Landon Michelson learned one of professional golf’s most fastidious rules the hard way this week. Make sure your scorecard is correct before you sign it
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Unfortunately for Michelson, it’s going to be a lesson hard-learned, as his scorecard at the US Open sectional qualifier in Vero Beach, Fla. was off by one stroke — signing for a 70 when he actually shot a 71 in one of the rounds — thus disqualifying him from being able to participate in the upcoming US Open.
Michelson, who was playing as an alternate in the sectional due to Freddie Jacoboson being a no-show, was the one who noticed the error and turned himself in.
“You can say it was the only thing to do, but I could have easily have said nothing and I’d be playing in the U.S. Open at Pinehurst,” Michelson told Golfweek.
Had the scorecard stood, Michelson would have qualified for a two-man playoff for the rights to play in the US Open at Pinehurst.
Ironically, Michelson did a report while a student at Rice University on golfer Blayne Barber disqualifying himself from Q-School in 2012.
Michelson’s caddy, Chris Ingham, was supportive of his golfer coming clean about the mistake. “He told me ‘This means the world to me, I don’t know if I can do it,’ ” said Ingham. “(I told him) I think you are going to regret it if you don’t come forward.”
Karma swings both ways, and it’s certain that Michelson’s honesty will bring him another shot down the road.