Why do a frequent amount of players withdraw after the first day in pga tournament?

Question

If you look at most golfers stats for the year,you see most have one week out 20-25 tournaments where they withdrew. Aside from injury or sickness, it seems since golf is such a fickle sport, that they can quit one time when they are totally off that day or sucking it up big time. "1 get out jail free card", so to speak, but they also aren't getting paid that week.

Answer 1

They know they won't be around for the weekend if they start with a bad round.  A save face measure if you will,  then of course it will be blamed on an injury.  John Daly has been the only one with the balls to say "I really sucked today"

Answer 2

Haven't you ever called in  sick?

Answer 3

Once they make the cut in a tournament, they are guaranteed a minimum paycheck...depending on the tournament, it can be as high as $9,000.  This status is fairly new to the PGA tour, it's called, "MDF" (stands for "Made cut, Did not Finish")



Apparently, there are a couple of reasons a player is designated this status.

Player makes the cut, but withdraws from tournament for personal reasons (e.g. illness, injury, etc.).  However, he STILL gets a paycheck because he made the cut!  Bad side is, it now leaves a vacancy that would have been filled by the next guy that didn't make the cut...but would have, if not for the "injured" player.  

The "MDF" designation not only represents players that withdrew, but also players that made the cut, but then are cut for tournament sizing purposes. Here's a recent example from the recent Sony Open back in Nov.

"In an effort to keep field sizes smaller, the PGA Tour Policy Board enacted a new rule: The top 70 and ties still make the cut. But if the cut exceeds 78 players, only the number nearest to 70 continues in the tournament.

In the case of the Sony, there were 87 players who finished at even-par 140 or better. The nearest number to 70 was 69 players at 1-under (139 or better). So 18 players were credited with a made cut and paid $9,699.

Of course, unlike others who made the cut, they did not have the opportunity to improve their position or perhaps even play to win the tournament. The fact that several players over the years have made the cut on the number and gone on to win is cause for some concern. So is the fact that many didn't know about the new rule (although they have only themselves to blame for that). "

Answer 4

Because you will lose your tour card if you score really really badly.

Answer 5

bad round will affecy scoring average , standings money list . withdraw first round no effect