Latest news with #BenCrane
Newsweek
24-04-2025
- Sport
- Newsweek
Why a 5-Time PGA Tour Winner Disqualified Himself After Bizarre Sequence
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Garrick Higgo and Joel Dahmen grabbed most of the headlines at the 2025 Corales Puntacana Championship, the former for his spectacular victory and the latter for his incredible loss of the title by bogeying the final three holes. But there was also a story that may have gone unnoticed, and that was Ben Crane disqualifying himself after realizing he had violated the rules of golf. Such behavior is not entirely uncommon in golf at all levels, as it is a sport that promotes sportsmanship by having the players be their own referees. However, it is always refreshing to see the pros lead by example. Ben Crane of the United States plays his shot from the 14th tee during the second round of the Puerto Rico Open 2025 at Grand Reserve Golf Club on March 07, 2025 in Rio Grande,... Ben Crane of the United States plays his shot from the 14th tee during the second round of the Puerto Rico Open 2025 at Grand Reserve Golf Club on March 07, 2025 in Rio Grande, Puerto Rico. MoreThe infraction occurred on the 8th hole of the second round. Crane's tee shot went wide, or so he thought, so he took a second tee shot. When he reached the fairway, however, he realized he had two balls in play because the first one had bounced off some rocks and returned to the fairway unnoticed by the player. In this situation, Crane continued to play with what he thought was the first ball, but unfortunately for him, it was not. Several holes later, he realized that the ball he thought was his first tee shot on the eighth hole was actually the second. The fact was undeniable to the player, as he said in a video posted to his X profile. The first ball, it is, the one he didn't continue playing, showed clear signs of hitting the rocks, which allowed him to realize his mistake. Disqualified myself today here is why. — Ben Crane (@bencranegolf) April 19, 2025 At that point, Crane had no choice but to disqualify. Rule 6.3c (1) states that that is the penalty for this exact case: Rule 6.3c (1): "A player must not make a stroke at a wrong ball. In stroke play, the player gets the general penalty (two penalty strokes) and must correct the mistake by continuing play with the original ball by playing it as it lies or taking relief under the Rules." "The stroke made with the wrong ball and any more strokes before the mistake is corrected (including strokes made and any additional penalty strokes solely from playing that ball) do not count." "If the player does not correct the mistake before making a stroke to begin another hole or, for the final hole of the round, before returning their scorecard, the player is disqualified." Of course, Crane had the option of saying nothing at all and trying to get the whole thing to go unnoticed. Fortunately, he chose the morally correct path, which is no doubt being celebrated by his colleagues and fans. Ben Crane has been playing golf professionally since 1999 and joined the PGA Tour in 2002. He has won five times in his 454 career starts, most recently the 2014 FedEx St. Jude Classic. He has 43 other top-10 finishes, including five runner-up finishes. More Golf: Why Augusta National Kicked Masters Fans Out, Turned 'Into a Bloodbath'
Yahoo
21-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Ben Crane makes first PGA Tour cut of year, then gets disqualified
Ben Crane's first made cut of the year has ended in disqualification. Crane was DQ'd from Saturday's third round of the Corales Puntacana Championship in the Dominican Republic for playing a wrong ball. Advertisement According to the PGA Tour, Crane breached Rule 6.3c(1) after he hit the wrong ball on the eighth hole and failed to correct the error before playing a stroke on the ninth hole. Crane later took to social media to further explain the situation. He drove his initial tee ball into the penalty area before taking a drop outside the hazard and hitting his third shot into the fairway. However, when he proceeded down the fairway, he discovered that his first tee ball was also in the fairway, presumably having kicked off a rock and kicking back in play. That's where Crane made his mistake. 'I assumed that my ball on the right was the second ball I put in play, and I played that golf ball and then find out that there's a big rock scuff on that ball,' Crane said. 'And I did not do a good job of identifying when I took my drop of what number I was playing, and I realized that I had played the wrong golf ball through the hole, and I realized that I have to disqualify myself because I'm pretty sure that that was the ball that I had abandoned and I played it.' Had Crane not holed his putt for double bogey and then teed off on the next hole, he could've gone back and corrected his mistake. But he didn't, and after a bogey on No. 11, he ended his tournament. This was only Crane's second PGA Tour start of the year as he's only competing off past champion's status. He missed the cut in Puerto Rico earlier this season.
USA Today
19-04-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
This former winner was disqualified on the PGA Tour this week for playing the wrong ball
This former winner was disqualified on the PGA Tour this week for playing the wrong ball Things appeared to be trending in the right direction for five-time PGA Tour winner Ben Crane this week at the Corales Puntacana Championship when he made his first cut of the year by posting rounds of 69 and 71 at the Corales Golf Course. But during Saturday's third round, a mishap forced the University of Oregon product out of the tournament. Crane played the wrong ball on the 8th hole after he had dropped a ball. Here's how Crane explained it, via X. "I hit my tee shot in the hazard. After I hit it in the hazard, I went forward and took a drop and played another ball into the fairway. Now there's two balls in the fairway and they're both mine," he said. "It's like, wait a minute, what's going on? We realized that my ball has hit off the rocks and gone out of the fairway now I have two balls in the fairway, I assume that hit my ball on the right was the ... second one I put in play. And I play that golf ball and putt out and realize there's a big rock stuck on that ball. And you know you do a good job of identifying when I took my drop of what number I was playing. And I realized I had played the wrong golf ball through the hole. "And realize I have to disqualify myself because I'm pretty sure that's the ball that I had abandoned, and I played it." The official ruling, according to the PGA Tour, is that Crane was penalized for a breach of Rule 6.3c (1). Crane played a wrong ball on hole No. 8 and failed to correct the error before making a stroke to begin hole No. 9. Crane's last victory came over a decade ago, at the 2014 FedEx St. Jude Classic. He failed to make the cut in Puerto Rico earlier this year in his only other start.
NBC Sports
19-04-2025
- Sport
- NBC Sports
Ben Crane makes first PGA Tour cut of year, then gets disqualified
Ben Crane's first made cut of the year has ended in disqualification. Crane was DQ'd from Saturday's third round of the Corales Puntacana Championship in the Dominican Republic for playing a wrong ball. According to the PGA Tour, Crane breached Rule 6.3c(1) after he hit the wrong ball on the eighth hole and failed to correct the error before playing a stroke on the ninth hole. Crane later took to social media to further explain the situation. He drove his initial tee ball into the penalty area before taking a drop outside the hazard and hitting his third shot into the fairway. However, when he proceeded down the fairway, he discovered that his first tee ball was also in the fairway, presumably having kicked off a rock and kicking back in play. That's where Crane made his mistake. 'I assumed that my ball on the right was the second ball I put in play, and I played that golf ball and then find out that there's a big rock scuff on that ball,' Crane said. 'And I did not do a good job of identifying when I took my drop of what number I was playing, and I realized that I had played the wrong golf ball through the hole, and I realized that I have to disqualify myself because I'm pretty sure that that was the ball that I had abandoned and I played it.' Disqualified myself today here is why. Had Crane not holed his putt for double bogey and then teed off on the next hole, he could've gone back and corrected his mistake. But he didn't, and after a bogey on No. 11, he ended his tournament. This was only Crane's second PGA Tour start of the year as he's only competing off past champion's status. He missed the cut in Puerto Rico earlier this season.
