2 golfers sneak into PGA Tour event after clerical error allows them to skip ​prequalification​



Two golfers will play in a PGA Tour event after they were accidentally allowed to compete in a prequalifying round for the tournament.

The PGA Tour made a wild error that may actually result in more viewership for the inaugural Black Desert Championship this weekend.

Typically, tour events have qualification rounds known as a Monday qualifier tournament. During this round, players who are not already qualified for the event compete in a one-round competition for a limited number of spots. However, even that has a qualifying portion.

If a golfer is a member of the PGA, PGA Tour Champions (tour for age 50+), or the Korn Ferry Tour (developmental tour), they are exempt from the Monday qualifying event. Players who are not exempt must play in a prequalifying event to earn a spot in the Monday qualifier.

It's a complicated process, but there has seemingly never been an issue with it, until now.

'It was a clerical error by our tournament director.'

How did it happen?

Outlet Monday Q uncovered that four players, who were not exempt, were able to skip the prequalifying event and successfully enroll in the Monday qualifier for the Black Desert Championship. Golfers R.J. Manke, Chris Korte, John Sands, and Riley Lewis were all accidentally listed in the Monday qualifier field.

"It was a clerical error by our tournament director," the Utah PGA told the outlet. "It is our first PGA Tour Monday, and he just made an error. He has done hundreds of tournaments without an issue. He just missed this one."

Some players were outraged when they found out the other golfers were able to skip a total of three prequalifiers for the upcoming tournament, and at least one contacted the tour.

Korte, who skipped the prequalifying rounds, also called the tour to confirm his exemption was accurate. He told Monday Q that even though he signed up for the prequalifying rounds, he was reimbursed for those, remained exempt, and was in the Monday qualifier.

This mass of confusion left the PGA Tour in a tough spot, but after discussions with its legal team, the organization eventually decided to refund the entry fee for the four players and remove them from the Monday qualifier. Three players took it on the chin, while the fourth allegedly called the PGA Tour and asked to be reimbursed for his travel expenses.

As a result, the PGA then reversed course and decided to let the golfers play on in the qualifier.

According to Korte, the phone calls he received about being booted from the qualifier and being put back in came within 30 minutes of each other.

How did they do?

The Monday qualifier went ahead as scheduled with the four asterisked golfers. Amazingly, Korte and Sand both shot 64s and finished at -8, earning spots in the Black Desert Championship. According to Golf.com, two other golfers who qualified in the traditional sense also moved on to the big tournament.

Not only will all eyes be on the two luck-stricken golfers when the tournament starts on Thursday, but there is now an embedded rivalry between the pair of traditional qualifiers and the accidental qualifiers.

Korte is scheduled to tee off at 11:19 a.m. ET on Thursday, while Sand's tee time is 11:35 a.m. ET.

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World's No. 1 golfer Scottie Scheffler roasts clueless reporter: 'So there's the club'



The top-ranked golfer in the world poked fun at a reporter who asked an odd question about why he had a poor stroke.

In the final round of the Tour Championship, No. 1 Scottie Scheffler shot a 67 to win the tournament by four strokes at -30.

However, on the Par 4 eighth hole, Scheffler hit his tee shot into a greenside bunker. Then, with the flag in frame, the replay showed that Scheffler shanked his shot from the bunker way off to his right.

"No one is immune to the shank. Not even Scottie Scheffler," the PGA Tour wrote above the video on X.

'It's a tremendous amount of pressure, and he handled it super well.'

Even though Scheffler won the tournament, ESPN's Mark Schlabach felt the need to focus on the rare mistake in the post-round press conference.

"What happened on that shot out of the bunker?" the reporter asked.

"I shanked it," Scheffler said plainly.

"Why did you shank it?" Schlabach pressed on.

Scheffler then hilariously gave the reporter a breakdown of golf-club physics.

"So there's the club, there's this straight part of the face, and then over here is the hosel, and on that one specifically, I caught too much of that part of the face. That's why it went to the right. It's shaped kind of ... a little curve," Scheffler explained, as laughter erupted around the room.

"And then ..." Scheffler continued, with the reporter desperately trying to interject. "If I hit the straight part it's going to go that way ... and then if I hit this part it's going to come towards you."

"I know the season, thank you," the reporter replied as Scheffler laughed at him.

It was later revealed that when Scheffler shanked the shot, his caddie reminded him who he was in order to reinstill confidence in the golfer.

