Scottish golfer avoids disqualification over incorrect drop in Abu Dhabi

Calum Hill is still in with a chance of teeing up in next week’s season-ending DP World Tour Championship after avoiding disqualification in the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship.

The Crook of Devon-based player had initially been recorded as signing for a four-over-par 76 in the $9 million Rolex Series event at Yas Links before that was changed to a 78 after the completion of the second circuit.

Calum Hill pictured during the third round of Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship at Yas Links | Kate McShane/Getty Images

It emerged that it had been for a two-stroke penalty imposed on Hill, one of five Scots in the field for the first of two new Play-Off events in the UAE, for an incorrect drop he’d taken in the opening round. 

A DP World Tour spokesperson told Scotland on Sunday: “Calum Hill received a two-stroke penalty on Friday after it was discovered that he had taken incorrect relief for an embedded ball in sand in the general area on hole 13 during Round 1. 

“The potential breach of Rule 16.3a(1) came to light during his second round and was reviewed by all three players in his group, along with chief referee Simon Higginbottom, after the completion of round two.

“Calum confirmed the details of the situation, and it was determined that a breach of Rule 16.3a(1) had indeed occurred. The incident happened in a sand dune left of the par-3 13th green. 

“Since it was not considered a serious breach of the Rules, the penalty of disqualification for signing an incorrect scorecard (i.e., returning a score lower than the actual score) was waived. 

“Instead, under the exception to Rule 3.3b(3), Hill's score was adjusted to include the appropriate penalty, which in this case was the General Penalty of two strokes.”

Hill, who followed a second-round 64 with a 72 on Saturday to sit joint-66th on two under, needs to be inside the top 52 on the Race to Dubai points list on Sunday night to secure a spot in the DP World Tour Championship in Dubai.

The 30-year-old came into this week’s event sitting 53rd in the standings and is down to 56th in the projected rankings but a low one to finish can still extend his campaign to the season finale.

Bob MacIntyre, who has already guaranteed his spot at Jumeirah Golf Estates, sits four shots off the lead, held by Englishman Paul Waring, heading into the final round at Yas Links after following opening efforts of 65-68 with a 69 for a 14-under total.

Bob MacIntyre tees off at the 18th at Yas Links in the third round of the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship | Ross Kinnaird/Getty Images

Waring, who is bidding to bridge a seven-year gap since landing a breakthrough win in the Nordea Masters, leads by one from Dane Niklas Noorgaard, who is bidding to follow up his Betfred British Masters win in September.

Two-time winner Tommy Fleetwood is lurking ominously, sitting two shots behind along with Norgaard’s compatriot, Thorbjorn Olesen, and Shane Lowry, another past champion.

Despite finishing with a double-bogey 7, which left him five off the pace, Rory McIlroy is on course to clinch a sixth Race to Dubai title before the final event, with neither South African Thriston Lawrence or Dane Rasmus Hojgaard looking as though they are still going to be with a chance of catching the Northern Irishman.

“Yeah, an untimely mistake just like yesterday on 17 (where he ran up a triple-bogey 6) and dug myself a little bit of a hole to get out of,” said McIlroy. “But I can still go into tomorrow feeling like I have half a chance.”

Ewan Ferguson, who sits joint-30th on ten under, has already qualified for the Dubai event as well, with Connor Syme lying 52nd in the projected standings and Grant Forrest 57th.