Truth & Rumors > Golf

Honesty costs Hayes PGA Tour card

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J.P. Hayes can sleep at night, knowing he did the right thing. That doesn't mean the last few days haven't been difficult and it doesn't mean the coming months won't be a challenge. They have been, and they will be. But as a professional golfer, playing a sport that is self-policed - a sport in which integrity is as important as winning titles and cheating is practically non-existent - Hayes knows he did the right thing. His sin? Hayes inadvertently played a non-conforming golf ball - one not on the list approved for competition by the United States Golf Association - for one hole of a second-stage qualifier in McKinney, Texas. The 43-year-old Appleton native disqualified himself from the second stage of the PGA Tour Qualifying Tournament last week. The first DQ of his career was especially harsh because it left him ineligible to play fulltime on the PGA Tour in 2009. On his 12th hole of the first round at Deerwood Country Club last Wednesday, Hayes' caddie reached into his golf bag, pulled out a ball and flipped it to Hayes, who missed the green with his tee shot. He then chipped on and marked his ball. It was then that Hayes realized the ball was not the same model Titleist with which he had started his round. That was in violation of the one-ball rule, which stipulates that a player must play the same model throughout a round.

Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel

J.P. Hayes, Sam Greenwood/Getty Images J.P. Hayes, Sam Greenwood/Getty Images

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November 19, 2008  12:33 PM ET
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Too bad, fire the caddy.

November 19, 2008  12:55 PM ET
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No question it is the caddy's fault. Why would you have an illegal ball in your bag while playing an official round in the first place? Class act though. JP is to be applauded.

November 19, 2008  01:04 PM ET
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No question it is the caddy's fault. Why would you have an illegal ball in your bag while playing an official round in the first place? Class act though. JP is to be applauded.

November 19, 2008  02:51 PM ET
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Before you lay too much on the caddy you should read the entire article instead of just the T&R post. While it's true the caddy should check the bag every day, Hayes states he has a ritual where he checks the bag himself every night. He says he finds it theraputic. Also, the balls were given to him by Titleist, which means that it's likely he put them in the bag himself. Again, the caddy has a responsibility but Hayes shares some of the blame in this case. Kudos for upholding the integrity of the only sport that seems to have any integrity left in it.

November 19, 2008  04:04 PM ET
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I read the entire post, but here's my "fire the caddy" reasoning:

During the tourney the player has to worry about his round of golf, shot selection, club selection, lies, leaders, etc. Handling the bag is the caddies job. His main job.

If clubs get altered (ala Athony Kim) or there are too many clubs in the bag, or unauthorized balls, or anything improper in the bag, its the caddies fault.

 
November 19, 2008  08:27 PM ET
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This is why i love golf!

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