It all started as a routine pro-am swap. But soon enough, the matter opened the door to a bigger conversation about how the PGA Tour actually handles withdrawals. When Frankie Capan didn’t appear for his scheduled pro-am tee time, and Peter Kuest stepped in instead, discussions began regarding the behind-the-scenes details of the process. Amid this, PGA Tour winner Michael Kim cleared the air about the withdrawal rules and how it does not come for ‘free’.
Michael Kim, while commenting on a tweet by Monday Q Info wrote, “On pgatour, you do not get a free WD.”
The post by Monday Q Info highlighted how players are allowed one ‘free’ withdrawal a season, as long as they inform the Tour. Besides, missing a pro-am without notice leads to disqualification. The information provided by the X post painted the PGA Tour withdrawals as a flexible, player-friendly system. However, that version of events didn’t sit right with Kim. The 32-year-old American golfer quickly jumped in to clarify that there is no such thing as a “free” WD on the Tour.
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The original X post read, “There are alternates for pro-ams. Players get one “free” WD a year, today we were supposed to play with Frankie Capan, but Peter Kuest showed up on first tee. If a player misses his pro-am tee time without informing the tour then he is DQ’d but they can inform tour the reason they are WD’ing and it’s all good.”
The official rulebook of the PGA Tour, too, highlights how withdrawals carry a hefty price to pay. Athletes are subject to fines and loss of entry fees for late withdrawals. Notably, the severity of the penalties depends on the time of withdrawal.
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If a golfer pulls out of the event before the entry deadline, they are often allowed to get a full refund. But if one chooses to withdraw after the deadline but before the tee time, they might get their fees refunded if replaced by an alternate or for medical reasons with a doctor’s notes. Generally, a withdrawal within a week of the tournament results falls in the non-refundable category. Most importantly, failing to notify about a withdrawal often leads to potential disqualification.
Meanwhile, another American golfer touched upon a different PGA Tour rule and even called for a rethink.
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Keegan Bradley unhappy with PGA Tour injury rule following close Ryder Cup loss
On the final day of the 2025 Ryder Cup, Team US was in the midst of scripting a monstrous comeback at the Bethpage Black. But Keegan Bradley had to deal with quite an unfortunate incident, upsetting the rhythm of play. Entering the final day, Team Europe walked in with an 11.5 to 4.5 lead. However, even before a shot was made, the lead soon became 12 to 5. The culprit? The ‘Envelope rule’ of the PGA Tour.
According to the rule, “When the captains lodge their team selection for Singles play, they must provide a sealed envelope containing the name of one player who is regarded as having been paired with a player who, through illness, injury or other emergency reason, has to withdraw from the other side.”
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Ahead of the start of the final day, Viktor Hovland withdrew from the competition, citing the recurrence of a longstanding neck injury. With no other options than to abide by the rule, Team USA saw Viktor Hovland and Harris English getting their Singles match halved. Notably, the rule was not received well by Bradley.
Calling for a change, Bradley stated, “We need to go out there and play this tournament the way it was supposed to be played. The rule has to change. I think it’s obvious to everybody in the sports world, in this room. Nothing against Viktor. But that rule needs to change by the next Ryder Cup.”
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While Bradley was clearly unhappy, Team Europe captain Luke Donald begged to differ. He pointed out that the rule has been in effect since 1971. Notably, the ‘envelope rule’ also played in favor of Team USA twice (1991 and 1993), where they sneaked out with narrow 14.5 and 13.5 victories, respectively.