke Listing, Davis Riley, and Cameron Younger sit degree with Canadian Mackenzie Hughes, Australian World No. 3 Cameron Smith and South Korea’s Lee Kyoung-Hoon.
The 28-year-old injured his hand when he slipped over on a marble ground whereas enjoying desk tennis on the Saudi Worldwide in February, with surgical procedure inflicting him to overlook the PGA Championship in Could.
US Open champion in 2020 and an eight-time winner on the PGA Tour, DeChambeau was joyful to be again on the course regardless of a harsh self-assessment.
“I used to be in a position to get pleasure from golf once more though I performed horrible,” he advised reporters. “I do know I’ve a number of stuff to work on. Simply having the ability to go on the market, begin to get pleasure from what this sport has given me.
“From a golf perspective, I hated each minute of it. However from an emotional standpoint, it was good to lastly be again once more in a aggressive atmosphere.”
