Golfer's Dreams Shattered: Costly Ball Mistake Crushes PGA Tour Card Hopes
Shad Tuten's heartbreaking loss of a chance at a PGA Tour card came from a single, costly mistake - a seemingly minor movement of his ball that led to a devastating penalty A missed opportunity that will haunt him
In the blink of an eye, Shad Tutens' future in the PGA Tour was shattered when he made the agonizing mistake of shifting his ball a few inches on Sunday. Despite completing a strong final round at the Korn Ferry Tour Championship in Newburgh, Indiana, the American golfer's dreams of obtaining his inaugural PGA Tour card were dashed.
Despite finishing with a bogey, Tuten's two-over 74 round propelled him to a tied-19th position. This result was sufficient to push him into the top 30-ranked players on the Korn Ferry Tour Points List, ensuring his membership for the 2024 PGA Tour season.
Tuten tees off during the final round.
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However, despite Tuten's birdie at the par-five 15th hole, he did not join the group who celebrated by throwing their graduation caps into the air on Victoria National Golf Club's 18th green shortly after. This was due to a two-stroke penalty that increased his score to four-over 76, causing him to be tied-28th on the leaderboard and ranked No.32 on the Points List. The penalty was a result of Tuten's failure to correctly replace his ball.
The wet weather prompted the implementation of the Local Rule for Preferred Lies (Model Rule E-3) in the final round. This rule enables players to "mark, lift, clean and replace the ball in the general area" in order to address problems like mud sticking to the ball.
However, it is crucial for players to place the ball back in the exact same spot. Video evidence from the 15th fairway captured Tuten following this protocol initially, but subsequently, he moved the ball slightly to the right.
The birdie was turned into a bogey by rules officials who stepped in due to a slight movement of the ball when it was placed, as seen clearly in the video, according to Jim Duncan, the Korn Ferry Tour Vice President of Rules, Competition, and Administration.
Unfortunately, the rule mandates that you must make an attempt to replace it exactly where it was before. And if it refuses to remain at rest, you must then locate the nearest suitable spot, similar to any other rule pertaining to placement.
By failing to immediately place the ball back on the designated spot, he incurred a penalty of two shots for playing from an incorrect position.
CNN has reached out to the Korn Ferry Tour to contact Tuten for comment.
Former PGA Tour player James Nitties described the incident as "heartbreaking."
"It makes me sick as a past player," Nitties said on the Golf Channel broadcast.
"Probably didnt even know he was doing it ⦠That is so unfortunate."
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It struck a bitter blow to Tuten, whose wait for an appearance at a PGA Tour event continues.
The golfer, originally from Georgia, has participated in 132 tournaments on both the Korn Ferry Tour and PGA Tour Latinoamérica since becoming a professional in 2015. He has achieved one victory and currently holds the world ranking of 362 at the end of the season.
Frances Paul Barjon emerged victorious by shooting an impressive 14-under, earning him not only a trophy but also a coveted PGA Tour membership. Meanwhile, Rafael Campos from Puerto Rico overtook Tuten to secure the 30th and final card.
Among the graduates, eighteen are PGA Tour rookies. Notably, among them are the Coody brothers, Parker and Pierceson, who have made history by achieving PGA Tour membership simultaneously. They are only the second set of twins to accomplish this feat, following in the footsteps of Allan and Curtis Strange back in 1981.
