Former world No.8 Rory Sabbatini has been disqualified from the PGA Tour event in Georgia after accidentally failing to take reflective stickers off the face of his fairway wood.
The bizarre disqualification came after the former US Masters runner-up had shot an opening round of 4-under par 68 at The RSM Classic.
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“There are stickers, reflective stickers. [They are] tiny,” said John Munch from the PGA Tour.
“The players use them to track club head speed when they practice and he just didn’t take them off.”
Sabbatini reported the problem to rules officials after the round, who found he’d violated rule 4.1, which relates to having a “non-conforming external attachment” on the club.
Sabbatini won the silver medal at this year’s Tokyo Olympics.
Cameron Smith is the best placed Australia after a round of 66, leaving him in a tie for 21st at 6-under.
Other Aussies in the field include Adam Scott (T83rd, 3-under), Matt Jones and Jason Day (both T106th, 2-under), Brett Drewitt (T136th, even) and Cam Davis (T142nd, 1-over).
Colombia’s Sebastian Munoz has a one-shot lead at 10-under.
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