The Final Stage of the 2026 DP World Tour Qualifying School is currently underway. A field of 156 players teed off at the INFINITUM in Tarragona, Spain, on Thursday, but one of them, 21-year-old Frank Kennedy, has been disqualified from the event during the 4th round on Sunday for deliberately damaging the green.
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According to a report shared by Monday Q Info on X, Kennedy was 15-under-par through four rounds when he was disqualified from the event for “damaging a green.” Citing multiple sources, the account revealed that the 21-year-old had allegedly taken “a divot” out of the 11th green. One player described the damage as “a one-foot divot” located approximately four feet behind the hole.
This was further confirmed by the DP World Tour through a statement, claiming the Englishman had been disqualified for “serious misconduct, after causing deliberate damage to the course.” According to the X account, the 21-year-old “argued for a long time in scoring after being informed he was disqualified.” Furthermore, “Kennedy’s dad Simon is looking to have the call reversed or an ‘injunction’ of some sort.”
Before his disqualification, Frank Kennedy had carded rounds of 72, 66 and 64 in the first three rounds. Kennedy had reportedly won the Euram Bank Open on the Challenge Tour at the age of 18, just three months before his 19th birthday. Prior to the Final Stage of the Q-School, the 21-year-old had finished 2nd on the second stage of the Q-School, reflecting the caliber of player he is.
While unconfirmed, the 21-year-old may have been booted under Rule 1.2a for “Serious Misconduct” in the Rules of Golf, which govern the DP World Tour and its Qualifying School. The official interpretations explicitly list “deliberately causing serious damage to a putting green” as a prime example of actions that constitute serious misconduct warranting immediate disqualification.
A comment from Frank Kennedy regarding his exit from the final stage of the Q-School hasn’t been provided. That being said, Kennedy’s exit from the event has benefited seven other players, including LIV Golf member Luis Masaveu, in the event greatly. Had Kennedy not been disqualified, those seven players would have finished outside the top positions required to make the cut. So, his removal effectively gave them a place in the next round.
The tournament is currently led by 24-year-old Matteo Cristoni, while 30-year-old Marcus Helligkilde and 23-year-old Jose Luis Ballester are tied for second place. The stakes are particularly high, as the leading 15 players and ties after the six-round Final Stage will earn playing privileges on the DP World Tour for the following season.
Additionally, the top 15 finishers and ties will receive fully exempt Category 5 status on the HotelPlanner Tour. Meanwhile, players who make the 72-hole cut but finish outside the top 15, provided they remain among the leading 40 players and ties, will secure Category 9 status on the HotelPlanner Tour. In any case, this isn’t the first disqualification from this year’s Q-School.
LIV Golf player Peter Uihlein was disqualified from the first stage of the event at Huddersfield Golf Club after failing to turn up for his third-round tee time. He had opened the tournament with rounds of 74 and 73, leaving him 7-over-par and well outside the top 19 required to advance. So, it appears he saw his chances and never returned.
It’s also worth noting that the 5th round of the qualifying event is set to take place on the Lakes Course at INFINITUM. After the opening four rounds, where players alternate between the Lakes and Hills courses, a 72-hole cut reduces the field, and both the 5th and 6th rounds are played exclusively on the Lakes course. But Frank Kennedy, of course, won’t be there.