Kokrak’s DQ was a bizarre ending
CROMWELL — It was a bizarre ending to Jason Kokrak's second round and the conclusion of his Travelers Championship appearance late Friday.
Kokrak hit his tee shot on the ninth hole at TPC River Highlands — his final one of the day — into the fairway bunker. His next shot hit the bridge the players cross over to get on the other side of the fence and into the road, according to playing partner William McGirt.
PGA Tour Communications tweeted Friday night: “Jason Kokrak was disqualified from the Travelers Championship after failing to record a score on his final hole (No. 9) in the second round and subsequently failing to return a scorecard.”
Reports suggested there was speculation that since Kokrak was going to miss the cut anyway, he just walked off the course. Other reports indicated that Kokrak is expected to join the LIV Golf Invitational Series since he already is an international ambassador for Golf Saudi, joining in 2021.
According to reports, Kokrak was 43 yards from the hole when his final shot was measured by ShotLink at 87 yards.
Jason Sobel of ActionNetworkHQ tweeted Friday that he had texted with McGirt, who played with Kokrak the first two rounds. They didn't realize the ball had gone out of bounds.
McGirt further clarified what happened after his third round Saturday. He said Kokrak hit driver into the face of the left bunker and that the ball was on such an upslope that “he wasn't thinking about catching a flier.” But that's exactly what happened.
It hit the bridge and went over. McGirt said he and Jim Herman, the third member of the group, didn't see any white stakes from their vantage point in front of the green. Kokrak would have had to go back to that spot in the bunker to hit his fourth shot.
“By this point the group behind us is walking up the fairway,” McGirt said. “He's going to miss the cut anyway. He was like, ‘I'm not walking back and holding them up.' He came in here with us and signed cards (at the scoring area) .... He didn't storm off the golf course.”
McGirt said he was keeping Kokrak's scores. He said he stayed in the scoring areas to sort everything out.
“I've always been one if you're going to start, finish,” McGirt said. “In that situation, I kind of get it. The fact he would have had to walk back and hold everybody up, I get it.”
According to a PGA Tour official, “it certainly was unusual.”
Kokrak, 37, is currently 33rd in the world golf rankings and 36th in the FedExCup standings.