HS Golfer Shoots Best Score, Not Declared Winner

The barometer in golf is pretty cut-and-dry: the lowest score wins… unless it doesn’t. 

Emily Nash, a high school golfer from Massachusetts, outplayed her competition from the same tees and yardage by four strokes in the early sectional stages of the Division 3 state tournament, but because she’s a girl, she wasn’t awarded the first-place trophy and won’t be allowed to advance to the next round of the state tournament.

Bill Fortier of the Worcester Telegram & Gazette had the details. 

On Tuesday, Lunenburg High junior Emily Nash also shot a 75 in the Central Mass. Division 3 boys’ golf tournament at Blissful Meadows.

And while her 3-over-par score was four shots better than runner-up Nico Ciolino of AMSA, she wasn’t awarded the first-place trophy, and won’t be invited to next week’s state tournament at Wyantenuck CC in Great Barrington.

“It’s a real injustice that she wasn’t announced as the winner,” said Robert Dufresne, a volunteer rules official with the Mass. Golf Association, who helped oversee Tuesday’s tournament.

According to MIAA rules, “Girls playing on a fall boys’ team cannot be entered in the Boys Fall Individual Tournament. They can only play in the Boys Team Tournament. If qualified, they can play in the spring Girls Sectional and State Championships.”

Last spring, Nash placed third in the state sectional girls’ tournament and fourth in the state girls’ tournament.

So Nash’s score on Tuesday only counted toward her team’s total. The Blue Knights did not qualify for the state tournament.

Central Mass. Division 3 boys’ golf tournament director Kevin Riordan said he made Nash and her coach aware of the rule before the tournament began. And when she finished first, Riordan said he double-checked with MIAA assistant director and golf liaison, Ann Trytko.

″(Emily) is the story of the day,” Riordan said.

Riordan said he plans to personally purchase a first-place trophy for Nash.

Ciolino, who was awarded the first-place trophy, offered his to Nash, but she declined to accept it.

[Telegram.com]

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