MJ Daffue opened the Pinnacle Bank Championship at The Club at Indian Creek in Omaha with a 67 round on Thursday. He followed it up with a 66 to sit T3 in the contest. However, the 36-year-old golfer wasn’t supposed to be on the field and his entry is being blamed at a ‘unfortunate error’ by the officials.
According to the story reported first by Monday Q Info’s Ryan French, Daffue gained access into the event via an incorrect category. Scott Gutschewski withdrew from the penultimate event of the Korn Ferry Tour’s regular season before his first-round tee time, opening a place for the first the alternates. Rayhan Thomas was next in list behind the already in Thai rookie Runchanapong Youprayong was eligible to be on the event’s field on Thursday.
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However, the 25-year-old was denied the place. Daffue, who missed the cut at last month’s Barracuda Championship, failed to satisfy his non-exempt major medical extension on the PGA Tour. The South African golfer was set to be placed in the Korn Ferry Tour’s reorder category along with the next 25 players and ties from Q-School as well as Nos. 2-10 from last year’s PGA Tour Americas points list. His name accidentally ended up in the category for PGA Tour members not exempt for current PGA Tour events (Nos. 126-150).
Had his name been in the correct category, Daffue was the fourth alternate for the event. However, the clerical error pumped his chances on the Korn Ferry Tour priority list. The golfer, who should have been off the "PGA Tour not exempt for current PGA Tour event" category, is currently playing the KFT event.
Rayhan Thomas confident in Korn Ferry Tour despite error
It is pertinent to note that the Pinnacle Bank Championship start this weekend was vital for Rayhan Thomas, who currently sits 107th in Korn Ferry Tour points list. The Dubai resident golfer was at the Omaha course since 6:15 am on Thursday. The golfer later revealed being bummed out as his father had flown in from Dubai to watch him play. However, he added that the officials have reached out to him.
Thomas told GolfChannel.com:
“The Tour is trying to find a way to rectify it, and I’m sure that we’ll come to an agreement and figure it out. I’m pretty confident that things will be made right. I think the Tour has good intentions. Obviously, they made a mistake, and they were regretful about it. Now, I’m back in Oklahoma, trying to get ready for Boise.”
Meanwhile, a Korn Ferry Tour spokesperson also confirmed that the circuit is working with Thomas to resolve the issue. He further added that Daffue will be allowed to finish the tournament, because the error wasn’t on the player’s end.
It is pertinent to note that this isn’t the first clerical error affecting a major tour this year. LPGA’s Sophia Popov had her points retroactively removed earlier this year after she was played in three events she was ineligible for. Unlike this, Daffue will be given the due points he wins this weekend, as confirmed by the Tour officials.
