DP World Tour golfer hit with hefty fine after Scottish fan catches rule breach on camera

Englishman Sam Bairstow, a former Scottish Challenge winner, has been hit with a £25,000 by the DP World Tour over a rules incident in the recent Nexo Championship at Trump International Golf Links in Aberdeenshire.

The punishment was imposed on the 27-year-old after a video recording by a fan of Bairstow playing part of the 14th hole in the first round at the Donald Trump-owned venue was sent to the DP World Tour’s headquarters at Wentworth.

In the video, Bairstow is seen addressing his ball, which is suspended in heavy rough, before it disappears. But, instead of replacing it and taking a one-shot penalty for causing the ball to move, he then hits it from its new resting position.

Sam Bairstow with his caddie on day two of the Betfred British Masters hosted by Sir Nick Faldo at The Belfry on Friday | Andrew Redington/Getty Images

The left-hander, who won the Scottish Challenge at Newmachar in 2023, then hit three more shots and marked down a 5 on his card.

With the video having already surfaced at that point, he was asked by officials at the end of the round about it and denied knowledge of breaking the rules but accepted that a two-shot penalty should have been imposed - one for not replacing the ball and another for playing it from the wrong spot.

It then emerged the following morning that he had disqualified himself from the tournament.

In a statement released to the Daily Telegraph on Friday, the DP World Tour outlined the exact timetable of events that has subsequently led to Bairstow being fined.

‘Sam Bairstow disqualified himself from tournament’

It read: “The DP World Tour can confirm that on the 14th hole during round one of the Nexo Championship there was a rules infringement by Sam Bairstow which at the time resulted in a two-stroke penalty.

“Following the review of video footage after the conclusion of round one, it was deemed that Bairstow’s actions had caused his ball to move prior to playing a stroke from the sand dunes on the 14th hole. Before the start of round two, Bairstow felt the right decision was to disqualify himself from the tournament.

“After further investigation, Bairstow was found to be in breach of the DP World Tour’s Code of Behaviour and sanctioned accordingly. The player has a period of review to appeal the sanction.”