Golf
Millionaire LIV Golf rebel almost disqualified due to little-known rule
Pro golfer Scott Vincent was almost disqualified from the International Series Morocco after misplacing his golf clubs.
Or rather, airport officials misplaced the LIV Golf rebel’s belongings on his way to Casablanca, including his usual set of sticks. And that left him scrambling to make his first-round tee time after a futile trip back to the airport saw him come away empty-handed.
The Zimbabwean – who has pocketed just shy of £6million in the Saudi-backed LIV Golf League – was nearly disqualified from the event for his tardiness. Vincent, 32, almost violated the Rules of Golf by arriving more than five minutes late for his tee time but managed to make it with 30 seconds to spare.
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Vincent still received a two-stroke penalty after cutting it so fine but managed to score an impressive five-under-par 68 on Thursday nonetheless. He remained competitive despite using a makeshift set made up of clubs borrowed from colleagues and the local club pro at Royal Golf Dar Es Salam.
The unlucky talent – whose younger brother, Kieran, also competes in LIV Golf – expressed gratitude to his fellow players for their assistance in ensuring he could participate. And he managed to relocate his clubs in time for the second round, where he carded an inferior 71.
“Lucky enough, we have some really cool people out here on the Asian Tour it is a friendly tour,” he said, according to Golf Digest (via the Daily Express). “A lot of people had clubs, bits and pieces, but obviously it is hard to makeup a full set when you do not have anything, so we have a bit of a mixed bag here!
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“I have talked a lot to myself about adapting, no matter what, whatever the situation might be. And so just being able to go out there with none of my stuff, even golf shoes, I am taking in the moment, and we will just take it as it comes.”
The Denver resident seemed satisfied just to still be in contention in Casablanca given the threat of disqualification was looming. And he’s making the most of his opportunity after accumulating a score of seven-under after two rounds.
That’s put Vincent within two shots of leader John Catlin in Morocco, though he’ll need to increase the pace even more given his penalty. And he may consider asking his generous benefactors for advice on where they got their clubs.
Younger sibling Kieran hasn’t had quite the same luck with unfamiliar equipment but still managed to finish one-under-par in each of the first two rounds. His LIV team-mate, Caleb Surratt, lent him his irons for the weekend, while Taichi Kho provided a driver and Ian Snyman bequeathed him a wedge.