Faldo disqualified as Kay wins Dunhill Masters
JAKARTA (JP): Unaware of breaking the local rules of golf cost the runaway leader Nick Faldo of England the Alfred Dunhill Masters title and disqualification from the championship at Bali Golf and Country Club yesterday.
It was a dramatic and unexpected finale to the tournament that the former world number one Faldo had dominated and looked certain to win, then having to surrender it to Canadian Jack Kay.
Taking the lead by six strokes with six holes to go yesterday, Faldo was informed of the error he committed on the second hole of Saturday's third round when he removed a stone from a greenside bunker.
The incident came to light when Australian Craig Parry, who had played in the same group as Faldo on Saturday, found himself in a bunker besides playing partner Michael Campbell of New Zealand on the seventh hole of the final round.
"I was about to bend down to pick up a stone that was behind my ball when Campbell told me I'd better not do that," said Parry. He said he had been in the same bunker as Faldo in the second hole in the third round and had seen the Englishman 'pull out a couple of things.'
"I hadn't thought twice about it (at the time)," said Parry, who added that he had no option but to call an official. "I asked him if you could move pebbles in a bunker. He said 'no'. I can't win. If I didn't do anything then I'm a cheat."
Trevor Herden, PGA Director of Australasian Operations, immediately went to the 12th hole where Faldo confirmed that he had removed a pebble from the bunker beside the second green. The official was left with no choice but to instantly disqualify Faldo for having signed an incorrect scorecard.
"I've broken the rules. It is a shame for me, the sponsors and the event," said Faldo. "It's the first time this has happened to me. It's a weird situation."
On the PGA European Tour, there is a local rule that permits players to remove stones in bunkers without penalty. On the other circuits in the world, including Australia, there is no such rule.
Struggle
Kay said it was not the way he wanted to win the tournament. "I'm thrilled to win, but not this way. When Nick made his birdies at the eighth and ninth I thought for sure I was playing for second place."
The final six holes were a struggle for Kay, whose last triumph came in the 1991 Singapore Open. He took a double-bogey five at the 13th after hitting his seven iron tee-shot through the green.
At the 15th he pulled his drive into a hazard and took a penalty drop. He struck a five-iron to 20 feet and holed a putt for what he described as an 'unbelievable par.'
He finished one shot clear of American Patrick Burke (70) with Singh, who closed with 67, in third place.
Colin Montgomerie hit a 66 to share fourth spot on 280 with Parry and Queenslander Terry Price.
Kay picked up a check for US$62,100. "Financially this helps a lot," said Kay whose wife is due to give birth in March.
Fiji's Vijay Singh who like Faldo arrived direct from the Volvo Masters in Spain, the last European Tour event of 1994, extended his sympathy.
"It's sad because Nick was so good this week. The officials should have made everyone aware of the rules under which the event was being played. This is not Europe but it's not Australia either, although the tournament is under Australian rules.
"I could easily have been in the same situation. When I heard what happened to Nick I just didn't want to play any more." (rsl)
Selected results 277 - Jack Kay (Can) 73-66-66-72 278 - Patrick Burke (USA) 68-70-70-70 279 - Vijay Singh (Fiji) 75-70-67-67 280 - Colin Montgomerie (GB) 68-75-71-66, Terry Price (Aus) 71- 73-68-68, Craig Parry (Aus) 70-67-71-72 281 - Nico van Rensburg (SAf) 69-73-70-69, Michael Campbell (NZe) 71-70-69-71, David Frost (SAf) 70-70-70-71 282 - Mike Cunning (USA) 67-74-71-70, Kim Jong-Duck (SKo) 74-69- 70-69 283 - Paul Devenport (NZe) 70-73-73-67, Jack O'Keefe (USA) 69-72-72-70 284 - Terry Gale (Aus) 67-76-75-66, Peter O'Malley (Aus) 73-69- 75-67, Tony Carolan (Aus) 70-74-71-69, David Podlich (Aus) 73-73-67-71, Ilyasak (Ina) 70-71-70-73 285 - Robert Willis (Aus) 73-69-72-71, Max Stevens (Aus) 70-72- 70-73, Michael Clayton (Aus) 71-71-71-72, Andre Stoltz (Aus) 69-73-66-77 286 - Matthew King (Aus) 71-74-73-68, Simon Owen (NZe) 70-74-71- 71, Hsieh Yu-Shu (Tai) 72-72-71-71, Glenn Joyner (Aus) 70- 73-71-72, 287 - Shane Tait (Aus) 69-73-74-71, Russell Swanson (Aus) 68-74- 72-73 Disqualified: Nick Faldo (GB)