On the list of things that weren’t supposed to happen but did, a PGA Tour pro accidentally missing a tournament despite having a full membership is one of them. The Procore Championship is set to start in just three days, marking the beginning of the PGA Tour’s FedEx Fall Season at the Silverado Resort’s North Course. And Mark Hubbard nearly missed it.

The PGA Tour pro had a deadline of 5 p.m. ET to confirm his participation in the Procore Championship, but he failed to do so. In an interview with the PGA Tour posted on Instagram, Hubbard revealed, “I missed the commitment deadline on Friday by about 23 minutes. Had some technical difficulties with my phone. Last second, I dropped it in a cold plunge on Thursday, so I didn’t really have it for a while, but at the same time I probably should’ve committed a long time ago.” That’s why Hubbard played in the Monday qualifier for the Procore Championship.

The 35-year-old pro shared that after playing the FedEx St. Jude Championship and finishing T61, he was frustrated and wanted to be away from golf. So, he took a short break, which was indeed good for his mental and physical health and his game. Although committing to the event fell through the cracks, Hubbard recovered from his mistake and qualified through the Monday qualifiers. The Colorado native revealed that he looks forward to the Napa event every year, and if it had been any other event, he probably wouldn’t have played in the Monday qualifiers.

The golf world was also stunned after hearing about Hubbard’s unique mistake, which led him to take the extra step to play in the Procore Championship, even though he didn’t have to in the first place.

The golf world loves Mark Hubbard’s mistake

If not for the Procore Championship, Mark Hubbard would not have taken the Monday qualifiers, as he felt bad for taking someone else’s spot. But maybe it was meant to be as he shot 7 under 65 to be one of four players to qualify for the Procore Championship. Although he was bummed out at first, Hubbard looked at it from a different perspective, gave it his all, and in the end, it all worked out. Seeing his calm energy despite making a huge mistake, one user said, “This is pure chaos and I love it lmao.” 

Well, if not for the Monday qualifiers, Hubbard would not have had all his family and friends there to support him as they did. The 35-year-old shared that his wife is from Sacramento, and he also studied in the Bay Area, which is close to the Procore Championship, so all of them came out to cheer for Hubbard. As this fan said, “It is a blessing in disguise.” Another cheered for the Colorado native and lifted his spirits by saying, “Love to see it! Let’s go @homelesshubbsgolf.” 

Usually, PGA Tour pros are always in their own league, and a recreational golfer cannot relate to them in any way, at least when it comes to playing golf, hitting birdies, and finishing under par. However, when golfers make such mistakes, you get a reminder that they are indeed human. Hence, this fan said, “@homelesshubbsgolf man of the people. Quite possibly the most relatable player on tour.” On a similar note, another user could understand Hubbard’s feelings as they humorously commented, “lol classic.”

Fun fact: Hubbard didn’t need to play the Procore Championship or its qualifier because, after finishing 69th in the 2024 FedExCup Standings, he has a full exemption for next season’s events. Thus, whether or not he plays in the fall season does not affect his eligibility for the PGA Tour. But even with the exemption, Hubbard went to great lengths to participate in the first Fall season event and earned the title of “Legend” from one fan.

It was an accidental mistake that didn’t cost Hubbard anything this time. He took it as a learning experience and hoped that he wouldn’t repeat such a mistake ever again.