Ferrie, the Englishman best known for playing in the final group in the U.S. Open at Winged Foot, was 4-under par and made the playing cut by three shots. But he had to withdraw the next day from food poisoning.
Under TOUR regulations, anyone who withdraws or is disqualified for any reason after making the cut is paid last place, unofficial prize money. Ferrie was given $10,706, but it will not be applied to the money list, and he received no FedExCup points.
‘It’s always been that way,’ PGA TOUR tournament director Mark Russell said, pointing at the regulations. ‘I’m reading out of the book of laws. We’re bound by these regulations.’
U.S. Open champion Angel Cabrera and John Daly were among 18 players who finished among the top 70 and ties to make the cut, but did not qualify for weekend play because the cut exceeded 78 players. They were paid $9,699, which counts toward the money list, and they received 46 points toward the FedExCup.
Ferrie would have been eligible for 53 points had he played and finished last.
The cut policy has come under heavy criticism from some players. It was approved by the policy board in November, and designed to avoid weekends on tour when players are grouped in threesomes and start off both tees, leading to 5 1/2 -hour rounds.
In the first tournament with his policy in place, 87 players made the cut at even par. Because that number exceeded 78, the tour only allowed the closest number to 70 players -- in this case, 69 players at 1 under -- to play on the weekend.
In Ferrie’s case, he would have been better off finishing at even par.
However, this payment regulation also applies at tournaments where weather delays force the cut to be closest to 70. Players who don’t qualify for the weekend still get paid official money, while someone who withdraws in the final round would not.
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