Jordan Spieth toilet emergency scorecard disqualification led to PGA Tour rule change

Jordan Spieth will not play the third round of the Genesis Invitational for the second year running.

In 2025, it is because the American golfer shot six-over-par on Thursday and Friday, missing the halfway cut.

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But in 2024, it was because Spieth needed the toilet.

The three-time major winner was disqualified from the signature event for signing an incorrect scorecard – and it ultimately triggered a rule change.

Professional golfers now have 15 minutes to correct any errors on their scorecards after handing it in, even if they’ve left the scoring area.

Previously, handing in a scorecard with errors on to officials led to a golfer’s automatic disqualification.

At last year’s edition of the Genesis, Spieth was caught out by the old rule despite what many felt to be a valid excuse.

The scorecard he handed in to officials at Riviera Country Club recorded a par on a hole he actually bogeyed.

Speith allegedly left the scoring hut in a hurry because he had to run to the bathroom.

“Rules are rules, and I take full responsibility,” Spieth wrote on social media at the time. “I love this tournament and golf course as much as any on the PGA Tour, so it hurts to not have a run at the weekend.”

He was disqualified on the spot, but under the new rules, he would now have 15 minutes to realise his mistake and make the required changes.

The PGA Tour officially announced the rule switch in June 2024 – and even referenced the Spieth incident in their explanation to players.

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In a statement, the PGA Tour said: “A new amendment will allow PGA TOUR players a 15-minute window to correct an error on their scorecard, even if they have left the defined scoring area.

“The change, announced in a memo sent to TOUR members Tuesday morning, aims to minimize penalties or disqualifications related to scorecard errors. The PGA TOUR worked with the USGA, R&A and DP World Tour to amend the definition of ‘when a scorecard is returned’.

“In general, all players will now have a 15-minute period within which they’ll have the ability to correct an error that previously may have resulted in a penalty or disqualification. It includes:

• If a scorecard is validated in the scoring system and the player has left the scoring area. The player may return to correct an error within 15 minutes of its validation.
• If a player has left the scoring area and an error is identified before the scorecard is validated in the scoring system. The player may return to correct the error within 15 minutes of the error being identified by the scoring official.
• If a player is in the scoring area when the 15 minutes expires, their scorecard is considered “returned” when they leave the scoring area.

“Across all our Tours and other major golf organizations, a player’s scorecard is considered ‘returned’ to the committee once the player has left the defined scoring area… We are pleased to announce that an amendment to ‘scorecard returned’ will now provide a player a 15-minute window to correct an error on his scorecard, even if he has left the scoring area.

“Exceptions may apply when constraints within the competition limit a player’s correction time to less than 15 minutes, such as releasing tee times following the cut, starting a playoff, or the close of the competition.

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“Jordan Spieth was disqualified for signing an incorrect scorecard in the second round of The Genesis Invitational at The Riviera Country Club. Spieth signed for a ‘three’ at the par-3 fourth hole and a second-round 72, when in fact he made 4 on the hole and shot 73.

“Spieth left the scoring area and was unable to correct the issue. Under the revised rule, Spieth would have been able to fix the error, provided he returned within the 15-minute window.

“The rule change will take effect immediately on the PGA TOUR, PGA TOUR Champions, Korn Ferry Tour and PGA TOUR Americas (the week of June 17-23). The DP World Tour will also implement the change.”

The news was welcomed not only by Spieth, but his fellow pros too.

At the time of Spieth’s disqualification, many were quick to point out that the whole process of players’ scoring feels unnecessary in an event followed by hundreds of TV cameras.

Xander Schauffele, Spieth’s playing partner when he was DQ’d, had been among those who called for a ‘softening’ of the rule.

“He was really sick and he had a rough last hole and I can see how it all went down,” Schauffele said at time of Spieth’s error.

“I heard he had to go to the restroom and came back like a minute later and the card was wrong. Maybe there needs to be some sort of softening on the rules, but for the most part we all kind of know what goes on in there. It’s really unfortunate it happened.”

Rory McIlroy and Scottie Scheffler were among the players safely through to the weekend at the 2025 Genesis Invitational.

McIlroy is three shots adrift of leader Davis Thompson, with Scheffler just one back.

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