Jason Millard, a 24-year-old golfer from Murfreesboro, Tennessee eliminated himself from the chance of a lifetime.
Just days after qualifying for the U.S. Open at a sectional qualifier in Memphis with back-to-back rounds of 68 on June 2nd, the aspiring professional golfer called it quits on Saturday, not even two hours into an eight hour drive to Pinehurst.
On the 9th hole of the 2nd round in Memphis, Millard played a bunker shot, a shot requiring players not to ground their club at any time upon entering the bunker.
He thinks his sand wedge may have touched the sand when addressing the ball for his approach shot.
“It just felt like I might have touched something. I remember thinking I might have seen an indentation in the sand behind the ball before I hit it,” Millard said, according to The Tennessean.
This infraction carries a two-stroke penalty, but it remains a self-officiated call, especially in a low profile sectional qualifier with little spectators and on-course officials. He elected not to call himself for the penalty and signed a scorecard for 68, qualifying him for the U.S. Open…by 1 stroke.
As Millard and his caddie packed up for the long drive to North Carolina, he only made it 90 miles before pulling over and calling the USGA, notifying them of his decision to withdraw.
“It didn’t feel right in my heart,” he said.
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