Would you turn down over 1 million dollars

[MEfree]

Originally Posted by allin

Is there a rule that he has to declare before the tournament he is playing as a pro? Can he change his mind if he wins? A win and a 2 year+ exemption would be hard to refuse.

I think that Uber is right that you declare ahead of time (and can't change your mind if you win).  However, I think you still get the exemption for winning...as an am, I think I recall hearing that you can actually defer the exemption until you turn pro.  This is a real plus but I don't think you get the extra time from enjoying extra time of being exempt the rest of the current year (just the two complete years...not sure how it works if you turn pro mid-year (maybe exempt for 24 months which could be part of 3 seasons??)

The 2nd low am at the Open, Russel Henley, won a Nationwide event as an am this year and I recall reading that he had a certain length of time to decide if he would accept a Nationwide card for the remainder of the year, but thinks he still gets 1 or 2 years of exempt status if he goes pro next year...not sure if there is the same deferral option though.

[jamo]

I've always been of the opinion that if that money is there, you take it and set aside a chunk of it for later so you can finish college if pro golf doesn't work out. A college degree makes no sense if you aren't going to need it for your job. [quote name="Harmonious" url="/forum/thread/47817/would-you-turn-down-over-1-million-dollars#post_617915"]

If you view money as the be-all and end-all of existence, then by all means take the money.  If you view life experiences (like at a great university as UCLA) then you stay in school.  The money will always be there.  It seems that this young man has a good head on his shoulders, and will make the right choice for him.  Personally, I would stay in school. You only get to be young once.

[/quote] The part that I bolded is exactly why I would take the money. An opportunity to become a great professional golfer isn't always there. In golf especially, good play is fleeting. In reality, a 19-year-old can get "the college experience" whether or not he is in college. He is going to get the benefits of being young whether or not he goes to college. EDIT: I just hope that doesn't make me sound like someone who is only in it for the money. I know I'm never going to be in that position anyway, so I'm just going with what I think might be the best. I'm not trying to downplay the usefulness of a college degree either, I'm in college in fact, mechanical engineering major.

[MEfree]

If you can get big guaranteed $, I tend to agree with the majority of posters about taking it...I think the college experience can be good for a lot of people, but do believe that a good portion of the growing you are going to do (and fun you are going to have) is in the first year.  In that respect, a one and done can make sense (particularly if you can move up the draft by going to college for a year).  While it has worked for some, others are too immature to go straight from HS to the pros even if they have a lot of talent.

OTOH, I think a good number of baseball players who get drafted and sign a deal that has the team paying for them to complete college after they are done playing, never go back...I think it does become harder for some to get back into the student mode after too many years away from the books.

[Harmonious]

Originally Posted by dhanson

here's some more words of wisdom you hear people say all the time: nothing in life is guaranteed (except death and taxes). i don't think you need to moralize this decision either. it almost seems like you create a binary between the haves and have nots, aka the basketball players whose parents struggle through life until their athletically gifted son makes it to the NBA vs the country club family. damn the kid who ruins the sanctity of NCAA basketball, but praise the student athlete who stays in school.

and when you think about being young, you think about having fun. jumping through the hoops of professors who think their sh*t doesn't stink? no thanks. maybe my experiences in life on the bottom 1/2 of the socioeconomic ladder play a factor in my views.

agreed. the novelty of being away from your parents and partying every night wears off after the first semester. then you start getting letters about 'academic probation' in the mail and reality sets in.

Sorry you feel that way.  Your college experience must have been a real drag.

[uttexas]

Depends. If I believed I had the talent and desire to have a successful amateur and then professional career, be a Walker Cup member, and compete for the NCAA championship, I'd pass up the early money and focus on my amateur career goals, then turn pro. If I thought I didn't have the talent or desire to make it long term on the pro tour, I'd take the early money. Thus, Cantlay, IMO, would be making the right decision to stay an amateur. He appears to have the skills and desire to eventually have a successful pro career. Ty Tryon made the best decision in his case by taking the early 3million--he didn't have the talent to make it long term.

[Luckner88]

Totally agree, he will make a whole lot more from endorsements

[lville lefty]

He finished 9 shots behind the winner so the decision just became a little easier.  The kid can play and should only get better with time.  If he wants to stay in school and remain an amateur for another year or two then that is what he should do.  Sure he could cash in right now but what is the hurry?  The money will be there if he performs on the course whenever he decides to turn pro.  Nike got it right with Tiger 14 years ago.  They will (or some other brand) will get it right again if the kid is next big deal.

[iacas]

In golf, you wait. Not only would the PGA Tour delay his two-year exempt status (like they did for Phil when he won as an amateur), but you're not an NFL/NBA player who needs to "make hay" in a very, very short span of time.