Nike golfer Anthony Kim was stunned to find himself disqualified from the HSBC Champions for using a damaged club on Sunday (November 9th).
After inadvertently catching his driver on a sprinkler head while walking down the fairway in Shanghai, the 23-year-old American played two shots with the club off the eighth tee before consulting an official.
Kim said the driver "looked a bit different" following its impact with the sprinkler, but was unaware of the rule which states that a player who damages a club other than during normal play and subsequently uses it is disqualified.
He explained: "I found a rules official and told them what happened and they told me if it had changed it was a disqualification.
"I was pretty shocked, I didn''t know that was the case, but the rules are the rules."
Meanwhile, Cobra golfer Ian Poulter endured club-related anguish of his own in Shanghai after a Ryder Cup driver was stolen from his bag in the clubhouse.
10/11/2008