Frank Kennedy was disqualified from the final stage of DP World Tour Q-School after a putter strike damaged the 11th green. The tour called it “serious misconduct”; Kennedy says the contact was accidental, the damage was repaired immediately, and he has asked officials to review the decision.

By the Numbers
  • 21: Kennedy’s age.
  • 6: Rounds in the qualifier; the incident occurred in Round 4.
  • 15 under: Kennedy’s score after four rounds.
  • 15 and ties: The number of finishers set to earn 2027 DP World Tour cards.
  • 7: Players who advanced after the disqualification moved the cutline from 12 under to 11 under.
Yes, But

Kennedy says he swung his putter in frustration while leaving the green, accidentally caught the surface, and repaired it with his playing partner. Unnamed sources described a divot about a foot long, while the tour’s rules allow disqualification for serious misconduct that violates golf’s standards of conduct. Kennedy says he will respect the review’s outcome but questions whether the incident warranted disqualification.

State of Play
  • Kennedy has asked tour officials to clarify and review the ruling.
  • The DQ changed the cutline, allowing seven additional players to continue in the six-round event.
  • Players who finish all six rounds outside the top 15 earn status on the HotelPlanner Tour, the DP World Tour’s feeder circuit.
What’s Next

The review will determine whether Kennedy’s disqualification stands. A reversal could affect the competition’s results and the status of players who advanced because the cutline changed.

Bottom Line

The dispute turns on whether an immediately repaired but disputed act of course damage meets the threshold for “serious misconduct”—with consequences for Kennedy and other players’ paths through Q-School.