This Morton golfer won a U.S. Open qualifier. Then he disqualified himself.
PEORIA — Tommy Kuhl shot a career-best 62 for a course record and victory Monday at the 2023 U.S. Open qualifier, going 9-under at the par-71 Illini Country Club in Springfield.
And then he didn't.
The Morton native and fifth-year University of Illinois star disqualified himself after he discovered he'd unintentionally violated a rule.
"I felt sick to my stomach," Kuhl told Mondayq.com. "I knew I wouldn't be able to sleep if I didn't tell the rules official."
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Kuhl was walking with Illini teammates on the course, following another one of their teammates, when talk turned to how difficult putting was on the aerated greens at Springfield.
When Kuhl heard that, he knew he was likely disqualified. He had repaired aeration marks on the greens multiple times during his winning round.
The rules for fixing spike marks have been modified, but not the rules for fixing aeration marks.
Under Rules of Golf, Rule 13.1c(2), golfers are allowed to fix "damage on the putting green" but that does not include "Normal practices for maintaining the overall condition of the putting green (such as aeration holes and grooves from vertical mowing)."
Rule 13.1c(2) was amended to allow repair of "almost any damage on the green." Any damage includes ball-marks, shoe damage (spike marks), indentations from a club or flagstick, animal damage, etc. But it does not include aeration marks, nor did it include natural surface imperfections or natural wear of the hole.
There are some occasions where a local rule is in place to allow the fixing of aeration marks, but that was not the case Monday at Illini CC.
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Kuhl turned himself in, and officials did indeed disqualify him.
"I should know better," Kuhl told Mondayq.com. "It comes down to me. I should know that rule."
He wasn't alone. "I guess I have to disqualify myself, too," an unidentified pro player, who did not qualify at Springfield, told Mondayq.com.
Kuhl, who finished third at the Big Ten championships and last week was chosen to the USA team for the Arnold Palmer Cup, will move on to the NCAA regionals next.
"He's always been a stand-up guy," said Nick Hardy, a PGA Tour member and former Illinois teammate of Kuhl.
Dave Eminian is the Journal Star sports columnist, and covers Bradley men's basketball, the Rivermen and Chiefs. He writes the Cleve In The Eve sports column for pjstar.com. He can be reached at 686-3206 or deminian@pjstar.com. Follow him on Twitter @icetimecleve.
This article originally appeared on Journal Star: Morton native Tommy Kuhl disqualified himself after U.S. Open qualifier win
