Wie dq'd, after being just one shot back..

[Paulio]

This had to hurt. Looking for your first win...

http://tsn.ca/golf/story/?id=243809&...=secStory_main

[Golfbum]

Sad, but as a "Professional" she should know better.

No. I am not bashing her, just stating a fact. She is not the first one to do this, she will not be the last.

[sillywilly]

wow, I really think she would have turned it around had she won this one... sucks, I actually feel bad for her

[DavidY]

I am surprised that the LPGA allowed Wie to play her next round before telling her that she was DQed. This isn't the dark ages....Wake up, LPGA, if you want to play in the big leagues!

Dave

[mpare]

The LPGA dropped the ball on this one as well. It was their officials who asked Wie to sign the card after she left the tent area. If that was a problem, it shouldn't have taken them until the completion of the next round to figure it out.

[Kiwi]

Rules are rules, but I don't see the point in this one. If golf is a game of honour, integrity and honesty then why the big deal having someone sign their scorecard within a designated area of the course? Can someone enlighten me?

[3Jack]

Brian Hewitt on Golf Channel made the point last night that golf is the only sport in which the player has to count the score - does Kobe Bryant have to sign for his 40 points, and attest Chris Bosh's total as well?

Kind of one of those antiquated rules that golf inexplicably holds on to, waiting to penalize the player for a clerical error.

Wie should have double checked. Her caddy should have double checked. The scoring tent officials - who have one and only one job - should have double checked. Placing the blame solely on Michelle is arbitrary. Good for her though that she took complete blame in her press conference and didn't allude to the myriad of others who could have helped her out.

[atomic]

Hmmm...

Can you say that the LPGA knew, and let Michelle play. I wonder if ratings played into their decision. Disappointing really...if Wie was already dq'ed, quietly let her know instead of letting her play into contention and sell some more ad time.

[sensfan63]

Brian Hewitt on Golf Channel made the point last night that golf is the only sport in which the player has to count the score - does Kobe Bryant have to sign for his 40 points, and attest Chris Bosh's total as well?

Kind of one of those antiquated rules that golf inexplicably holds on to, waiting to penalize the player for a clerical error.

Wie should have double checked. Her caddy should have double checked. The scoring tent officials - who have one and only one job - should have double checked. Placing the blame solely on Michelle is arbitrary. Good for her though that she took complete blame in her press conference and didn't allude to the myriad of others who could have helped her out.

It's also the only sport where players don't cheat to gain an advantage. Playing defense, has Kobe ever grabbed an opponent's jersey to impede his progress? Of course he has. Does he go to the referee if a foul isn't called and say "hey ref, you missed one there, please call a foul on me." No, of course he doesn't.

There are rules to follow in tournament golf, everyone has to abide by these rules, and consequences are spelled out no matter if the infraction is intentional or not.

My question is, why does this always seem to happen to Wie? Where is her head at?

And the ONLY person to blame here is Michelle Wie. Not the volunteers whatsoever.

[sensfan63]

Hmmm...

Can you say that the LPGA knew, and let Michelle play. I wonder if ratings played into their decision. Disappointing really...if Wie was already dq'ed, quietly let her know instead of letting her play into contention and sell some more ad time.

You don't sell ad time the Saturday or Sunday of the event...these things are done months ahead of the actual tournament. You can argue that they wanted ratings to increase ad revenue for next year's event, but for this year, it's a done deal.

[3Jack]

And the ONLY person to blame here is Michelle Wie. Not the volunteers whatsoever.

What you have incorrect here as that you're assuming that the officials in the scoring tent / trailer are volunteers. They're not. They're paid LPGA officials whose only job it is to properly enter and assure that scores are signed for and attested to.

So, saying Michelle Wie, or any other player who forgets to sign their card is solely to blame, is simply inaccurate.

[jonf]

And the stupidity of the rules of golf rears its ugly head again.

[Golfbum]

And the stupidity of the rules of golf rears its ugly head again.

Excuse me for not understanding why you think this is a stupid rule? It has been in place forever. We all have to do it during a club event, Club C etc.

We sign our cards to ensure our playing partner put down the right scores. Simple as that. It is a rule and one that every PRO knows. Same goes for every amateur who competes in events.

Call me old fashioned but a rule is a rule. Until it is changed Michelle Wie and others better remember to sign their scorecards.

[Kiwi]

Excuse me for not understanding why you think this is a stupid rule? It has been in place forever. We all have to do it during a club event, Club C etc.

We sign our cards to ensure our playing partner put down the right scores. Simple as that. It is a rule and one that every PRO knows. Same goes for every amateur who competes in events.

