The Memorial Tournament is one of the most prestigious events on the PGA Tour calendar.
That’s not only because it’s played at one of the best golf courses in the world, Muirfield Village, or because of the $20 million Signature Event prize pool. This is Jack Nicklaus’ event, so it’s one everybody wants to win.
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But in 2022, Hideki Matsuyama had a nightmare at the Memorial, finding himself disqualified after what he did to one of his golf clubs.
Photo by Ben Jared/PGA TOUR via Getty Images
Hideki Matsuyama was disqualified after what he put on his three-wood
When Matsuyama teed off at Muirfield Village in 2022, it became immediately apparent that he had some mysterious markings on his three-wood.
Matsuyama had put a white paint-like substance on the face of the club, apparently to help with his alignment. But because foreign substances like these are banned under PGA Tour rules because of how they can affect the flight of the golf ball, Matsuyama was disqualified.
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He almost got away with it, too. He’d used the club once all day, on the very first tee, but if he’d have opted for another club, he’d have been allowed to continue playing.
But after finishing the front nine three-over par, Matsuyama was informed by a rules official that he was disqualified from the tournament at Jack’s place.
What the PGA Tour said about Hideki Matsuyama’s disqualification
PGA Tour Senior Tournament Director Steve Rintoul, spoke at length after the disqualification to explain the incident.
He said, “Unfortunately, our committee learned right after Hideki had teed off that he may be carrying a club that would be non-conforming.
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“There is a substance that has been applied to the face by a gentleman that works on Hideki’s clubs. Rule 4a(3) within the equipment rules speaks to applying a substance to the face could unduly affect the performance of a ball; the flight, the spin, all the performance of the ball.
“Those markings were placed there by his club guy to help with alignment. Assistance with alignment by placing a small Sharpie mark on the face or small Sharpie line on the face is certainly allowed.
“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.”
It was a truly baffling mistake for Matsuyama to make, and an embarrassing one in front of the 18-time major winner, Nicklaus.
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