Fuhr DQd Fails to Earn Canadian Card

KAMLOOPS, BC -- For Aussie Craig Scott, Wednesdays final round of the Canadian Tours Spring Qualifying School will likely be a day he will always remember. For NHL Hall of Fame goaltender Grant Fuhr, it will be one he wants to forget.

Scott capped off an impressive week with a final-round 6-under 66 to take home medalist honors with a four-round total of 10-under 278. Brien Davis of Las Vegas, Nev. was two shots back, while Utah native Todd Tanner came in at 5-under 283.

Fifteen players from five countries -- Canada, U.S., Australia, Argentina and Norway -- nailed down tour playing cards Wednesday. Chris Wood of Chilliwack, BC will have exempt status for the rest of 2004 while fellow Chilliwack native Galen Johnston will be non-exempt after losing in a playoff for the final exempt card.

But the story of the day will belong to Fuhr, the five-time Stanley Cup champion and Hockey Hall of Fame inductee. After several near-misses at tour qualifying schools since hanging up his skates, Fuhr seemed poised to join the Canadian Tour after his 72-hole score of 5-over 293 left him in 13th spot. Just when it seemed his bio could be posted on the tour website, Fuhr was disqualified after signing his scorecard for an incorrect score Wednesday.

Starting the day in eighth spot, Fuhr was fighting the ball for most his round but was still in an ideal spot late in the day. That is, until the par-3 17th. After just missing a long par putt, Fuhr tapped in for bogey but erroneously marked a 3 on his scorecard. After signing his name for a 76 instead of a 77 in the scoring tent after his round, Fuhr admitted his mistake to tour officials, knowing full well the consequences wound snuff out his dream for this season.

A 13th-place finish would have assured Fuhr one of the five non-exempt cards that were handed out.

Its one of those unfortunate situations when a player signs for a wrong score, said Tournament Director Ray Horne. Unfortunately, the penalty for that is disqualification. Grant brought it to our attention. Golf is an honorable game, and he did the right thing.

Those who gained playing privileges will not have to wait long to get a taste of Canadian Tour action. The third annual Lewis Chitengwa Memorial Championship, the seventh event of the season, is slated to be staged from June 10-13 in Wintergreen, Va.

Honestly, I dont know how you sleep that one off, said American Scott Miller, who finished in sixth spot, when asked of Fuhrs disqualification. That is going to take a couple of weeks to get over.

Canadian Tour officials had to make a last-minute change of venue for this week when The Dunes at Kamloops, the longtime host of Spring Q-School, was deemed unplayable. The tournament was moved across town to Rivershore Estates and Golf Links, which had served as co-host with The Dunes when the Tour split Q-school at two courses. This weeks location change meant play did not get underway until Monday afternoon before competitors played 36 holes Tuesday.

EARNED EXEMPT CARD
(x-in playoff)

Scott, Craig (Australia) 66-74-72-66_278 -10
Davis, Brien (Las Vegas, Nev.) 70-71-68-71_280 -8
Tanner, Todd (Salt Lake City, Utah) 70-70-74-69_283 -5
Johnson, Jay (Tucson, Ariz.) 71-73-71-71_286 -2
Karnow, Kyle (Elk Grove, Calif.) 76-69-71-71_287 -1
Brown, Michael (Cheltenham, Pa.) 76-71-71-72_290 +2
Miller, Scott (Salt Lake City, Utah) 70-70-75-75_290 +2
Seki, Jim (Palo Alto, Calif.) 73-70-72-75_290 +2
Wood, Chris (Chilliwack, B.C.) 68-75-75-73_291 +3
x-Pence, Todd (Cheney, Wash.) 74-75-71-72_292 +4

EARNED NON EXEMPT CARD

Dawson, Philip (Shingle Springs, Calif.) 70-74-74-74_292 +4
Johnston, Galen (Chilliwack, B.C.) 72-77-71-72_292 +4
Soria, Marcelo (Argentina) 74-68-79-73_294 +6
Davis, Marshall (Van Nuys, Calif.) 73-73-78-71_295 +7
Tommervik, Frank (Norway) 68-74-80-73_295 +7