Hayden Springer excluded from Rocket Mortgage Classic following rule breach admission

Professional golfer Hayden Springer shot -6 at the Rocket Mortgage Classic qualifiers. This was good enough to make it into a four-way tie for a playoff, with spots in the upcoming PGA Tour event up for grabs. However, in a rare instance, the golfer was not eligible for the playoff because he told on himself.

Springer actually began competing in the playoff with three spots available in the Tour event and four golfers vying for them. However, at that moment, he realized there was an extra club in his golf bag.

Under USGA Rule 4.1(b), all golfers can have up to 14 clubs in their bag. That's what Springer had initially, but he had been practicing before the playoff with a different club. In an honest mistake, he forgot to take the club out.

When he realized what he'd done, he admitted to his mistake, knowing it could cost him. As noble as that was, it couldn't be ignored and Springer got a two-stroke penalty. As a result, he was ineligible to play in the playoff and thus not able to qualify for the Rocket Mortgage Classic.

Even after the penalty, Springer had a chance to extend his life. He had to nail a putt for birdie, which might have kept him alive a little longer. However, he missed and ended up with a double bogey and lost out.

Kevin Helm, Executive Director of the Michigan Section PGA, said:

"It's great integrity. Nobody else knew. Kudos to him. He noticed it. He didn't think to take it out of the bag."

It cost him a spot on the next PGA Tour event, but he did the right thing and was widely commended for it.

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Who did make the Rocket Mortgage Classic?

While Hayden Springer missed out because of his honesty, Andy Spencer, Peter Kuest, Kyle Reifers, and Brett Stegmaier made the Rocket Mortgage Classic field through the qualifiers.

They will join the following top PGA Tour stars this weekend (with odds to win it):

• Tony Finau +1200
• Rickie Fowler +1400
• Justin Thomas +1400
• Collin Morikawa +1400
• Max Homa +1800
• Hideki Matsuyama +2000
• Tom Kim +2200
• Sungjae Im +2200
• Keegan Bradley +2800
• Cam Davis +3500
• Harris English +4000
• Brian Harman +4500
• Sepp Straka +5000
• Chris Kirk +5000
• Tom Hoge +5500
• Stephan Jaeger +5500
• Byeong Hun An +5500
• Taylor Moore +6000
• Patrick Rodgers +6000
• Nicolai Hojgaard +6000
• Ludvig Aberg +6000
• Christiaan Bezuidenhout +6000
• Alex Smalley +6000
• Justin Suh +6500
• Davis Riley +6500
• Joseph Bramlett +7000
• Brendon Todd +7000
• Brandon Wu +7000
• Beau Hossler +7000
• Adam Hadwin +7000

Can Tony Finau win the Rocket Mortgage Classic?

It is a pretty deep field with a lot of excellent golfers. Oddsmakers believe that Tony Finau will come out on top, but anyone could emerge victorious after four rounds at the Detroit Golf Club.