Wander what prompted this - they get a lot of heat over it or just within themselves thought it needed to be revised? Would it have become this big a deal if it wasn't the playoffs and wasn't such a well known golfer?
Aug. 31, 2010
PGA TOUR commissioner Tim Finchem Tuesday announced the suspension of the regulation that resulted in Jim Furyk's disqualification last week from The Barclays for being late to his pro-am starting time. This part of the regulation will be suspended for the duration of the 2010 season.
Hereafter, should a player be late for his pro-am starting time, the situation will be handled as a matter of unbecoming conduct. Such player will be required to participate in the remainder of the pro-am round and may be required to perform additional sponsor activity. A player who misses his pro-am obligation in its entirety will still be ruled ineligible for the tournament unless he has been excused in accordance with the provisions of the regulations.
The commissioner has asked the Player Advisory Council and Player Directors to evaluate the current pro-am regulations to determine whether alternative measures can effectively ensure that players honor their pro-am obligations without placing them at risk of disqualification. The matter will be discussed at the Policy Board meeting in November.
http://www.pgatour.com/2010/r/08/31/disqualified-suspended/index.html
Comments (11) | |
|
Mark Simmons
9/1/2010 3:11:39 AM As I said before, I think the rule makes a lot of sense, it's the punishment that seemed counterproductive and should be reviewed. Essentially, that is what the Commissioner has addressed. He really didn't suspend the rule, what he did was modify the punishment. The whole point is to support the sponsors. Pro-Am participation is one component of that support. However, with the DQ as a penalty it had the opposite effect. The sponsors were denied the participation of one of the top players in both the Pro-Am and the tournament. Not smart! |
|
Robert Premeaux Jr.
8/31/2010 11:57:17 PM The rule was put in b/c the top golfers were treating pro-ams like the NFL players are now treating the Pro Bowl. Whatever they could do to get out of it, they were doing it. I don't have a problem with the rule, but in this particular case, Furyk had gone to the trouble to get himself out there as fast as he could, and all they had to do was shuttle him out to his hole, and everybody would've been happy. Think of the story you could tell if you had been in his group ... seeing a half-dressed Furyk running out to the fairway, grabbing a club and hitting with his shoes untied. :) |
|
PeteG512
8/31/2010 8:57:04 AM This sucks, They should have suspended that rule before the Playoff. The PGA dropped the ball on this one. |