Golfer self-reports rule violation after winning U.S. Open qualifier at Illini C.C.
Tommy Kuhl put together the best round in Illini Country Club history on Monday but his 9-under-par 62 won’t be in the record books.
Kuhl was disqualified from the U.S. Open qualifier after beating Jackson Buchanan by two strokes for repairing aeration marks on the greens - an act that he himself reported.
According to the United States Golf Association, Rule 13.1c(2) allows a golfer to fix damage to the putting surface for things such as marks and indentations left by balls, shoes, flagsticks and golf clubs. But the rule says aeration holes and natural surface imperfections are not eligible to be repaired.
In a story posted Monday on mondayq.com, Kuhl, the fifth-year senior on the University of Illinois men’s golf team from Morton discovered he had erroneously fixed aeration marks while talking to his Illini teammate Buchanan.
Mondayq.com wrote, “Buchanan mentioned how hard it had been putting on the aerated greens. ‘I felt sick to my stomach,’ Kuhl said. ‘I knew I wouldn’t be able to sleep if I didn’t tell the rules official.’”
Kuhl told the reporter from Mondayq.com and a rules official at Illini C.C. that he made numerous repairs throughout his round.
“I should know better. It comes down to me. I should know that rule,” Kuhl told Mondayq.com.
His disqualification meant Buchanan’s 7-under 64 was the winning score. Buchanan had seven birdies in his 18-hole round.
Buchanan, of Dacula, Georgia, was followed by Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida’s Lukas Guthrie and Derek Meinhart, of Mattoon, who both shot a 5-under 66. Bloomington’s Parker Wisdom and U of I golfer Adrian Dumont De Chassart, of Belgium, finished tied for fourth at 4-under 67.
The top-five golfers advance to the next round of the U.S. Open qualifying. There were supposed to be a pair of alternates. Wheaton’s Tee-K Kelly grabbed the first one with a 2-under 69 but the extraordinary circumstances with Kuhl’s disqualification meant the second alternate was never decided.
Chatham’s Jake Erickson, New Berlin’s Dain Richie and three other golfers all tied for seventh at 1-under but Erickson said over a text message to a reporter with The State Journal-Register that most of the golfers who carded a 70 thought they finished eighth and out of the alternate playoff. Kuhl’s DQ bumped every golfer up a spot in the standings.
It was the 44th consecutive U.S. Open qualifier hosted by Illini Country Club, the longest consecutive run with a tournament. The 123rd U.S. Open will run from June 15-18 at the Los Angeles Country Club.
This article originally appeared on State Journal-Register: Tommy Kuhl self-reports rules violation after winning U.S. Open qualifier
