Emilio Gonzalez, a Mexican pro playing in his home country’s PGA Tour event, was disqualified from the tournament after officials determined he committed a “serious misconduct” rules violation.
According to the PGA Tour, the 27-year-old pro committed the breach while playing the 15th hole at El Cardonal at Diamante during Friday’s second round of the World Wide Technology Championship.
Gonzalez had hit his tee shot into a desert area on the hole, hit a provisional ball, searched for the original, but failed to make “reasonable efforts” to identify a ball that was found under the rules-allotted three-minute search time and continued to play the provisional ball.
That was a no-no, according to Rule 18.3c (3), which states in its final paragraph:
“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 that ball.
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 contrary to the spirit of the game.”
Gonzalez, playing on a sponsor’s exemption, was interviewed by Universal Deportes after the round, but it appeared he was not asked about the disqualification. Notably, Gonzalez shot rounds of one-over 73 and one-under 71 and would have missed the cut by two shots.
This year, Gonzalez played 25 events on the Korn Ferry Tour, recording two top 10s, seven top 25s and 16 cuts made. He also played in one PGA Tour event, the Houston Open, where he shot rounds of 73, 68, 72 and 71 to tie for 74th.
Gonzalez is scheduled to play at the PGA Tour’s Q-School, set for next month at TPC Sawgrass’ Dye’s Valley Course and Sawgrass Country Club in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida. The top five and ties will earn a promotion to the Tour.