Golf Championship: During the first round of the Memorial Tournament on Thursday, Hideki Matsuyama was disqualified due to markings on his three-wood.
After finishing the ninth hole, the 2021 Masters Champion was informed that his equipment was in violation of PGA Tour rules.
It was the first time in PGA Tour history that the previous Masters winner had been disqualified.
Images of the club were released online, according to PGA Tour senior event director Steve Rintoul, and his team only found out about them after Hideki Matsuyama had used it on the first tee. He could have kept playing if he hadn’t utilised the club.
Rintoul said: “Unfortunately our committee learned right after Hideki had teed off that he may be carrying a club that would be non-conforming.
“A chemical was administered to Hideki’s face by a gentleman who works on Hideki’s clubs.”
“Rule 4a(3) of the equipment regulations states that adding a substance to the face could adversely influence a ball’s performance, including its flight, spin, and overall performance.
“His club person put those markers there to help with alignment.” It is quite OK to assist with alignment by making a small Sharpie mark or drawing a little Sharpie line on the face.
“But what was done there with that substance which is very much like a whiteout substance we would use at home, was a coating that was not only in the grooves but was very thick along the face, and now he’s applied a substance to the face, which renders the club non-conforming.
“Under 4.1a under the rules of golf, a player is disqualified if he uses a non-conforming club.”
Matsuyama, the 2014 Memorial champion, had three bogeys on the first nine holes and would have finished in 3-over 38.
Matsuyama’s approach on the second took an ugly bounce and appeared to be heading for the sea, but miraculously came to a halt on a bridge.
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