Mendoza: Your word in golf decides your destiny
Saturday, July 24, 2010
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ELMER Salvador, the reigning Philippine Open champ, pitches to within seven inches of the cup.
Elmer prepares to mark his ball but is told not to by Juvic Pagunsan.
Elmer obliges.
Juvic and Richard Sinfuego pitch and next, all three hole out. Walk out of the green. Sign their scorecards.
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And that’s it. Elmer is champ, Juvic second and Richard third.
But, hey, wait!
The three are disqualified in this the Del Monte leg of the ICTSI Tour bankrolled by billionaire Ricky Razon.
It is Cassius Casas, the fourth-placer, who is champ.
“I was all set to drive home to Davao City when, suddenly, I was told I am the champ,” Casas said. “I didn’t pray for this.”
Said rules man Henry Arabejo: “We are not saying that any of them deliberately tried to cheat. But the rule says that they violated something. Hence, the disqualification.”
Rule 22-1 says, “…if the committee determines that competitors have agreed not to lift a ball that might assist any other player, they are disqualified.”
According to Jake P. Ayson, Henry told him, “All three admitted they agreed that Elmer not lift his ball on the 18th green.”
Their reason?
“Juvic said he needed Elmer’s ball to guide him in his pitch shot,” Jake quoted Henry as saying.
It’s hard for me not to believe Henry’s statement. I know the guy. Good reputation.
But yesterday, I read in the papers Elmer’s statement: “I was about to mark it, but Juvic told me not to. What puzzles me is that Mr. Arabejo was there on the green and he didn’t call my attention.”
I texted Henry. No reply. I called him up. No reply.
A friend called to say Juvic would protest the decision.
It would be in vain.
Every word in a golf rule is crucial. The word “might” in Rule 22-1 could have saved the trio—depending on how they answered questions during the probe.
If Juvic said it was just for kicks that he wanted Elmer’s ball unmarked, he might—repeat, might—have gotten off the hook.
But admitting he used Elmer’s ball to guide a pitch shot, that’s it. He’s dead meat. Elmer and Richard, too. Conspiracy theory at work.
Golf punishes even the rule-clueless innocent.
That simple.