Call me old fashioned but a rule is a rule. Until it is changed Michelle Wie and others better remember to sign their scorecards.

Agreed, rules are rules. And as a pro she should know or hire someone to know. But the question is... Why is the rule there? What is the issue? Seems odd to me that the game is played on the course and what happens after should not disqualify you. Who did what in the past to cause this rule to be implemented? Then maybe us duffers can appreciate the need.

[jonf]

Excuse me for not understanding why you think this is a stupid rule? It has been in place forever. We all have to do it during a club event, Club C etc.

We sign our cards to ensure our playing partner put down the right scores. Simple as that. It is a rule and one that every PRO knows. Same goes for every amateur who competes in events.

Call me old fashioned but a rule is a rule. Until it is changed Michelle Wie and others better remember to sign their scorecards.

Because it is a rule, or because it has been around forever, that makes it a good rule? If the world worked that way...well...boy would we be in trouble.

It's a stupid rule because she returned 15 seconds later, signed the score card, which was correct, and was still DQ'd...because she walked 15 feet and then retraced her steps. It's not like she signed the incorrect scorecard like last time. Everything was A-ok...correct score, signed and attested, but because she exited and then re-entered the tent....she's DQ'd. Utterly ridiculous.

I would like someone to explain to me how that rule protects the 'integrity of the game.' That is the only reason for such a rule to be in place, and as far as I can tell, there is no way in which that rule does anything meaningful.

[3Jack]

Because it is a rule, or because it has been around forever, that makes it a good rule? If the world worked that way...well...boy would we be in trouble.

It's a stupid rule because she returned 15 seconds later, signed the score card, which was correct, and was still DQ'd...because she walked 15 feet and then retraced her steps. It's not like she signed the incorrect scorecard like last time. Everything was A-ok...correct score, signed and attested, but because she exited and then re-entered the tent....she's DQ'd. Utterly ridiculous.

I would like someone to explain to me how that rule protects the 'integrity of the game.' That is the only reason for such a rule to be in place, and as far as I can tell, there is no way in which that rule does anything meaningful.

Thank you Jon - I agree with you 100 percent.

[sensfan63]

What you have incorrect here as that you're assuming that the officials in the scoring tent / trailer are volunteers. They're not. They're paid LPGA officials whose only job it is to properly enter and assure that scores are signed for and attested to..

No, they are not paid. Nor are they on the PGA Tour, or at any other level.

[jvincent]

What's odd about this particular rule is that as I understand it the card must be signed once the player enters the "scoring area" and if the player leaves the area before signing it is considered to have not been signed.

So presumably she could have finished her round, gone for a pizza/spa/massage/movie and then gone to the scoring area and been OK.

[3Jack]

No, they are not paid. Nor are they on the PGA Tour, or at any other level.

You'd better tell the guys at Golf Channel that then.

[3Jack]

Ok, my bad... here's a snip from an article on golfchannel.com...

=========
Wie told reporters that after she finished her round Friday, she left the tent just above the ninth green where players sign their scorecards. She was chased down by volunteers working in the tent, who pointed out she hadn’t signed.

Wie returned to the tent and signed the card, and “I thought it would be OK,” she said.

But Wie, according to Witters, had already walked outside the roped-off area around the tent. At that point, the mistake was final, Witters said.

Witters said she and other tour officials didn’t learn about the mistake from volunteers until well after Wie teed off Saturday morning, so they let her finish the round.
=========

So why aren't there tour officials in the scoring tent? Is that standard for all tours? You'd think that a professional tour(s) would have paid scoring officials going from event to event.

Regardless, I got it wrong.

[Shivas Irons]

I would like someone to explain to me how that rule protects the 'integrity of the game.'

It doesn't do anything for the integrity of the game, in fact this rule does just the opposite. Wie should sign her scorecards before her rounds from now on, although there's probably some other rule preventing her from doing that.

I agree with 3Jack as well, considering what's at stake, having the scoring tent staffed by volunteers seems foolish.

Too bad for Michelle, hopefully she can put it together again in her next tournament.

[sensfan63]

Ok, my bad... here's a snip from an article on golfchannel.com...


So why aren't there tour officials in the scoring tent? Is that standard for all tours? You'd think that a professional tour(s) would have paid scoring officials going from event to event.

Regardless, I got it wrong.

It is standard for all tours that volunteers are in the scoring tent. It'd be a little costly to employ at least four people (two for #9, two for #18) and pay their expenses every week just so the players are looked after. I think it's an easy transition to say to the player, "look, you have two jobs. Make sure the card is signed by two people, and make sure the scores in the boxes are correct."

