Giving a Sponsor's Exemption...to yourself!

[bangkokbobby]

So Ray Halbritter...CEO of Nationwide Enterprises puts up millions for the right to host a PGA event...Turning Stone...and has given one of the sponsor's exemptions...to himself! He's 60 and claims to be a 2-handicap, but that has been questioned...so...fair or foul?

If you put up the dough for a tournament, should you be allowed to put yourself into the tournament even if your skills are...questionable...maybe he can use another exemption to let Alexis Thompson play this PGA event...then people can really compare her to Michelle Wie!

This was John Hawkins' take:

from golfchannel.com

It isn't that hard. Just ask Ray Halbritter, CEO of Nationwide Enterprises, which owns Turning Stone Resort, host site of next week's PGA Tour event. Halbritter decided to give himself a sponsor's exemption – think George Plimpton in "Paper Lion" without the slack-jawed awe or the self-deprecating smirk. The Tour should be ashamed of itself for letting this happen.

Some rich guy who claims a 2 handicap decides he wants to live the dream? Please. Halbritter, by the way, hasn't posted a score on GHIN.com in 2010, which tells me he's got something to hide, and that something will likely add up to 87, give or take a swing. Never mind the game's competitive integrity or anyone's sturdy sense of reason – we see a bunch of 60-year-old hotel jockeys out here all the time.

At Turning Stone, which has been accorded opposite-event status behind the WGC gathering at Firestone, a majority of Tour pros in the field still have to sing for their supper. Spots are precious, which means fantasyland millionaires don't belong. Of course, the Tour won't do anything to deter Halbritter – why discourage a man who stuffs $6 million in your pocket to stage some fourth-tier tournament with no network TV?

Agree? Disagree?

[ctmurray]

I heard of this earlier. On one hand it will be interesting to see a nominal 2 HCP get humbled by a PGA tour event. I think regular tour players are <0 HCP and the winners of an event are playing well below par. On the other hand you are correct, next time the player will be a 15 HCP player hacking it up. I think Pro-Ams are for people like this, maybe he needs to stick to those.

[bangkokbobby]

that's correct...you know, he has the right as the sponsor to put in anybody he wants...but because he has the right, it doesn't make it right...

...can you imagine if Masamitsu Sakurai, Chairman of Ricoh, decided to put his wife or daughter in the Ricoh British Open...it sounds outlandish...but the worst thing that could happen is if Halbritter plays well...you'll have some other sponsor out there thinking they can do it to...

...or how about this...if a sponsor wants into the field of their own tournament, they should have to play the pro-am...with an official present...play the round as if it counted...and you have to break 80...if you can, you're in...and make it so giving yourself a spot in the field does not count against the normal sponsor's exemptions...

[MarinePaul]

This is a whole new can of worms. How he thinks this is a good idea is way beyond me.

[bangkokbobby]

...glad to see he rethought his decision and will give the spot to a deserving player..

link: CEO of Nations Enterprises not playing Turning Stone - Shag Bag Golf Blog | Golf Channel

CEO of Nations Enterprises not playing Turning Stone

GolfChannel.com Team Posted 08/01/2010, 9:07 PM EST

Ray Halbritter received loads of attention last week when he said he'd compete in the PGA Tour's Turning Stone Resort Championship. The CEO of Nation Enterprises carries a 2-handicap and was looking to fulfill what he called a lifelong dream of competing against the best in professional golf.

After much criticism, Halbritter announced Sunday that he intends to withdraw to give his spot to someone more deserving, someone who perhaps is chasing a Tour card for 2011.

"My intention in qualifying to be eligible to play in our Turning Stone Resort Championship was to participate in a competitive opportunity which any golfer would enjoy," he said in a statement. "In addition, given the responsibilities of my position as I mentioned in some interviews on the exemption issue, I wanted to use the platform afforded by our event to show the public, particularly American Indian youth, what can be accomplished by someone with a challenging background who puts his mind and heart into it.

"My goal was to celebrate, not detract from, our wonderful tournament, its players and fans. The focus this week should be on the great game of golf and enjoying the exciting competition on the course. I do not want my participation to distract from our championship and the talented professionals who have chosen to compete here. So, I have decided to withdraw from my place in the field and to award it to another golfer to play this week. I hope our golf community will join me in celebrating a terrific week of golf and all of the fun and festivities which our team has worked so hard to present for them here at Turning Stone.”