"Just remember who you are," caddie Ted Scott said. "You're Scottie Scheffler."

Scott explained that the amount of pressure on Scheffler's shoulders was massive and that he just needed to keep the champion's head in the game.

"It's like eight months, knowing you're going to have a lead here," the caddie continued, per the PGA Tour. "It's a tremendous amount of pressure, and he handled it super well."

Scheffler went on to say that he's proud of his results, but winning tournaments is something he tries not to focus on.

"Maybe the last couple years I've put too much pressure on myself to perform," Scheffler revealed. "But this year I did a good job of just staying in it mentally and keeping my head down."

The champion still called winning a "great feeling" and said it felt "really special" to take home the FedEx Cup Championship, awarded to the tour's overall winner.

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Announcer accuses Tiger Woods of being on 'a lot of painkillers' during tournament: 'Look at the eyes'



A broadcaster accused golf legend Tiger Woods of being on "a lot" of painkillers at a recent tournament, sparking controversy and backlash from fans.

It was the first round of the Open Championship in Scotland at the Royal Troon Golf Club when a Sky Sports broadcaster made some accusatory comments about the golfer.

During the broadcast, Mark Roe said that something looked off about Woods, a three-time tournament champion:

"You look at the eyes ... you gotta think there's a lot of painkillers being taken to cope with the pain, you know?" Roe asked.

'There are just things that need not be said.'

As Men's Journal reported, Woods indeed has a history with painkillers since undergoing multiple back and knee surgeries. The outlet noted Woods' 2017 arrest for a DUI, during which he was found to have painkillers hydrocodone and hydromorphone in his system. He later went to rehab for addiction to prescription painkillers.

After the insensitive commentary by the U.K. announcer, fans quickly posted video from the broadcast calling the remarks unnecessary.

"A little bit odd for Mark Roe to just come out and say that. Not all the silences have to be filled," said one golf account who posted the footage.

"An absolute crazy thing to say on air," another page, focusing on golf stats, said.

An absolute crazy thing to say on air.
— NUCLR GOLF STATS (@NUCLRGOLFSTATS) July 18, 2024

"I'm not a big fan of Tiger, but even if it's true, there are just things that need not be said," another fan chimed in.

Roe is a former professional golfer, now broadcaster for Sky Sports. He appeared in the very same tournament 12 times beginning in the 1980s, according to Sporting News. He is most known for a scorecard issue at the Open Championship in 2003 when he and his playing partner forgot to exchange scorecards and therefore both signed the wrong card.

The pair were disqualified from the tournament for their error despite Roe being just two strokes behind the leader.

As for Woods, his previous arrest stemmed from what was called an "unexpected reaction" to prescription medications, and he admitted that he should have consulted with his medical team before taking them.

His DUI charge was later dropped, and Woods pleaded guilty to a reckless driving charge from the same incident.

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World No. 1 golfer Scottie Scheffler charged with felony assault outside PGA Championship course entrance



The PGA Tour's top golfer and reigning champion of the Masters was arrested and charged outside the course entrance to the PGA Championship. The charges included felony assault of a police officer.

Scottie Scheffler, the number one-ranked golfer in the world, was arrested in a bizarre incident after refusing to stop at the scene of an accident near the entrance of the Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville, Kentucky.

An ESPN reporter named Jeff Darlington witnessed the incident and said that Scheffler was detained after a "misunderstanding with traffic flow led to his attempt to drive past a police officer into Valhalla Golf Club."

The traffic outside the golf course was stopped because a man was hit and killed by a shuttle bus at around 5 a.m. ET. The PGA Tour announced it would be delaying tee times due to "an accident near the course."

'Right now, he's going to jail, and there's nothing you can do about it.'

According to Darlington, Scheffler was trying to drive around the crash scene on the median, and when a police officer told him to stop, he continued to drive for another 10-20 yards toward the Valhalla Golf Club entrance.

A cop attached himself to the side of Scheffler's car, an ESPN report described, and the officer then yelled at the golfer.

"The police officer then began to scream at Scheffler to get out of the car. When Scheffler exited the vehicle, the officer shoved Scheffler against the car and immediately placed him in handcuffs. He is now being detained in the back of a police car," Darlington wrote on X.

