Marcel Siem loses tour card after rules blunder

Just a day after American golfer Lee Ann Walker racked up 58 penalty shots in the Senior LPGA Championship, German pro Marcel Siem has also made a massive rules blunder of his own – with dire consequences.

The four-time European Tour winner disqualified himself during today’s first round of the Open de France after being assessed TEN penalty strokes.

The 39-year-old was hit with the sanction after mistakenly thinking that preferred lies were in place at Le Golf National. He lifted, cleaned and replaced his ball five times during the front nine – for which he was one-over – before his mistake was brought to light.

• Pro hit with FIFTY-EIGHT penalty shots

• Brooks: I don’t view Rory as a rival

• “Why I got a tattoo of a TaylorMade ball”

He was hit with a two-shot penalty for each infraction, leaving him 11-over-par after just nine holes.

Writing on Facebook afterwards, he explained: “That was a little too much for me and I disqualified myself. I thought I owed you the explanation.”

INTRODUCING… THE BEST DEAL IN GOLF!

Siem entered the Open de France in 189th place on the Race To Dubai. 

With only one event of the regular season left – next week’s Portugal Masters, for which he’s not entered – he now cannot retain his card through the rankings and so is facing the prospect of a visit to Q-School in November.

• Turkish Airlines Open WILL go ahead, says tour

• Tiger writing “candid” autobiography

Siem hasn’t had a top-100 anywhere in the world since 2017 and has fallen to No.794 on the Official World Golf Ranking. 

However, despite today’s setback, he’s in bullish mood approaching Q-School, telling his Facebook followers: “I promise I’ll be back.”