LPGA: Investigation of Ahn/Chung Remains Private

From the Beth Ann Baldry’s Golfweek article:
“The players spoke to each other in Korean.” (For some that is enough to assume a conspiracy.)
“Chris Benz, Chung’s caddie,… noticed on the 18th green that his player had switched balls. He told Downey’s caddie his concerns. Benz concedes he did not know the consequences of rule (15-3b, "Wrong Ball") and had no urgent reason to talk to Chung. He approached Ahn and Chung after they left the scoring area and said they might have hit each other’s ball and should talk to rules officials.”
 
So on the 18th green Benz had concerns, and instead of talking to the the player that employs him, at a time when the potential existed to make things right (a 2 stroke penalty) he opts to talk to the employee of a competitor instead. This conversation takes place in English (and could be suspect as well). Then after the scorecards are signed and there is no remedy but a DQ he suddenly has an urgent reason to talk to Chung. Did Downey’s caddy tell him not to say anything until the scorecards were signed? What changed his mind from “no urgent reason” to we should talk to an official in this short time frame? Did one of the golfers delay going to the rules official until they both went together. By calling the penalty (and subsequent DQ) on yourself, you are effectively also calling the same on on the other golfer as well. You feel like you’re confessing and snitching at the same time.

There is a lot that is being written on this. A lot of it is about as much conjecture as a Brett Farve retirement anouncement.

Some people have made a point that the An and Chung spoke Korean as a sign that they were conspiring. My point was that Benz chose to confide his concerns to Downey’s caddy instead of Chung who was employing him that week. And after that conversation he still didn’t feel the urgent need to talk to his employer about his concerns until after the scorecards were signed and the penalty moves from a stroke penalty to disqualification. A conclusion can be drawn that Benz’ conversation and and subsequent non-action then action could be seen as as much of a bad faith effort as a conversation in any language, foriegn or domestic.

I can’t say I’ve been a fan of Baldry’s reporting since I started following the tour. BAB’s has left some questions unasked and or unanswered (investigative reporting is not in her wheelhouse) but I do give her credit for being even handed and not inferring to much.

I still think you first talk the one who signs your check and whose name you wear on your bib first. I wonder what Downey’s caddy said to him that first makes him feel it is OK to let Chung walk off the green to the scorers tent without comment , but then to approach her about it after she left the scoring area when it is a DQ offense. He may not have known the rule but he should have known that the problem wasn’t going to get a better resolution after the scorecards were signed.

Start with CG comment “Hmm – RB thinks they are bad girls…bad BAD girls who should be spanked !”, and read down the next couple of posts.