American Jason Millard has been disqualified from next week's US Open after belatedly calling a penalty on himself in qualifying.

Millard, who qualified in Memphis, Tennessee on June 2, was playing his third shot on the 18th hole of Colonial Country Club's North Course – his 27th hole of the day – when the penalty occurred.

“I’m pretty sure I grounded my club in the bunker,” said Millard, who was not disqualified until June 7. “I didn’t see anything for sure but I felt something and I saw a small indentation.

“It happened so fast I really don’t know 100 per cent, but deep down I believe I did. I couldn’t find peace about it. For five days I practiced and I couldn’t get it off my mind.

Right decision

“It’s heart-breaking but what I was feeling in my heart didn’t feel right. It’s the right decision and I am sticking with it.”

Daniel B Burton, USGA vice president and chairman of the championship committee, said: “We commend Jason for bringing this matter to our attention. At this time we have no recourse but to disqualify him under the Rules of Golf and specifically Rule 34-1b.”

Rule 34-1b effectively states that a competitor must be disqualified after the competition has closed if he has returned a score which failed to include a penalty which, before the competition closed, he knew he had incurred.

Millard is replaced in the field at Pinehurst by American amateur Sam Love, the second alternate from the same qualifying site. Millard revealed the details surrounding his decision in an interview with the Golf Channel.

He had told playing partner Tommy Gainey of the incident after it occurred, but Gainey was on the other side of the green and did not see anything. Millard also told a rules official, who told him it was his decision.

Single second

After two rounds of 68, Millard had claimed a qualifying place by one shot. If he had given himself a two-stroke penalty, he would have missed a play-off by one.

“I literally thought about it for every single second of the day,” Millard said. “I just kept asking myself what to do. I kept saying, ‘I’m not 100 per cent sure,’ so I never did anything. But it kept on eating at me inside.”

On Saturday morning, Millard set off on the drive from Tennessee to Pinehurst with his caddie, but only drove about an hour before he decided to call a USGA official and disqualify himself.

In the age of slow-motion replays in high definition, for once a player wishes he had been under close scrutiny.

“I wish there was a camera there so I could see it,” he said.