Wife went into labor, golfer withdraws from tourny while on top of Leaderboard

[JEDI]

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/...ium=referral&utm_campaign=editorial&hpt=hp_t2

meh.. he has already won 5 PGA tournies, with the most recent one in 2012.

much harder to withdraw with a 2 shot lead if it was going to be your first tourny win.
but still, birth of child vs 1st win, withdraw is the right thing to do

 

[Tweak155]

Sounds like someone has their priorities in check.

 

[Mixolydian]

Just think of the PR nightmare that would ensue if he DIDN'T.

 

[lxskllr]

Was there money involved? He could have won the tournament to pay for the delivery, and still been there in time. Labor doesn't mean a thing. The kid is still likely hours away, and his presence is non-essential.

 

[TecHNooB]

Just think of the PR nightmare that would ensue if he DIDN'T.

doubt there would be any

 

[BUTCH1]

Was there money involved? He could have won the tournament to pay for the delivery, and still been there in time. Labor doesn't mean a thing. The kid is still likely hours away, and his presence is non-essential.

Would you like to face your spouse if in fact the baby came and you elected to continue playing?. most tournaments conclude Sunday anyway so he would have to stayed till at least 4-6PM on Sunday. Any decent pro golfer (top 50) makes a VERY good living these days, don't forget you get paid some $$ even if you finish down the list, then there's the product endorsements as well..
EDIT: He's won $2,339,697 this year alone, not including endorsements, he defiantly chose wisely.

 

[waggy]

Great PR for the guy too.

First kid? yeah i agree with him.

 

[Scotteq]

Hmmm....

(1) Walk away from one tournament: Highly defensible position which (I) would hear about for a few weeks from sports pundits

(2) Stay, play, and earn money for the Family... and hear about it from my Wife - FOREVER.


No Brainer - GO Home

 

[GagHalfrunt]

Was there money involved? He could have won the tournament to pay for the delivery, and still been there in time. Labor doesn't mean a thing. The kid is still likely hours away, and his presence is non-essential.

The money is meaningless at his level. Career earnings are $25 million + and you have to add at least another $10 million in endorsements.

The kid might have been hours away, but he was in Canada, wife was in Texas and he was 36 hours away from being able to get there if he stayed and finished the tournament.

 

[UglyCasanova]

Was there money involved? He could have won the tournament to pay for the delivery, and still been there in time. Labor doesn't mean a thing. The kid is still likely hours away, and his presence is non-essential.

I agree. This is something that he and his wife should have (and may have) ironed out before he went to the tournament. That said, if there was money on the line it could have went to that kid's college fund or something.

I have kids, if my wife snapped me a picture when one was born and I showed up a day later (which by the sounds of it he is going to do anyways, he is in Canada she is in Dallas), but I had my winnings of thousands of dollars she would be more than happy. We also spent about $150 total getting married, so I guess priceless sentimental moments mean very little to us.

 

[yuchai]

He looks pretty old for being only 31.

 

[lxskllr]

He looks pretty old for being only 31.

Golfers seem to age poorly. Probably sun damage from being outside.

 

[GagHalfrunt]

I agree. This is something that he and his wife should have (and may have) ironed out before he went to the tournament. That said, if there was money on the line it could have went to that kid's college fund or something.

Keep repeating this to yourself until it sinks in: successful professional golfers do not worry about their kids college funds. He has made a minimum of $35 million by age 31 and it could be closer to $50 million. Do you think he needs to clip coupons to send the kid to college?

 

[lxskllr]

Keep repeating this to yourself until it sinks in: successful professional golfers do not worry about their kids college funds. He has made a minimum of $35 million by age 31 and it could be closer to $50 million. Do you think he needs to clip coupons to send the kid to college?

Leaving that kind of money on the table is against my nature. Even if I didn't /need/ it, it could be used for charity. Donate it to a neonatal ward at a hospital, and name the ward after your incoming kid. Your child's name would be enshrined forever, and the money would be doing real good.

 

[Mixolydian]

doubt there would be any

You must not be familiar with the media in America. Just look at the Paula Dean "N-word" fiasco.

 

[MontyAC]

Nice that the golfer did that. Family comes first.

 

[waggy]

You must not be familiar with the media in America. Just look at the Paula Dean "N-word" fiasco.

i agree. i guarantee there would be a few groups pissed that he continued to play while his wife went into labor and had the child without him.

 

[BUTCH1]

Golfers seem to age poorly. Probably sun damage from being outside.

I'd take a little of sun damage in exchange to be a successful pro golfer with $50+ million's already earned..

 

[lxskllr]

I'd take a little of sun damage in exchange to be a successful pro golfer with $50+ million's already earned..

No doubt. I'm sun damaged for substantially less than even a mediocre golfer makes :^D

 

[marvdmartian]

This is nothing more than preservation of life.....his own! :hmm:

 

[darkxshade]

Looking at this from the other perspective, I'm not sure I'd be too happy growing up knowing my birth may have cost my father a tourny win and potentially a big payout. It's not like I remember my birth anyway. Heck, if I could choose, I say win the payout and set up a trust with the winnings for when I turn 18.

 

[1sikbITCH]

The money is meaningless at his level. Career earnings are $25 million + and you have to add at least another $10 million in endorsements.

The kid might have been hours away, but he was in Canada, wife was in Texas and he was 36 hours away from being able to get there if he stayed and finished the tournament.

Texas? Good thing he went home right away. Otherwise boom good kill.

 

[GagHalfrunt]

Baby girl was born at 3:26 a.m. in Dallas.

 

[pelov]

Just one in the hole?

 

[DrPizza]

It's 2013! Couldn't he use Facetime between holes, or something? There are a lot of circumstances where the father isn't allowed in the delivery room; being a couple of rooms away vs. 2000 miles away, what's the difference?