Overlooked in all of this is the fact that people sometimes use the argument, "Well everyone knows what the player shot because there are walking scorers and standard bearers." I can't tell you how many times I've been at an event and both the scorer and standard bearer had a player's score wrong. Often times they think taking drops from cart paths or casual water means penalty strokes, to use two examples. They are volunteers too, remember.

[sensfan63]

It doesn't do anything for the integrity of the game, in fact this rule does just the opposite. Wie should sign her scorecards before her rounds from now on, although there's probably some other rule preventing her from doing that.

I agree with 3Jack as well, considering what's at stake, having the scoring tent staffed by volunteers seems foolish.

Too bad for Michelle, hopefully she can put it together again in her next tournament.

"Considering what's at stake" the player should know their responsibilities.

There is no rule preventing you from signing your own scorecard before the round starts, not that I know of anyway. You'd have to ask your FC for the card before the round, that may seem a little strange but otherwise, I see no problem doing that.

[3Jack]

It is standard for all tours that volunteers are in the scoring tent. It'd be a little costly to employ at least four people (two for #9, two for #18) and pay their expenses every week just so the players are looked after. I think it's an easy transition to say to the player, "look, you have two jobs. Make sure the card is signed by two people, and make sure the scores in the boxes are correct."

Overlooked in all of this is the fact that people sometimes use the argument, "Well everyone knows what the player shot because there are walking scorers and standard bearers." I can't tell you how many times I've been at an event and both the scorer and standard bearer had a player's score wrong. Often times they think taking drops from cart paths or casual water means penalty strokes, to use two examples. They are volunteers too, remember.

Your second paragraph illustrates the need for a full-time LPGA employee in the scoring tent.

[sensfan63]

Your second paragraph illustrates the need for a full-time LPGA employee in the scoring tent.

So that employee needs to know EVERY PLAYER'S score for every hole? That's a little silly, don't you think.
I think this is a case of a player not paying attention to her responsibilities, and she'll never do it again. Lesson learned.

[3Jack]

So that employee needs to know EVERY PLAYER'S score for every hole? That's a little silly, don't you think.
I think this is a case of a player not paying attention to her responsibilities, and she'll never do it again. Lesson learned.

That's not what I'm saying, because that's simply not reasonable. Have a paid official who oversees the scoring operation, whose responsibility it is to ensure that clerical errors are not the cause of a player's disqualification.

[Kilroy]

That's not what I'm saying, because that's simply not reasonable. Have a paid official who oversees the scoring operation, whose responsibility it is to ensure that clerical errors are not the cause of a player's disqualification.

They depend on volunteers heavily. People are willing to work for free just to be close to the event and they'd rather use the sponsorship money for the purse. Easy call for the organizers.

[3Jack]

They depend on volunteers heavily. People are willing to work for free just to be close to the event and they'd rather use the sponsorship money for the purse. Easy call for the organizers.

It's pro sports. Relying on Joe Schmo, no matter how many times he or she may have done it, is asking for trouble. What happened to Michelle is rare, but is the LPGA doing all it can to make sure it doesn't happen? Doesn't seem to be if there isn't a full time LPGA staffer in the scoring tent overseeing the operation. The LPGA is asking for trouble, and they got it. It makes their organization look completely bush, regardless whose fault it is.

[mpare]

It's never been apparent to me why there exists a rule dictating that the absence of the player's signature on the scorecard that has been turned in warrants a disqualification. If the player's signature is meant to attest to the fact that it is, indeed, that player's card and that player has turned it in, that is not a compelling reason for requiring the signature. Once a player turns in his or her card to the appropriate official after the completion of the round, then that player has effectively attested to the card accurately representing his or her score on each hole. The signature adds nothing to this, and its absence changes nothing. In short, I would argue that this rule, like some others, is anachronistic and should be repealed. Rules that have no raison d'etre should be culled from the Rule Book.

[3Jack]

Sad, but as a "Professional" she should know better.

No. I am not bashing her, just stating a fact. She is not the first one to do this, she will not be the last.

While you are quick to state that you're not bashing her, by putting professional in quotes indicates to me that you may think she shouldn't be a professional. Is this the case?

Many of us have disagreed with her scheduling decisions in the past, but I don't know that we cut people like Michelle Wie a break.

I don't feel sorry for her, she's set for life money-wise due to her enormous sponsorship deals.

To deride Wie for an honest mistake, one that she has taken full responsibility for in a very adult manner, is a bit much.