13-year-old wins $10,000 for hole-in-one, experiences entanglements from … the NCAA?

Bryce Hughes, 13, got a hole-in-one on a sponsored hole at a tournament in Tecumseh, Ont., recently, and won $10,000, which will buy a lot of hockey cards. The ten grand was put up by a local Ford dealership, and was supposed to be used toward the lease or purchase of one of their cars. But since Bryce is only 13, they just cut him a check (nice).

Bryce’s dad, Ryan Hughes, is a golf pro at the club where Bryce won his prize, so he decided to make sure that the cash wouldn’t affect his son’s amateur status, should he want to play golf in college. First, the USGA:

The USGA has a “lucky shot” provision in its bylaws which leaves a player’s amateur status intact but the RCGA is only in the process of adding such language to its code.

Under their regulations, Hughes had to pay $100 and file a form detailing the prize and Bryce was put on probation for 30 days.

OK, so that’s settled.

The NCAA? That was a different matter.

“They were a little more difficult,” Ryan said.

“It had to be an open tournament not an invitational and he can’t promote the dealership in any way. They’re very sticky but they were satisfied and now there’s a case file open under Bryce’s name.”

Kudos to dad for getting all of that sorted out. And to the stickers at the NCAA? I hope I’m spelling this correctly: Thhbbbbbbttttttt!

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Hole-in-one nets $10,000 for 13-year-old [The Windsor Star]