Emilio Gonzalez, a Mexican golf pro, was disqualified from the PGA Tour’s World Wide Technology Championship after a “serious misconduct” violation.
Gonzalez was participating in the second round of his country’s biggest tournament when he hit his tee shot on the 15th hole into a desert area on the golf course.
The 27-year-old proceeded to hit a provisional second shot off the tee because his initial tee shot was lost. However, when looking for that second ball, Gonzalez appeared to find one in the rough.
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Emilio Gonzalez of Mexico lines up a putt on the first hole during the first round of the World Wide Technology Championship 2024 at El Cardonal at Diamante on November 7, 2024, in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. (Hector Vivas/Getty Images)
But the tournament’s officials determined that he had “failed to make reasonable efforts to identify the ball,” as he believed it to be his first tee shot.
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“If the provisional ball has not become the ball in play and a ball is found that might be the original ball, the player must make all reasonable efforts to identify the ball,” the PGA Tour rules state.
“If the player fails to do so, the Committee may disqualify the player under Rule 1.2a if it decides that this was serious misconduct to the spirit of the game.”
Emilio Gonzalez of Mexico plays his shot from the second tee during the second round of the World Wide Technology Championship 2024 at El Cardonal at Diamante on November 8, 2024, in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. (Orlando Ramirez/Getty Images)
After deliberation, it was determined that Gonzalez had broken the rule, and he was cast out of the tournament in his home country.
While this is a big blow for Gonzalez, won’t be docked any earnings, and he will be allowed to participate in PGA Tour Q School next month.
Emilio Gonzalez of Mexico is seen on the 18th hole during the second round of the Korn Ferry Tour Championship presented by United Leasing & Finance at French Lick Golf Resort on October 4, 2024, in French Lick, Indiana. (Jennifer Perez/PGA Tour)
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Gonzalez, like many of the golfers in the field next month, is hoping to finish top-five in Q School as it would earn a promotion to the PGA Tour.
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