Why was Emilio Gonzalez disqualified from the WWT Championship? Unusual ball rule violation explored

Emilio Gonzalez was disqualified from the WWT Championship after the second round on Friday, November 8, for violating the provisional ball rule. The Mexican golfer started well at the PGA Tour event, which is being played at Tiger Woods's designed El Cardonal Golf Course. He shot a 73 in the opening round, but on the par-4 15th hole, he struggled with his game, which ultimately resulted in his disqualification from the event.

Emilio Gonzalez took his tee shot on the hole, and the ball landed in a deserted area as reported by Golf Digest. As per the USGA Rule 18.3, players get around three minutes to search for the original ball while they can also play with a provisional ball to save time while searching for the original ball.

Emilio Gonzalez made a "brief" search for his ball and a ball was found within three minutes. However, the golfer failed to identify it and continued his game with the provisional ball. He was ultimately disqualified from the tournament for violating Rule 18.3 (provisional ball).

As per the rule:

"If your ball might be lost outside a penalty area or be out of bounds, to save time you may play another ball provisionally under penalty of stroke and distance. But if you are aware that the only possible place your original ball could be lost is in a penalty area, a provisional ball is not allowed and a ball played from where the previous stroke was made becomes your ball in play under penalty of stroke and distance."

However, there are two conditions when the players can continue to play with provisional ball.

"When Provisional Ball Becomes Ball in Play. Your provisional ball becomes your ball in play under penalty of stroke and distance in either of these two cases: When your original ball is lost anywhere on the course except in a penalty area or is out of bounds. When your provisional ball is played from a spot nearer to the hole than where your original ball is estimated to be."

Emilio Gonzalez signed the score for the second round but he returned home after playing two rounds.

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A look into Emilio Gonzalez's performance at the 2024 WWT Championship

The Mexican golfer was awarded an exemption to compete in this week’s PGA Tour event at the WWT Championship. It was his second Tour event of the season.

He started his campaign at the WWT Championship with a round of one-over 73. Starting his game on the tenth hole, Emilio Gonzalez shot two bogeys on the front nine on Thursday, November 7, in the first round of the tournament. However, he had a decent start on the back nine with a birdie on the first hole, then shot two bogeys and two more birdies for a 1-over par round.

In the second round on Friday, November 8, Gonzalez shot three birdies and two bogeys on the front nine and two birdies and two bogeys on the back nine for a round of 1-under 71. On the par-4 15th hole, he ended up making a bogey 5.

Emilio Gonzalez competes on the Korn Ferry Tour, and prior to the WWT Championship, he played at the Texas Children's Houston Open on the PGA Tour earlier this year. However, he struggled and shot rounds of 73, 68, 72, and 71 to finally tie for 74th place.

Meanwhile, at the WWT Championship, after Friday's round, Nico Echavarria, who won the Zozo Championship last month, and Max Greyserman, coming off his runner-up finish at the Zozo Championship, tied for the lead this week at 12-under. The PGA Tour event will have its final round on Sunday, November 10.