Pro Disqualified On 1st Hole At DP World Tour Q-School

Blake Abercrombie’s quest to earn a DP World Tour card lasted all of one hole before he was disqualified for using a rangefinder.

According to Monday Q Info, the American flew thousands of miles from the US to Denmark to play the first stage of the DP World Tour Q-School at Lyngbygaard Golf in Braband, Denmark, paying the €2,000 entry fee. He used a rangefinder on the first hole, but with the technology not permitted, he was thrown out of the tournament.

Estimating the cost of Abercrombie’s ill-fated trip and entry at $5,000, Monday Q Info had some sympathy for Abercrombie, but that wasn’t shared by fellow American Nico Paez. The 33-year-old pro, who is also competing at the Lyngbygaard Golf Q-School, replied on Twitter: “And there was literally a sheet on the tee saying no distance measuring devices and the starter reminded us. No excuse.”

When another user questioned his take, Paez doubled down on his criticism, adding: “It happened less than 10 minutes after you were instructed the rules. It’s your job to follow the rules.”

The DP World Tour Qualifying School returned for the first time in three years in 2022. The event in Braband, Denmark, was the seventh of nine first stage qualifiers, with events in Cheshire, England, and Hardelot, France early next month wrapping up the opening stage.

The  second stage will run from November 3-6 over four courses in Spain before the competition culminates at Infinitum in Tarragona, Spain, from November 11-16, where 156 players will compete over six rounds, all hoping to win a 2023 DP World Tour card.