It’s been a nightmare stretch for Marcel Siem. One week after withdrawing from the Irish Open due to a back injury, the German veteran saw his BMW PGA Championship end in the harshest way possible — with a disqualification over a rules blunder on the 18th hole at Wentworth.
The 39-year-old found himself in trouble off the tee, pushing his drive right on the closing hole. Thinking his ball was out of bounds, he hit a provisional. When a spectator later found his original ball tucked under a branch near a water hazard, Siem declared it unplayable and, in the confusion, wrongly continued on with his provisional ball instead of playing from the proper spot.
Siem’s Reaction: “I didn’t cheat”
The mistake wasn’t caught until after he finished the round, when Siem sat down to sign his scorecard and realized something was wrong.
“I just wanted to let you know I didn’t cheat,” Siem said in a video on Instagram. “I would never do that, so I got disqualified, unfortunately. … I was just about to sign my card, and I just realized something is off here.”
Siem explained that he had treated the provisional as his fourth shot, went on to make a bogey, and only later recognized that under the rules, he should have returned to the 18th tee to replay his third shot. When he flagged down a referee to confirm, he was informed he had broken the rule and was therefore out of the tournament.
What could have been a 78 instead went into the books as a DQ — a bitter blow for the German, who was already battling fatigue and lingering back pain.
Despite the setback, Siem isn’t letting the error crush his spirits. “I was tired of the whole day already … and then just stupidly hit my fourth shot,” he admitted, but added that he’s focused on bouncing back with a strong showing at the French Open.
For a player who’s fought through injuries and comebacks, this latest stumble is another test. But if Siem’s reaction is any sign, he’s ready to shake it off and fight for redemption next week.
