Golfer David Toms in Good Condition

FARMINGTON, Pa. - David Toms spent the night in a hospital for observation and was reported in good condition Friday after a racing heartbeat forced him off the course during the first round of the 84 Lumber Classic.

Toms, the 2001 PGA champion, was playing the back nine at Nemacolin Woodlands Resort when he experienced what his agent described as a rapid heart rate. He was taken by ambulance to a hospital near the course and held overnight for tests.

His agent said the episode was precautionary, that Toms was alert and joking with doctors, and that a full evaluation would determine whether he can return to competition.

Toms, 38, has been one of the PGA Tour's most consistent players for a decade — 12 tour wins and a Ryder Cup regular — and has no known history of heart trouble. He was playing solidly, at even par, when the episode began.

The scare revived memories of a similar episode last year, when Toms left a tournament with what was described as fatigue. His camp said then the issue was minor.

Fellow players expressed concern but not alarm. "David is as tough as they come and smarter than most about his health," one veteran said. "He did the right thing getting off the course."

The 84 Lumber Classic, played in the Pennsylvania mountains southeast of Pittsburgh, continues through the weekend; Toms's early exit leaves one of the tour's bigger names out of a $4.4 million purse.

The Tour said it had no further details and would defer to Toms's doctors. "The only thing that matters is that he's all right," a tour spokesman said.