News
Florida Mid-Amateur ends after golfer claims he was assaulted by opponent's caddie during weather delay
FSGA
On any given day, you really never know what you're going to see on a golf course. Or in the parking lot.
According to the Florida State Golf Association, its Mid-Amateur ended on May 13 when Jeff Golden conceded the championship match to Marc Dull after sustaining an "unfortunate injury" during a weather delay. But apparently, there's a much more bizarre reason for the tournament's sudden conclusion. GolfChannel.com reports Golden filed a police report against his opponent's caddie, Brandon Hibbs, for assaulting him near his car at Coral Creek Club.
“I had a moment where I was happy to see him, because the first thing he said to me was, ‘I want to apologize,’” Golden told GolfChannel.com. “By the time he finished I was being punched.”
Golden and Dull were all square through 16 holes when play was halted due to inclement weather. During the lengthy delay, Golden says he went to his car to get some dry clothes when the alleged incident happened.
Hibbs had removed himself from the match following a different run-in on the ninth hole when Golden told officials Hibbs had given him advice by indicating he would need to putt around loose debris on the edge of the cup. Dull was assessed a loss-of-hole penalty for his caddie's comment.
Hibbs denied the parking lot altercation to the police. In the official report, police said Hibbs' knuckles showed "no scrapes or abrasions," while Golden had "no swelling or abrasions to the face," but did did display "some redness" on the inside of his lip. There were no witnesses and Golden is not pressing charges.
“I was extremely shaken up,” Golden told GolfChannel.com. “I had concussion symptoms.”
Golden eventually conceded the match -- and the title of Florida Mid-Amateur champ -- after Dull declined to concede himself. And thus, the golf tournament that may find its way into an episode of Cops ended. Good luck finding a stranger finish in any sport this year.