Faldo disqualified to complete his week

Nick Faldo completed one of the worst weeks of his golfing life today by being disqualified from the £3million Players' Championship in Florida.

The day after scoring a nightmare 83, which equalled his worst-ever round in the United States, Faldo's tournament ended on the seventh green of the final round when a tournament official told him he had taken a wrong penalty drop on the previous hole.

Faldo's second shot to the 393-yard sixth finished in the branches of a palm tree. He was about to put another ball in play on the fairway when partner Corey Pavin told him he could drop under the tree.

"He said because we saw it go into the tree we could drop it there. He said the same thing had happened to him only a couple of weeks ago and he talked me into it," commented the 41-year-old British star.

His first instinct was right, though. A spectator spoke to a referee about the incident and on the next green Faldo was questioned.

"Because I finished the sixth I had to be disqualified," he said. "That just about caps the week. It all adds to the frivolity."

He shook hands with Pavin before being buggied back to the clubhouse. Within five minutes he was in his car and turning his thoughts to the BellSouth Classic starting in Atlanta on Thursday.

Faldo's morale was so low after his 83 that he commented then: "I wish there wasn't a final round. I wish I could just pack up."

In the most unexpected circumstances his wish was granted. And as a result Faldo will be listed as finishing last of those who made the cut and his world ranking, already down to 87th, is now bound to be even lower when the table is revised tomorrow.