Young golfer disqualifies self, gives up medal

[Kadie]

Young golfer disqualifies self, gives up medal
By CARRIE ANTLFINGER, Associated Press Writer
40 minutes ago


MILWAUKEE (AP)—Zach Nash was shocked when he discovered he had one too many golf clubs in his bag a couple hours after winning a junior Wisconsin PGA tournament.

But rules are rules, and the 14-year-old from southern Wisconsin made a decision that might surprise some people: He disqualified himself and surrendered his medal.

The Wisconsin PGA plans to present it to runner-up Dane Reinhardt.

Nash said Wednesday he wouldn’t have been able to live with himself if he’d kept the medal from the Aug. 11 tournament.

more...
http://sports.yahoo.com/golf/pga/news?slug=ap-honestkidgolfer

[benlurkin]

1. Integrity is a wonderful character trait

[Nuclear Unicorn]

2. K&R but he'll never make it in politics.

[nradisic]

3. Run for office kid, America needs you!

Integrity.....Wow!

[BrklynLiberal]

4. More integrity than a lot of grown-up sports figures...

[sabbat hunter]

5. good for him!

It however is not all that unusual among golfers to do this sort of thing, at least any that take it seriously (ie potential career). Golfers have to keep their own score, will often call themselves out if they did something wrong.

[lazarus]

6. that's a big deal in golf

a PGA golfer basically gave up a tourney win on a technicality like that a couple of years ago, iirc.

[KansDem]

9. Was it J.P. Hayes?

During the second stage of the PGA Tour qualifying tournament last week in Texas, Hayes discovered that on two shots on one hole, he had unwittingly used a prototype golf ball not approved for competition by the United States Golf Association.

No one would have known. And a full-time spot on the PGA Tour in 2009 was on the line. But Hayes, honoring the tradition of a game where the players police themselves, turned himself in and was disqualified.

"It's extremely disappointing," Hayes said, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. "I keep thinking I'm going to wake up and this is going to be a bad nightmare."

It happened a week ago, at Deerwood Country Club in Kingwood, Texas.

On his 12th hole of the first round, Hayes' caddie reached into his golf bag and tossed a ball to Hayes, who played two shots -- a tee and a chip onto the green -- and marked his ball. At that point he realized the ball he was playing was not the same model with which he started the round -- by rule, a two-stroke penalty.

ESPN

[lazarus]

14. that was it

my dad's a big golfer, he says the integrity of the game is paramount. Cheaters are shunned, even at the amateur level.

[Jack Rabbit]

7. Bless you, young man. You're growing up right.

()

[alcibiades_mystery]

8. It's a path made of principle, that leads to character.

Slade: Out of order, I'll show you out of order! You don't know what out of order is, Mr.Trask! I'd show you but I'm too old, I'm too tired, and I'm too fuckin' blind. If I were the man I was five years ago I'd take a flame-thrower to this place!! Out of order, who the hell do you think you're talking to? I've been around, you know? There was a time I could see. And I have seen, boys like these, younger than these, their arms torn out, their legs ripped off. But there is nothin' like the sight of an amputated spirit, there is no prosthetic for that. You think you're merely sending this splendid foot-soldier back home to Oregon with his tail between his legs, but I say that you are executing his soul! And why? Because he's not a Baird man. Baird men, you hurt this boy, you're going to be Baird Bums, the lot of ya. And Harry, Jimmy, Trent, wherever you are out there, fuck you too.

Trask: Stand down Mr. Slade!

Slade: I'm not finished! Now as I came in here, I heard those words...cradle of leadership. Well, when the bough breaks, the cradle will fall. And it has fallen here, it has fallen! Makers of men, creators of leaders, be careful what kind of leaders you're producing here. I don't know if Charlie's silence here today is right or wrong; I'm no judge or jury. But I can tell you this: he won't sell anybody out to buy his future! And that my friends is called integrity, that's called courage. Now that's the stuff leaders should be made of. (pause) Now I have come to the crossroads in my life. I always knew what the right path was. Without exception, I knew. But I never took it, you know why? It was too damn hard. Now here's Charlie; he's come to the crossroads. He has chosen a path, it's the right path. It's a path made of principle, that leads to character. Let him continue on his journey. You hold this boy's future in your hands, committee! It's a valuable future. Believe me! Don't destroy...protect it...embrace it. It's gonna make you proud some day...I promise you.

:rofl:

[madokie]

10. That young man will go far in life

personal integrity is a good trait

[Arctic Dave]

11. If the have a sportsmanship award, I know who just earned it.

[Canuckistanian]

12. Good for him.

And it'll earn him brownie points for future tournaments.

But I still think it's a stupid rule.

[Faryn Balyncd]

13. Roger Clemens he ain't!

:toast:

[EC]

15. I sure hope he made sure it was his club..

and that someone else hadn't slipped it in his bag..