Englishman Frank Kennedy was disqualified from the final stage of the DP World Tour’s Q-School after “causing deliberate damage to the course” – an act he denies.
The 21-year-old from Manchester was tied for 28th after 72 holes of a 108-hole event at which the top 15 and ties earn a DP World Tour card.
He was removed for what organisers called “serious misconduct”.
Kennedy issued a statement on Instagram which read: “I did not intentionally or deliberately damage the putting surface, and any comments saying otherwise are wholly incorrect.
“On the 11th green I missed a birdie putt and tapped in. In frustration, as I was walking off the green, I swung my putter and it accidentally caught the surface.
“My playing partner and I repaired it straight away, and we were both satisfied it was properly fixed before we moved on. I should have called a referee to check the repair, and I’ve learned from that.
“I have always respected and followed the rules of golf. If accidental contact like this, repaired at once, is a disqualification offence, I will respect that.
“But it isn’t clear to me that it is, and many senior players I’ve spoken to this evening were surprised by the decision.
“So, I have asked the DP World Tour for clarification and a review, and I will respect the outcome of that review. While that happens, I won’t be commenting further.”
Kennedy, currently ranked 777th in the world, won an event on the HotelPlanner Tour, the tier below the DP World Tour, as an 18-year-old in 2024, triumphing at the Euram Bank Open in Austria.