Oddball US Women's Open Qualifier Playoff Decided by USGA
by Ryan Ballengee on Jun 3, 2010 7:02 PM EDT
in Pro Golf
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PrintBrent Kelley of about.com let us know last week about a bizarre cliffhanger ending at a sectional qualifier for the US Women's Open, played in Washington. Christine Wong and Erynne Lee finished the qualifier at Tumble Creek Club tied at 147. That caused a sudden death playoff for the spot. Lee apparently won the playoff with a par on the second playoff hole.
Provided that she won the playoff, she believed she would win a spot in the USWO at Oakmont. But, it's not that simple. Some players in the field, or observers (all handful of friends and family), thought that Lee's wedges were spinning a bit too much in the wet conditions. The officials on-site commandeered Lee's wedges. At first, they seemed non-conforming. Then they seemed like they might be.
The clubs were shipped to Far Hills, NJ, for USGA review. Today, we got the verdict. Jeffrey Hall of the USGA's Rules & Competition group told Waggle Room, "We did receive the clubs and the test reveals that the clubs do not meet the 2010 groove specifications. As such, Ms. Lee has been disqualified for breach of the condition of competition requiring players to use clubs that meet the new groove specifications."
The incident is the first known player disqualification for playing in a tournament with non-conforming clubs in a USGA-sanctioned competition.
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See, the family/friends of the players out
of the event watch everything…..Well, the rules are the rules….What were the clubs she used?…..I think that it is a bit chincy, but that’s the way it is…..STUB
How can it be chincy ? The rule is very plain. Very easy to understand. Your clubs must conform to the new groove rule at this level. If the girl, her coach, her caddy, her sponsors…whoever is connected to her equipment…don’t pay attention, then she gets DQ’d.
I’d buy honest mistake – with all the publicity that has gone on around grooves for the last 18 months – how can you NOT know what’s going on with your clubs ?
The one thing I still haven’t seen is whether this girl is a pro or an amateur.
"this ball will fit in that fairway"
This is what I was referencing by the Chincy...
was she a Pro or amateur…..Non pros probably have paid no attention to the grooves, cause their equipment doesn’t have to conform….If playing in a professional event, then thats different…STUB
I don’t really care if she’s an amateur or not except that amateurs still have tournaments that don’t require the new grooves. The fact remains that she was in a US Open quailfier – she’s expected to know and follow the rules. The groove rule isn’t some new development. This is just like any other DQ for a rules violtation.
"this ball will fit in that fairway"
This wasn't the first known diqualification for nonconfrming equipment...
…this year: at the Tres Marias Championship one of the Mexican amateurs in the field via a sponsors exemption, Alejandra Martin Del Campo, was booted after the third round. According to the caddie whose blog is referenced herein there were whispers about this player’s wedges during the first two rounds but apparently nothing was done until after the cut, which let in EXACTLY 70 PLAYERS at +2 or better. Had she been DQed before the cut eleven players, including the likes of Grace Park, Pat Hurst and Moira Dunn (the caddie/blogger’s boss that week), would have played the weekend because their 36 hole scores of +3 would have tied for 70th.
http://lifeontour.wordpress.com/2010/05/02/tres-marias-championship-round-four/
Kevin
Kevin....where was this news during the event?
If as you say, these top pros didn’t get in due to this situation, you’d have thought this would have been at least put out by the GC….‘Oh wait, silly me….why would anything pertaining to golf be out on the GC….If it didn’t have TIGARS name on it, …well, you get the drift…..STUB
Auchenbach's story
http://www.golfweek.com/news/2010/jun/03/wedge-dispute-dqs-lee-womens-open/
"this ball will fit in that fairway"
Some good extra stuff there
Find me! Email: ryan@thegolfnewsnet.com, Twitter: http://twitter.com/waggleroom, or Facebook: http://facebook.com/waggleroom.
by Ryan Ballengee on Jun 4, 2010 3:04 PM EDT up reply actions
Yeah – he’s good. And he almost always takes the time to get the whole story. How the heck does he still have a job ? :-)
"this ball will fit in that fairway"
If you ever get to meet the guy – you’ll know why that statement doesn’t hold water.
"this ball will fit in that fairway"
Now hold on there, Court. I'll have you know
that none of my statement/comments have held water. Just not my cup of tea.
by TXQ on Jun 4, 2010 7:07 PM EDT up reply actions
Actually, Court, I've never even read the author above, so you're probably right.
But most good editors can make any good writer’s stories better. And you might be surprised at the gaffes even great writers make that get caught by their editors.
The Bible could’ve used a better editor, for sure. I mean, what did Noah feed the carnivores on that trip he took? He had to have taken along more than two chickens, no?
by TXQ on Jun 4, 2010 7:14 PM EDT up reply actions
Hey guys, I'd like to ask
something here….If this was an LPGA event, and it’s PRO-AM day, I’ve ponyed up lets say 5-6 grand…went to the party and picked muscles Petterson….I play the Titleist 704 Stainless Steel forged clubs and Taylor Made woods with bubble shafts…..not a conforming cluib in the bag….What happens to Petterson, if we win the Pro-Am and I don’t have those clubs…Is she disqualified? Am I not allowed to play? need some help here…..STUB
oh yes – immediate DQ – and you have to turn in your swag towel, monogrammed shoe bag, AND team picture. (lol)
"this ball will fit in that fairway"
Your positive on this...
even tho our Pro has conforming clubs, and I don’t but play in the Pro-Am she gets DQ’d if we win and can’t get the prize money? Now this would, in my mind, be CHINCY…STUB
you were serious ?
I’m sorry Stub – I thought you were kidding.
You’re an amateur – your clubs are good until 2024. Pro-Am’s aren’t real competitions – they are PR and fund raising to give teh public and sponsors a chance to play with a pro and get to know some of the players. The players may get a stipend, but they aren’t going to make a living playing pro-ams before a tournament.
"this ball will fit in that fairway"
Wouldn't Pettersen be DQ'd, on principle, just for playing with
STUB? (Just kidding, STUB. I’ve actually grown accustomed to your style. Your spelling, eh.)
Pettersen should play pro-ams with
Dustin Hoffman. I’ve heard somewhere that he’s an excellent driver.
Hey TX...true story
You know or maybe don’t, that in order to get the college degree, you used to have to pass a spelling test….Took the damm thing 3 times before I got a 70….I always found it faster to use phonetic spelling….My secretaries all loved it….I knew I didn’t need conforming clubs in the Pro-Am, but wasn’t clear on the Pro….and ya, they can’t make eye liner money in those….That’s why I always had some staying at the house the week of the event….Helped them any way I could….Darned Ice Cream bill went out the roof….STUB
Thanks, STUB. That says it all ...
and then some.
And you had more than one secretary at a time? I mean officewise, not
physicalwise. What was your occupation?
Owned a few companies, and was just CEO
at others…Ya, jist one at a time, dang it…..STUB
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