Here is video that I took of Scheffler being arrested: https://t.co/8UPZKvPCCf pic.twitter.com/9Tbp2tyrJh
— Jeff Darlington (@JeffDarlington) May 17, 2024

Scheffler, who won the Masters just a month ago, reportedly asked Darlington, "Can you help?" as he was being detained. The officer instructed Darlington to back away.

"You need to get out of the way," the officer told the sports reporter. "Right now, he's going to jail, and there's nothing you can do about it."

Scheffler was charged with felony assault of a police officer, criminal mischief, reckless driving, and disregarding signals from officers directing traffic, according to local outlet WDRB citing court records.

Shortly after 9 a.m. ET, Scheffler was recorded entering the golf course after his release and was scheduled to tee off at 10:08 a.m.

🚨#WATCH: Scottie Scheffler has arrived at Valhalla Golf Club following his release from jail pic.twitter.com/2SP3gd6T4N
— NUCLR GOLF (@NUCLRGOLF) May 17, 2024

Scheffler was released and was ordered not to have any contact with the alleged victim, assumed to be the police officer, or any complaining witness.

His court date is scheduled for May 21, 2024, at the Jefferson District Court.

A spokesperson for the Louisville Metro Police Department told outlets that the deceased man was attempting to cross the road early in the morning when he has hit by a bus in the bus lane. The man reportedly died at the scene.

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'You're going to live with how that works out': PGA Tour partners with Katt Williams, signaling seismic cultural shift



Iconic comedian Katt Williams appeared in a series of official videos for the PGA Tour, serving up both jokes and life lessons.

Williams has made an immeasurable cultural impact in 2024, mostly due to an interview with former NFL player Shannon Sharpe where the comedian shocked audiences with his claims about different celebrities and fellow stand-up comics.

The interview has nearly 70 million views on YouTube alone, with Sharpe revealing that he made more money off the video than the entirety of his NFL career.

With a May 2024 Netflix special, Williams has continued to impact the free speech movement through his successes. The "legend of comedy" partnered with the PGA Tour for several videos that likely wouldn't have been acceptable in the mainstream just a year ago.

Williams explained at TPC at Sawgrass in Florida how golf teaches life lessons:

"All of the things that I like about life in general are on the golf course," Williams told the PGA Tour. "Golf requires you to experience all those beautiful things, but then every shot requires you to block all of that out and just focus on the task at hand," he prophesized.

"You don't have the opportunity of doing it again. You're going to do it once, and you're going to live with how that works out."

"If you can get that on the golf course, you can translate that everywhere. You could have three magnificent shots in a row, that has no bearing on your ability to three-putt, you can't afford to be high or low. You have to stay focused, and that translates all the time," Williams continued.

"A lot of people won't put it in the water, but you know who will? I will."


A legend of comedy takes on the iconic @TPCSawgrass.\n\nKatt Williams explains the game of golf like pure poetry.
— (@)

"Golf is this thing where ... 18 times they set you up with a challenge and they put obstacles and hazards in the way and you have to try to navigate your way safely and try to do as much as you can. But you learn that if you do more than you can, you can't do that," the comedian added.

After his wise remarks, Williams was then seen in subsequent videos making impressive golf shots, and even purposely hitting shots into the water.

"A lot of people won't put it in the water, but you know who will? I will," he joked.

During his record-breaking interview, Williams made several statements that appeared to be proven true once they made their rounds online.

He accused comedian Cedric the Entertainer of directly stealing one of his most-famous comedy routines and also called out lesser-known comedian Rickey Smiley for claiming he was the first choice for a role Williams played in Ice Cube's 2002 movie "Friday After Next."

An addition to the more provable claims, Williams also claimed that rapper and entrepreneur Diddy wanted to have sex with him on multiple occasions. Less than three months later, Diddy's properties were raided during investigations from a federal sex trafficking probe.

Williams also made claims about comedian and actor Kevin Hart being an industry "plant" and said Hart was the backup plan for movies that he declined.

"For a five-year period, every single movie that Kevin Hart did was a movie that had been on my desk," he said. Hart replied to the remarks the next day, indirectly telling Williams, "Gotta get that anger up outcha champ. ... It’s honestly sad."

Williams also described an offer that he and rapper/actor Ludacris allegedly received from the "illuminati" to get $200 million to do 20 movies, implying Ludacris accepted the offer to do the "Fast and the Furious" movies.

"It was so laughable — what he said — to me, I couldn’t believe what he was saying," Ludacris told radio hosts from "The Breakfast Club."

