‘Unintentionally cheated': Tour pro reveals WD over new rule controversy at Monday Qualifier

Tour pro Sam Ryder ran into trouble with a new rule during a recent PGA Tour Monday Qualifier. James Gilbert/Getty Images PGA Tour veteran Sam Ryder ran afoul of a brand-new rule PGA Tour pros are contending with for the first time this year in a recent Monday Qualifier. Ahead of the 2026 Valspar Championship, Ryder was seemingly in cruise control when he suddenly withdrew from the qualifier mid-round.

The reason? The 36-year-old pro realized that he had “unintentionally cheated” throughout the round, as he explained to Ryan French on the “Any Given Monday” podcast . Sam Ryder explains how breaking new PGA Tour rule led to WD In his lengthy career on the PGA Tour, Ryder has competed in 234 events and made 132 cuts.

He’s earned a tidy $10,630,603 on the course for his troubles, and though he’s never won a Tour event, he does have a Korn Ferry Tour victory on his resume. But due to a poor finish in the FedEx Cup standings last year , Ryder only has partial PGA Tour eligibility for 2026. He played four Tour events early in the season, but when the Valspar Championship rolled around, he didn’t have a spot in the field.

So he decided to try and play his way into the tournament via the Monday Qualifier. But as he described on the “Any Given Monday“ podcast, Ryder’s round went sideways, not because he was playing poorly, but because he was breaking one of the Tour’s new rules for 2026. Rules 6 rules changes the PGA Tour is enacting in 2026 (and what triggered them) By: Alan Bastable “I was kind of embarrassed to say, but last week I did the Monday [Qualifier] at Brooksville [for the Valspar Championship], and I withdrew because I unintentionally cheated, actually,” Ryder began.