After struggling through the second round at the Travelers Championship, Jason Kokrak was not going to make the cut. On the last hole, he decided to get an early start to the weekend.
Kokrak was disqualified for failing to return a complete scorecard. So, what happened? Well, rather than finish the ninth hole (his last), Kokrak walked off of the course.
Jason Kokrak appears to have been disqualified for hitting his second shot on his last hole 44 yards over the green into spectators on the road, then just gotten in his car and driven off to join the LIV tour without even submitting a scorecard. Growing the game! pic.twitter.com/GvpTZ0yFNv
— Nathan Hubbard (@NathanCHubbard) June 24, 2022
Jason Kokrak was disqualified from the Travelers Championship after failing to record a score on his final hole (No. 9) in the second round and subsequently failing to return a scorecard.
— PGA TOUR Communications (@PGATOURComms) June 24, 2022
There was a definite theme in the reactions to this news.
Did he walk straight to the LIV Tour? https://t.co/eQSgQXbkJ9
— Matt Smith (@SamENole) June 24, 2022
Hell yeah dude still time to make it to Portland https://t.co/i5V1LEH20o
— Patrick Flynn (@insulinshots) June 24, 2022
That’s one way to leave the the tour https://t.co/tSUpkkQN2l
— Justin McCabe (@BonesMcCabe) June 24, 2022
See ya in Portland Kokrak 🤣🤣🤣 https://t.co/o9C96UERxm
— Christian Wheeler (@wheels8899) June 24, 2022
https://twitter.com/IK_Zinz/status/1540465378156892160
Kokrak heading to the LIV like… https://t.co/TlQxEOzHQb pic.twitter.com/sFycVnbamm
— Pat Gregoire (@PGreggy) June 24, 2022
rage quit to LIV. what a world https://t.co/xr9WwCMXq4
— Chatteryy (@Chatteryy) June 24, 2022
He must think scorecards are optional at LIV events. https://t.co/DwrHmqRWJQ
— Rebecca Wetzel (@BeckyLeeLaw) June 24, 2022
Heck of a way to head off to LIV! https://t.co/tlXHv4r1u9
— Josh (@LaserShow03) June 24, 2022
Oh God tell me he actually scooped it and ran off to LIV https://t.co/M6yETzZlTJ
— No Laying Up (@NoLayingUp) June 24, 2022
The notion that Kokrak might join the LIV Golf League isn’t exactly baseless. There have been numerous high-profile defectors. While he didn’t play in LIV Golf’s first tournament, Kokrak has a Saudi Golf sponsorship (per Dylan Dethier, Golf.com) and Matt Cradock of Golf Monthly did name him as an expected LIV defector.
It’s possible that this has nothing to do with LIV Golf. Kokrak finished the first round of the Travelers Championship in the top 10 and not only played his way out of contention in the second round, but came to the final hole of that round with no chance to even make the cut. Maybe Kokrak was just frustrated.
The problem is, golfers miss the cut every week. Heck, Kokrak missed the cut in the U.S. Open, missed four cuts in 2021 and 10 in 2020. Never did he just walk off the course before finishing the second round.
If Kokrak isn’t on his way to the LIV Golf League, the timing of this walk-off and subsequent disqualification is one heck of a coincidence.
[Nathan Hubbard, PGA Tour Communications]
