Mark Calcavecchia Notes Score Wrong, Disqualifies Himself Honesty At Texas Open Costs Golfer $10,817

Mark Calcavecchia was disqualified from the Texas Open on Monday when he pointed out he signed an incorrect scorecard for Sunday’s final round. The act of honesty cost Calcavecchia $10,817.

Calcavecchia remained 27th on the PGA Tour money list after the disqualification, but it moved him closer to those players trying to break into the top 30 and qualify for the season-ending Tour Championship.

Woody Austin is 31st going into the Disney Classic this week, the final event before the Tour Championship. Austin is $26,028 behind Calcavecchia.

Tiger Woods, in 34th place, trails Calcavecchia by $46,457 and is $22,122 behind No. 30 Lee Janzen.

Calcavecchia is not entered in the Disney tournament. He and Janzen are playing in the Bridgestone Open in Japan this week.

The four players immediately behind Calcavecchia - excluding Janzen - would all have to finish 10th or better to bump Calcavecchia to 31st place. But somebody as far back as 55th place - Billy Mayfair - could pass Calcavecchia with the $216,000 first-place money.

Calcavecchia, whose best finish this year was third place on two occasions, realized the problem when he glanced at the scores in a newspaper Monday morning.

“He called in here this morning saying he’d seen the score in the paper and recognized he had a 74 while the paper said 73,” said PGA Tour director of information Dave Lancer.

“We had a scorecard faxed to us from Texas and went over it hole by hole with Mark,” Lancer said. “He signed for a 4 and actually had a 5.”

Signing an incorrect scorecard is an automatic disqualification.

He had tied for 22nd at 283.

Calcavecchia was traveling to Japan on Monday and was not available for comment, a spokesman for International Management Group said.

“I think he’s safe,” Lancer said about Calcavecchia’s position in the top 30 and his spot in the Tour Championship. “I think the redistributed money might have more of an impact for those trying to finish in the top 125.”

The top 125 qualify for tour cards for 1997.

No one’s position changed, but Tom Byrum, clinging to 125th on the money list, picked up a little cushion with an extra $240 because of Calcavecchia’s disqualification.

Stuart Appleby, in 130th place, earned an additional $24. Ted Tryba, No. 132, had $252 added to his total. And 48-year-old rookie Allen Doyle picked up an additional $333 to help his bid to move up from No. 137.