What happened to John Lyras? Exploring the disqualification rules of the Korn Ferry Tour pro

Like any golfer, professional or amateur, John Lyras knows that the rules of golf are many and very complex. However, the Australian would have never thought that the proof would come to him most painfully.

John Lyras was disqualified from his debut tournament on the Korn Ferry Tour, something that disappointed the player greatly. Lyras earned his conditional status in the 2023 Q-School, so every start is vital to his aspirations of stabilizing on the circuit.

The event took place at The Bahamas Great Exuma Classic at Sandals Emerald Bay, which kicked off the season on the Korn Ferry Tour. Lyras began his first round on the 10th hole, grouped with Andrew Kozan and Joshua Creel.

According to Monday Q Info, John Lyras' second shot of the hole (and round) went directly into a water hazard. Lyras thought the ball had fallen into the water and dropped a new one to continue his round.

At that point, Andrew Kozan pointed out to John Lyras that his original ball had not been submerged in the water and was playable. The Australian then proceeded to pick up the ball he had dropped, executed his third shot on his original ball, and ended up bogeying the hole.

However, the issue kept swirling around in John Lyras' head, and he continued to discuss the issue with his colleagues as they moved on through the front nine. A dropped golf ball is automatically in play, so, in Lyras' opinion, having played the original ball was a mistake. And it was certainly true.

On the 18th hole (the ninth of the day for John Lyras and his group), they went to a rules official and explained what had happened. The official was unsure how to proceed and told them to continue playing and that he would return soon with an answer.

The official's return came when Lyras had already played his tenth hole of the day. The decision was Lyras' disqualification as playing the original ball after having left another ball was a violation of the rules.

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What does the Rules of Golf say about John Lyras' behavior?

No official communication has been made about the legal basis for Lyras' disqualification. However, the Rules of Golf, as adopted by the United States Golf Association (USGA), state the following:

"All players are expected to play in the spirit of the game by acting with integrity. For example, by following the Rules, applying all penalties, and being honest in all aspects of play (Rule 1.2a)."

Violation of this rule can be penalized with disqualification (Rule 20.2), as was the case with Lyras.

The Australian referred to the matter hours later, through a post on his Instagram stories, with the following text (via Golf.com):

"Incredibly disappointed, embarrassed and ashamed at my DQ today. Pure rookie mistake. Amazing what happens when you’re super excited and anxious all together."

"You make stupid and quick decisions that can cost you so much, everything you work for. To all the players and rules officials at the @kornferrytour today in Exuma, I apologize for damaging the integrity of the game."

John Lyras is a 27-year-old player who is currently ranked 744th in the Official World Golf Ranking. In 2023, he played 17 tournaments on the PGA Tour of Australia, the Asian Tour, and the DP World Tour. He made 12 cuts, with four Top 10s as best results, including a couple of second places.