The PGA Tour clarified to GOLF.com that players who sign incorrect scorecards would be notified by the Tour. At that point they’d have 15 minutes to return and resolve the issue without penalty or disqualification. The Tour added in the memo that there may be exceptions, however, “when constraints within the competition limit a player’s correction time to less than 15 minutes, such as releasing tee times following the cut, starting a playoff, or the close of the competition.”
The scorecard penalty or disqualification has long been a source of controversy. Its most famous example came at the 1968 Masters, when the late
Roberto De Vicenzo thought he was about to face Bob Goalby in a Monday playoff. But playing partner Tommy Aaron incorrectly gave De Vicenzo a 4 instead of a 3 on the 17th hole in Sunday’s final round, De Vicenzo failed to catch it and signed the scorecard. Per USGA rules, he had to take the higher score on his card (the 4), meaning he missed out on the playoff. Goalby won the Masters by a stroke.
More recently, this rule came into effect at the 2024 Genesis Invitational in February.
Jordan Spieth was disqualified on Friday afternoon following his second round. Spieth, who we later found out was not feeling well, shot a two-over 73 but signed for a 3 on the 4th hole when he actually made a 4.
According to the USGA’s current rules, if a score returned was higher than the actual score for the hole, the higher score stands. If a score was incorrectly marked as lower than the actual score, the player is disqualified.
The new term will go into effect on the PGA Tour, PGA Tour Champions, Korn Ferry Tour, PGA Tour Americas and DP World Tour.
