Disastrous Q-School penalty knocks pro from lead and out of contention

In the tensest moments in competitive golf, pressure often shows itself in nervy swings and balky putting strokes. But during Sunday’s final round of Q-School, it afflicted Ben Kohles in a different fashion, one that send him tumbling from a share of the lead to the margins in the span of two holes.

Tied at the top on the Valley Course at TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla.,, Kohles pushed his drive on the 8th hole right into the trees. His ball came to rest amid a scattering of leaves. Prior to hitting his second shot, while attempting to clear debris around his lie, Kohles inadvertently caused his ball to move and incurred a one-stroke penalty. Kohles punched out and went on to make a double-bogey on the hole, which dropped him to 9-under and into a T8—down but not entirely out of contention.

Any remaining margin for error all but disappeared, however, on the very next hole, the par-4 9th, where Kohles drove his tee shot into the water to the right of the fairway. Another penalty and another double-bogey. Kohles marched to the 10th tee in a T22.

Always a stress test, this year’s Q-School Finals is playing out in especially unforgiving fashion, thanks to an off-season change in format that offers PGA Tour cards to only the top five finishers. In past years, the top five finishers and ties all made it through to the big stage. 

Since turning pro in 2012, Kohles has enjoyed intermittent stints on the PGA Tour, including last season. In 2025, he finished 145th in FedExCup points on the PGA Tour, which gives him limited status for 2026. But Sunday’s painful stretch in Q-School has put his goal of full-time status out of reach for now.