"I took it as laughable because he’s a comedian, and that’s why I kind of responded with some laughable stuff."

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Professional PGA golfer tackled by security while trying to celebrate Nick Taylor's Canadian Open-winning, 72-foot putt



Pro-golfer Nick Taylor won the RBC Canadian Open over the weekend, marking the first time since 1954 that a Canadian pulled off the feat.

Among his countrymen who rushed to congratulate him on the green was fellow golfer Adam Hadwin, who was hampered in doing so by a security guard with skills better tailored to another sport.

The win

Taylor, a 35-year-old three-time PGA Tour winner from Winnipeg, closed Sunday at the Oakdale Golf and Country Club in Toronto with a six-under round to finish on 17-under, joining English golfer Tommy Fleetwood at the top of the leaderboard.

The two traded birdies in a four-hole playoff amid miserable conditions and sporadic renditions of the Canadian anthem from the galleries.

On the par-five 18th, Fleetwood set himself up for a 12-foot birdie opportunity, reported SBNation.

Taylor, meanwhile, had set up an unlikely 72-foot eagle putt with a 221-yard second shot from a divot in the fairway — an unlikely eagle that was to become the longest-made putt of his PGA Tour career.

\u201cARE YOU SERIOUS?! \ud83d\udca5\n\n@ntaylorgolf59 drains a 72-footer for the win! @RBCCanadianOpen\u201d
— Golf on CBS \u26f3 (@Golf on CBS \u26f3) 1686526617

The audience erupted with excitement as the putt connected and secured for Taylor the $1.62 million prize.

The hit

Taylor embraced caddie Dave Markle while pro-golfers Mike Weir and Corey Conners made their way over unmolested.

Hadwin, on the other hand, rushed out to congratulate Taylor with a frothing bottle of champagne but was stopped in his tracks by a security guard who had mistaken him for a member of the crowd.

The ensuing tackle, which served to incorporate elements of a more kinetic sport into the day, was caught on video:

\u201cWhat happens when you chirp @jessicahadwin on Twitter...\n\n(Sorry @ahadwingolf)\u201d
— RBC Canadian Open (@RBC Canadian Open) 1686539846

Markle and others quickly intervened, clarifying that Hadwin was undeserving of lost yardage and helping the champagne-bearer to his feet.

CNN reported that Hadwin was later seen arm-in-arm with the security guard, whom tournament director Bryan Crawford indicated was just doing his job and "acting in the moment amidst a flurry of excitement and celebration on the green following one of the most iconic moments in Canadian sport."

Taylor told reporters, "Corner of my eye I saw he got a nice tackle there. ... I hope he's all right. He was upright when I saw him later, so I hope he doesn't wake up tomorrow morning with any broken ribs or anything."

Hadwin, who appears to have maintained his hold on the champagne bottle whilst falling backward, circulated an image of the hit with the caption, "Put it in the Louvre!"

\u201cPut it in the Louvre!\u201d
— adam hadwin (@adam hadwin) 1686544468

Hadwin's wife noted on Twitter that "in true Canadian form," he had apologized to the security guard for being tackled.

Taylor's tackled peer later honed in on the hit that ultimately mattered, tweeting, "Words cannot describe the magnitude of what you just accomplished. So proud of you, @ntaylorgolf59!"

The gratitude

Taylor, who remained vertical throughout the competition — long enough to jump 15 places to 44th in the world rankings — said with tears in his eyes, "I’m speechless. This is for all the guys that are here. This is for my family at home. ... This is the most incredible feeling."

The champion added, "I think it’s a tournament that we’ve circled on our calendar since probably junior golf. Ever since I’ve been on the PGA Tour this is one that we want to do as well as we can in, and the crowd support was the most unbelievable thing I will probably ever experience in my life."

The last player from Canada to win the Canadian Open was Pat Fletcher in 1954; however, the only previous Canadian-born champion was Karl Keffer from Tottenham, Ontario, who won in both 1909 and 1914.

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Golf star, who earned 9-figure deal to join Saudi-backed LIV Golf, says 9/11 families should forgive Saudi Arabia



Golf star Bryson DeChambeau suggested this week that the families of 9/11 victims should forgive Saudi Arabia.

What is the background?

After the PGA Tour and LIV Golf announced a merger, an organization representing the families of 9/11 victims — 9/11 Families United — blasted the PGA and tour commissioner Jay Monahan.

