Controversy hits high school golf community
BY DAN STICKRADT
SENIOR EDITOR
dan.stickradt@northoaklandsports.com
Controversy has swirled over the sport of high school boys golf and its epicenter sits right in one of the communities in this area of the state.
Oxford finished third at Thursday’s Division 1 regional at Flushing Valley Golf Course, but several other schools in the Wildcats’ district, regional and even the Oakland Activities Association league, where Oxford is a member, feel otherwise.
One of Oxford’s players was disqualified at the district tournament held at Paint Creek Country Club in Orion Township one week earlier for a scorecard violation, allegedly changing scores on his card. This type of infraction should fall under the unsportsmanlike conduct policy.
Oxford shot 311 at Thursday’s regional to grab the third and final team qualifying spot. Lake Orion and Rochester finished two strikes back at 313. The player in question, deemed eligible by the MHSAA one day earlier, carded a 78 at the regional tournament.
Dan Picot, the district tournament director and head coach at Rochester Adams, met with the appeals committee following the district and ruled the player disqualified. Picot said that the player changed his scores for lower marks on three separate holes and his three playing partners agreed. The player also admitted the infraction to the rules appeals committee at the district.
The player’s scores were removed from the district team card, which dropped the Wildcats from 327 to 328 but did affect the team’s runner-up finish. The top six teams from each district advance to the regional, while the top three teams from each region advance to the state finals.
On Wednesday in a letter issued by Jack Roberts, executive director of the Michigan High School Athletic Association, the MHSAA’s ruling said that the player should have never been disqualified as it was deemed a “correctable error” and allowed to participate in the regional competition.
The player participated in the regional and helped the Wildcats make the cut for the state finals for the first time since 1998.
In the letter issued to coaches and administrators at the Paint Creek district and Flushing Valley regional, the MHSAA stated that:
“According to the USGA Rules of Golf (Decisions, P. 99, 6-6-C/1), incorrectly posted scores may be corrected while golfers remain in the scoring area, which was the case in this situation. The Rules of Golf also stipulate (Decisions, 6-6-D/5) that in the case of disagreements where evidence is unclear, the benefit of the doubt is given to the player himself; and in this case, there has been no allegation from any person apart from the Tournament Manager’s first communication to the MHSAA office on June 2 that this player altered his score or at any time personally attested to any score other than the 87 he actually shot.
“It is the opinion of the MHSAA that the student’s performance should not have been disqualified from the District results (which is not correctable at this time), and that this student is eligible to participate with his team in the MHSAA Regional Tournament this week.
“This situation is precedent for no other. Had the onsite determination been by MHSAA registered and assigned officials, no review by MHSAA staff would have occurred. Had the coach of the student’s school been consulted by the rules committee and/or had the Tournament Manager interviewed the student and/or his coach prior to communicating to the MHSAA office on June 2, no review by MHSAA staff would have occurred.”
Picot said he was shocked when he learned that the player was ruled eligible for MHSAA regional competition, believing that the player should have had to miss one contest due to unsportsmanlike conduct.
“This isn’t right,” said Picot. “I am just trying to protect the integrity of the game of golf. The kid admitted to changing his scores and the MHSAA still overturned it.
“This is exactly why we need observers at the state tournament events,” added Picot. “They opted not to have observers at the district and regional this year.”
Mike Watson, Director of Athletics of Oxford Schools, said that his department was well aware of the situation. Watson sent a letter to the MHSAA after last week’s ordeal.
“We are well aware of everything that has taken place. We always look at the official’s decision in a game. In this case, the MHSAA is the official source and we honor the decision,” said Watson on Friday. “It is our policy that we cannot discuss a particular athlete’s discipline with the media in greater detail.”
Lake Orion coach Monty Gallaher, whose team missed the state tournament by two strokes, said that he and Lake Orion district athletics director Bill Reiss would issue a former appeal (Friday) asking the MHSAA to further look into the situation.
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