Duramed Futures Tour rookie Sarah Brown was on the way to her best finish and biggest payday yet at last week's The International at Concord. Then she was was disqualified for using a wedge that doesn't conform to the 2010 groove rules.
Except that Brown's wedge does conform - she was wrongly disqualified. Futures Tour CEO Zayra Calderon called Brown on Monday and apologized. What the call will be on reimbursing Brown for the money she lost as a result of the tour's mistake is still up in the air.
Brown was understandably upset on two fronts, telling About.com, "The thought that I had been accused of cheating was upsetting. But I knew that I wasn't a cheater and that if my clubs had been illegal it would have been an honest mistake. The thought that I had just been cheated out of my best paycheck, however, was infuriating. I was very upset about that."
Asked for comment on Tuesday, Calderon offered boilerplate: "We recognize we were wrong and have taken steps to prevent this from happening again."
The Lehigh Valley Express-Times newspaper (Brown is from nearby Lopatcong, N.J.) reported that Joely Pique, public relations manager for the Futures Tour, said "the tour had not made any decision on how, or if, to properly compensate Brown for her lost earnings."
The clubs in question are the Ping Tour-W wedges. The standard model of that wedge does appear on the USGA's nonconforming list, and that is what the Duramed Futures Tour official saw when he ruled Brown's wedge illegal. However, Ping makes a conforming versions of the wedges for professional golfers, and stamps an identifier on those conforming models. Golfweek's Sean Martin explained:
Some models of the wedge do not conform with the new grooves rules, but Brown's wedge conforms because the letters 'XG' were stamped on the hosel ('X' is the Roman numeral for 10, i.e. 2010, while 'G' stands for 'grooves').
"When the (rules) official told me my wedges were illegal, I was in shock," Brown said. "I kept telling the official that my wedges had been sent to me directly from Ping for the specific purpose of the groove change. Still, the officials wouldn't budge.
"So at the time of my DQ, the thought that maybe my clubs were illegal did cross my mind and I was confused. But after thinking about it, I knew there was no way that Ping would have sent me a set of nonconforming clubs. Ping has been great to me, especially throughout this whole debacle."
Brown - not to be confused with Big Break contestant Sara "No H" Brown - is an 18-year-old rookie who turned pro following a stellar junior career (AJGA All-American, Junior Solheim Cup, Junior Ryder Cup).
Brown started her rookie season with three missed cuts in her first four starts, but was starting to find her swing. In her three tournaments prior to The International, Brown finished 32nd, 21st and 29th.
Brown started the final round of The International at 5-under and tied for seventh. Brown was 2-over in her round at the time of the DQ on the 10th hole. She might have had a great back nine or a terrible one, moved up the leaderboard or down. No way to know, of course. But had she had an even-par final round, Brown would have tied for 15th, which would have earned her $1,235. Had Brown remained at 3-under for the tournament (where she was at the time of the DQ), she would have tied for 19th and earned $1,004. Either would have been her best paycheck as a pro.
But the DFT doesn't necessarily have to offer Brown a paycheck to "repay" her, especially given that there's no way to determine an appropriate amount. There are other ways to compensate Brown for the mistake - for example, waiving her entry fees. Entry fee into each Futures Tour event costs $500.
Update: Golfweek's Sean Martin reports that the Duramed Futures Tour has offered Brown $2,000, but that Brown says that's not enough. Brown's father told Martin they want a combination of cash and fee waivers worth more than $10,000.
Update II: Brown and the Futures Tour have agreed on a settlement, but what that settlement is has not been disclosed. The case, however, is closed.
Comments
Unfortunately, the LPGA has a history of picking untalented people to lead their organizations. For years, it’s been one mess after another. Part of the reason that the tour is in the shape it’s in. How hard is this to figure out? Have you ever heard of someone making the cut and NOT getting paid? I’m watching golf for 45 years and can NEVER remember someone getting DQ’d erroneously. Just gross incompetence. How hard was it to figure out that if you let her finish the back 9, then in the event you were wrong, you’d have a final score and finish so you could pay her? To me, the solution is obvious. Which is probably why they will also screw this up. Either give her the prize money she would have made for ending up 6 strokes back (which is where she was at the turn) or the prize money for being 3-under par, (which is also what she was at the turn). It’s not like we’re talking about tens of thousands of dollars here. But a simple apology without compensation doesn’t cut it. The $1,000 or so they should give her here could be the difference between keeping her Futures Tour card or having to back to Q-School.
I reread your article and disagree with the last paragraph. While waving entry fees helps, it doesn’t acknowledge that the money she lost here may have a determination on whether or not she keeps her DFT card for 2011. Top 90 don’t have to qualify again. Interestingly enough, the $1,235 she would have gotten had she stayed 6 shots back would have moved her to 90th on the money list. Waiving entry fees is not the answer here. She was denied tour earnings that can have a signifcant impact on her ability to play next year.
“She was denied tour earnings that can have a signifcant impact on her ability to play next year.”
Good point, Steve, thanks for posting.
She should get at least three entry fees, that’s a fair plus a pinch compensation. It would show thier hearts in the right place.
I thought there was supposed to be a new method to check to see if the grooves are legal or not, just because it is stamped on the clubs, anyone can do that. We know that everybody is trying to make the most of what they have and I am not accusing this young girl, but that is the way it is. They should have done it the correct way.
Just another example of how the USGA and its royalty, can negatively impact the sport of golf. This stupid ‘dual-standard’ for grooves is ridiculous.