Ponte Vedra Beach, FL (Sportsbooks) - The PGA Tour has suspended the rule that led to Jim Furyk's disqualification from The Barclays last week. Furyk was kept from the first playoffs event in New Jersey because he overslept Wednesday and missed his tee time for the tournament's pro-am. The rule -- controversial and unpopular among players -- will be suspended for the remainder of the 2010 season. If a player is late for his pro-am time, it "will be handled as a matter of unbecoming conduct," the tour said in a release. "Such player will be required to participate in the remainder of the pro-am round and may be required to perform additional sponsor activity," the release said. "A player who misses his pro-am obligation in its entirety will still be ruled ineligible for the tournament unless he has been excused in accordance with the provisions of the regulations." The rule that disqualified Furyk says that any player missing a pro-am time, except for injury or family emergency, is ineligible to play in that week's event. Tour commissioner Tim Finchem has asked for a review of the current rules governing pro-ams with the aim of ensuring players honor their obligations without placing them at risk of disqualification. The tour said the matter will be discussed at the policy board meeting in November. Tour player Joe Ogilvie, who was on the policy board when the pro-am rule was created, said on his Twitter feed last week that the regulation was "a mistake." Ogilvie said punishment for missing a pro-am should be a day spent with sponsors on the player's dime, not disqualification. |