"[T]he PGA and Monahan appear to have become just more paid Saudi shills, taking billions of dollars to cleanse the Saudi reputation so that Americans and the world will forget how the Kingdom spent their billions of dollars before 9/11 to fund terrorism, spread their vitriolic hatred of Americans, and finance al Qaeda and the murder of our loved ones," said organization chairwoman Terry Strada.

"PGA Tour leaders should be ashamed of their hypocrisy and greed," she added. "Our entire 9/11 community has been betrayed by Commissioner Monahan and the PGA as it appears their concern for our loved ones was merely window-dressing in their quest for money — it was never to honor the great game of golf."

The merger is controversial for several reasons, politically and otherwise.

But the 9/11 families are upset because LIV Golf is backed by the Saudi Public Investment Fund, the sovereign wealth fund of Saudi Arabia. The fund is controlled by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

What did DeChambeau say?

Speaking on CNN, DeChambeau expressed sympathy for the 9/11 families — but suggested now is the time for them to forgive.
"I think we'll never be able to repay the families back for what exactly happened just over 20 years ago. And what happened is definitely horrible," he said. "And I think as time has gone on, 20 years has passed, and we're in a place now, where it's time to start trying to work together to make things better together as a whole.
"I have deep sympathy. I don't know exactly what they are feeling. I can't ever know what they feel," he continued.
"I think as we move forward from that, we've got to look toward the pathway to peace, especially in forgiveness, especially if we're trying to mend the world and make it a better place," he went on to say. "I think this is what they're trying to accomplish, LIV is trying to accomplish, the [Saudi Public Investment Fund] is trying to accomplish. We're all trying to accomplish is a better world for everybody."
\u201cBryson DeChambeau, an early recruit to the Saudi-backed LIV tour, on the PGA merger shocker and criticism from the families of 9/11 victims:\u201d
— Kaitlan Collins (@Kaitlan Collins) 1686105182
CNN anchor Kaitlan Collins pushed back, noting Saudi Arabia's history of human rights abuses and the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. But DeChambeau defended Saudi Arabia.
"[W]hat I can say is that what they're trying to do, what they're trying to work on, is to be better allies because we are allies with them," he said.

"Look, I'm not going to get into politics of it. I'm not specialized in that," he added. "But what I can say is they are trying to do good for the world and showcase themselves in a light that hasn't been seen in a while. And nobody's perfect. But we're all trying to improve in life."
DeChambeau reportedly received more than $125 million to join LIV Golf last year.
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Fox News reporter exposes the White House's dishonesty when confronted about PGA-LIV Golf merger



Fox News reporter Jacqui Heinrich proved Wednesday how the White House's response to the PGA-LIV Golf merger is wholly inconsistent with previous stances.

What is the WH saying?

Press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre fielded questions about the merger from four different reporters on Wednesday. Each time, she refused to address the merger or provide Biden's response to it.

"We've been very clear, when it comes to mergers, when it comes to a private entity, we do not comment," she said.

Later in the briefing, Heinrich pressed Jean-Pierre on her assertion. First, Heinrich pointed to a Wall Street Journal article that suggested the merger is about Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman "thumbing his nose" at Biden.

"Doesn’t that risk making the president look weak if there’s no comment?" Heinrich asked.

Jean-Pierre denied that Biden looks weak by refusing to comment publicly about the merger, arguing the White House is simply being consistent in not commenting on "a private merger — a company's merger, a private entity." She then abruptly moved on and ignored Heinrich's follow-up questions when the reporter continued to press the issue.

06/07/23: Press Briefing by Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre www.youtube.com

What did Heinrich later explain?

Responding to the exchange on "Special Report," Heinrich explained how Jean-Pierre's position is not consistent.

In fact, the White House is happy to comment on developments in private business when it suits its political motives. But in this instance, it appears the White House is refusing to broach the merger because of larger political implications involving Saudi Arabia.

"It's difficult to understand the administration's justification because they have commented on private entity, big business moves before, like with Elon Musk's purchase of Twitter and also JPMorgan's purchase of First Republic Bank," Heinrich explained.

Just last month, in fact, Jean-Pierre commented on and defended the JPMorgan Chase's acquisition of First Republic Bank. Meanwhile, the White House routinely answered questions about Musk's acquisition of Twitter and the implications thereof.

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