PGA and DP World Tours alter rules to combat scorecard error disqualifications

PGA Tour player Michael Kim posted a tour memo on X on Tuesday morning, informing of a PGA and DP World Tour rules change that affords players a 15-minute window “to correct an error on his scorecard, even if he has left the scoring area.”

According to the memo, this means:

• If a scorecard is returned and entered into the scoring system but is still in error and the player has left the scoring area, he may return within 15 minutes of validation to correct the error.
• If a player is still in the scoring area when the 15 minutes expires, his scorecard is not returned until he he leaves the scoring area.

Oh wow. Just announced a rule change where even if you leave the scoring area, you get a 15 minute buffer window to make any changes to your score without getting DQ. I think it’s way better this way. Hopefully no more scorecard DQs in the future.

— Michael S. Kim (@Mike_kim714) June 18, 2024

This should safeguard against issues like that faced by Jordan Spieth at the Genesis Invitational earlier this year where the three-time major champion signed for a ‘three’ on the par-3 fourth hole when he’d actually made ‘four’.

Spieth later admitted to being sick and rushing to the bathroom so had not paid due diligence to his numbers, but still took full responsibility for the subsequent disqualification.

“He was really sick and he had a rough last hole,” Xander Schauffele explained. “I can see how it all went down.”

Padraig Harrington was set to take a five-stroke lead into the final round of the 2000 Benson & Hedges International Open but was subsequently disqualified for failing to sign the card he’d submitted.

Harrington took full responsibility at the time, saying: “We know that the responsibility for the card lies solely with yourself. I’ve been doing it since I was 12 and this is the first time I’ve failed to sign.”

But had the rule been in place back then, he’d likely be a 16-time European Tour winner.

The rule change is set to come into effect immediately on all PGA Tour sanctioned circuits, as well as the DP World Tour.