Jason Kokrak looked like he was going to play on the weekend after Round 1 of the 2022 Travelers Championship. However, he didn't even make it out of the second round.
Kokrak completed 35 holes in the Travelers Championship and was in the process of playing the 36th. However, he never finished the hole and was disqualified from the tournament as a result.
Kokrak's epic exit drew a lot of attention from golf fans who believed that he may have quit the tournament — and maybe the PGA Tour — with his walk-off. But while Kokrak's PGA Tour future is to be determined, his disqualification didn't stem from a place of frustration.
Why was Kokrak disqualified? Here's what to know about Kokrak's early exit and his potential future on the LIV Golf tour.
MORE: Who is playing at LIV Golf Portland? Field of 48 announced for second event
Why was Jason Kokrak disqualified at the Travelers Championship?
Kokrak was disqualified from the Travelers Championship because he failed to record a score during the second round of the tournament. This was by design, as he wasn't going to make the cut anyway.
Kokrak carded a 3-under 67 in the first round of the tournament, but he struggled immensely in Round 2 of the tournament. He had already shot a 3-over 70 while entering the final hole of the day. That included a brutal, five-putt double bogey on the Par-5 13th hole, which he reached in two shots.
So, Kokrak needed to hole out his second shot on the ninth hole, his last of the day, to make the cut. Instead, he launched it well over the green. ShotLink said that it went "87 yards into the unknown."
Jason Kokrak was just DQ'd for not recording a score on his final hole and not returning a score card.
— Brentley Romine (@BrentleyGC) June 24, 2022
He was even par and not making the cut anyways, but for what it's worth, his second shot on that hole, the par-4 ninth, reads, "87 yards into the unknown." pic.twitter.com/hlqJU3pwFu
That was the final shot of the day for Kokrak. He was unable to find the ball after a brief search and he left the course as a result.
Why did Kokrak do that? It wasn't that he quit the tournament in a fit of rage. Jason Sobel spoke to Kokrak's playing partner, Will McGirt, who shed some light on what happened.
Texted with Will McGirt, who was playing with Kokrak. They didn’t realize the ball went OB. By the time he could figure out where to drop, the group behind was waiting. He didn’t want to hold them up and was going to MC anyway. But it wasn’t some walk-off from PGA Tour life.
— Jason Sobel (@JasonSobelTAN) June 25, 2022
So, Kokrak didn't "rage quit" the PGA Tour, as some had suggested. He just wanted to avoid holding up the group behind him for shots that would effectively be meaningless.
That said, there are some legitimate questions about whether that hole will be Kokrak's last on the tour.
MORE: How PGA Tour is striking back at LIV Golf with $20 million purses
Is Jason Kokrak joining LIV Golf?
Kokrak hasn't announced whether he will join LIV Golf as of Monday, June 27. However, the expectation is that the 37-year-old will join the Saudi-backed start-up ahead of its tournament at Pumpkin Ridge Golf Club in Portland, which begins on June 30.
Kokrak has long been sponsored by Saudi Golf and was partnered with them even before the LIV Golf Series was in the works. He played in the Saudi International — with PGA Tour permission — in February.
At that time, Kokrak was honest about his future and admitted to the Five Clubs podcast that his No. 1 concern was making as much money as he could before turning 44. That would allow him to retire and spend more time with his kids as they grow up.
I've had long conversations with a couple of the elite players on the PGA Tour. I haven't signed any $20 million contracts or any elevated contracts that would make me want to stay. I want to make as much money as I can in as little time.
There's been no official contract that's come my way. I've heard rumors of guys signing already, guys in extended talks with the Saudis. I'm an independent contractor and I’m trying to take advantage.
Competition is good. The Saudi Golf League or the Premier Golf League or whatever you want to call it has gained traction and created competition for the PGA Tour, which has in turn increased the purses.
Each of LIV Golf's eight events features 48 participants, no cuts and a purse worth up to $25 million. That certainly would appeal to Kokrak, as he would make, at minimum, $120,000 by participating in a LIV Golf event and could make up to $4.75 million if he wins both the tournament and the team competition.
MORE: Full list of PGA Tour golfers who left to play in LIV Golf
Jason Kokrak net worth, career earnings
According to SouthamptonGolfClub.com, Kokrak has a net worth of $17 million.
Since turning pro in 2008, Kokrak has earned a total of $20,386,410 playing on the PGA Tour, per Golf Channel. That ranks 94th in PGA Tour history.
A good chunk of Kokrak's career earnings came from his three career PGA Tour wins. Those came at the 2020 CJ Cup, the 2021 Charles Schwab Challenge and the 2021 Houston Open.
