Stuart Franklin

By Joel Beall
The European Tour disqualified a player and his caddie from this week’s English Championship after the duo broke COVID-19 protocols.

Specifically, eating at a restaurant.

As part of Euro Tour guidelines during its restart, all players and caddies must stay within the circuit’s bubble, which is the course and a designated hotel. American John Catlin and his caddie were caught eating dinner in a town near this week’s venue in Ware, Hertfordshire on Tuesday, in breach of the tour’s regulations and thus triggering their removal.

The European Tour confirmed Catlin’s “forced WD” on Wednesday.

“I apologize to my fellow players and everyone involved with the tournament this week for this error of judgment,” said Catlin, ranked No. 242 in the world. “I understand the European Tour’s decision and accept the sanction.”

A former college golf at the University of New Mexico, Catlin has played mostly on the Asian and European circuits in his career, although he did make six starts on the PGA Tour in 2019. Catlin was coming off a T-51 finish at the Hero Open. Wilco Nienaber will replace Catlin in the field.