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CHARLOTTE — Ogden native Zac Blair was disqualified from the Wells Fargo Championship during Friday’s second round after inadvertently using a non-confirming club on the fifth hole of the competition.
Blair missed a birdie putt on the par-5 hole and hit his putter against his head, then tapped in for par and proceeded to the par-3 sixth hole. That’s when he noticed his putter was bent slightly — presumably from hitting his head — and he informed a rules official of the infraction of finishing the hole with a modified club.
The former BYU golfer, who opened with a 75, was immediately disqualified. But he handled the run-in well with his usual brand of self deprecating humor.
@PGATOURmedia@WellsFargoGolf@PGATOURpic.twitter.com/fRuNZp6Lwe — Zac Blair (@z_blair) May 6, 2016
Blair then released a statement on his Twitter feed acknowledging his mistake and promising to use it as a learning experience.
“Going forward, I’m going to do my best to not let my emotions get in the way out on the golf course, and I’m going to learn from this mishap and move on,” he said. “My game feels very close; just need to clean up the silly mistakes and I’ll be right there!.”
He also clarified that his putter was only “very, very slightly bent … not broken” and that his head was fine and “I didn’t hit it that hard.”
The amount of people that think the Woody Austin video is me is astonishing 😂😂😂 #ThatsNotMe — Zac Blair (@z_blair) May 6, 2016
Meanwhile, Lehi resident Tony Finau carded a 3-under-par 69 to finish at 1-under 143 Thursday and tied for 35th at Quail Hollow Club.
Finau fired four bogeys on the front nine for a 32, then added two birdies on the back before finishing with back-to-back bogeys for his final score, which allowed him to make the cut for the weekend.
Former BYU golfer Danny Summerhays shot 3-over 75 on Thursday to finish at even par and tied for 4th, just one stroke ahead of the cut line.
Andrew Loupe dropped a 1-under 71 to remain in first place at 8-under 136 after two rounds. Roberto Castro is one stroke back in second, followed by Chesson Hadley and Mark Hubbard. Phil Mickelson and Rickie Fowler are among the pack in fifth place at 5-under 139.
