USGA Looking Into Lucy Li Apple Watch Ad

[nevets88]

Trying to remember when Woods was an amateur, I don't recall him ever being in any Nike spots, right? It was Hello, World right after he signed with Nike and announced intention to turn pro, drop out of Stanford, right? What are the implications (naive to think not) if she didn't take any money or compensation?

Here's the ad:

USGA looking into Lucy Li's participation in Apple Watch ad campaign | Golf Channel

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The USGA is looking into Lucy Li's participation in an online ad campaign for Apple Watch.

USGA reportedly investigating Lucy Li’s spot in Apple advertisement

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Lucy Li’s appearance in a recent Apple advertisement has raised questions about her amateur status. The 16-year-old who first rocketed onto the golf scene when she qualified for and played in…

 

[iacas]

 

[iacas]

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http://read.nxtbook.com/global_golf_post/global_golf_post/20190107/eubanks_column.html

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But before you jump to conclusions, think about this: Li is listed in the field for the AJGA Buick Shanshan Feng Girls Invitational on Feb. 15-18. She will be playing against girls who know the rules; girls with parents who have shelled out small fortunes to keep their daughters competitive in the junior game. 

How will those girls and their parents look at Li? Will anyone call her a cheater to her face?

[nevets88]

35 minutes ago, iacas said:

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http://read.nxtbook.com/global_golf_post/global_golf_post/20190107/eubanks_column.html

I agree with this piece. What were her parents thinking? Was Apple aware of the bind it was putting her in?

[iacas]

19 minutes ago, nevets88 said:

Was Apple aware of the bind it was putting her in?

That's not Apple's job.

[nevets88]

5 minutes ago, iacas said:

That's not Apple's job.

True.

Be careful searching for her on social media if you're at work or whatever, want those filters on full power.

 

[iacas]

The family is either lying through their teeth or incredibly dumb about this.

[lastings]

This is, undoubtedly, a sticky wicket.   

First off, "How will those girls and their parents look at Li? Will anyone call her a cheater to her face?"

cheater?  seriously?  cheaters take steroids.  cheaters intentionally ground their club in the sand.  cheaters miraculously "find" lost balls.   appearing in an Apple add and not being paid is not cheating.   

Secondly, I absolutely believe the parents may have not understood the rules and assumed that as long as she wasn't paid, she is still an amateur.   I would especially believe this if they said someone at Apple's legal dept told them this.   While it may be their responsibility to know, the assumption that unprepared parents thrust into an unfamiliar situation will know is a bit presumptuous.   I can tell you this for sure, If I was in that situation when I was fifteen, my mom would have no clue.  and the first person she would ask is the people at Apple offering the opportunity.   right or wrong, that's just the way it is.  

but, that isn't really the sticky wicket here,.  what is, is the potential penalty.  If she loses her amateur status, then she probably loses out on a full ride to a good college.  she misses out on a free education, but also misses out on some very valuable golf coaching.   The type of coaching that could potentially mean the difference between her becoming a professional golfer and not becoming a professional golfer.   

would the USGA potentially destroy this girls future over a misunderstanding?   should they?  

[Vinsk]

8 minutes ago, lastings said:

and the first person she would ask is the people at Apple offering the opportunity.   right or wrong, that's just the way it is.

Well I gotta say, if golf was my thing at that age, I had played in a US OPEN...my parents would’ve asked the USGA, not Apple. It’s not like she’s playing in a little home town golf league. Their daughter has played in a US Open. So I have to agree with @iacas here. The parents are either lying or ignorant. Neither of which to be when you have a child playing a sport at that level. They need to get it together. 

[lastings]

5 minutes ago, Vinsk said:

Well I gotta say, if golf was my thing at that age, I had played in a US OPEN...my parents would’ve asked the USGA, not Apple. It’s not like she’s playing in a little home town golf league. Their daughter has played in a US Open. So I have to agree with @iacas here. The parents are either lying or ignorant. Neither of which to be when you have a child playing a sport at that level. They need to get it together. 

oh, yes.   I wasn't very clear on my stance here.   The parents definitely made a mistake and are definitely wrong and definitely dropped the ball.  They definitely need to get it together, and I hope this is a learning experience for them.  I'm just concerned about what the appropriate punishment of a 15-year-old girl is because of her parents mistake.  revolking her amateur status here is a life changing penalty, and pretty harsh so long as she didn't receive money from Apple.  

Edited January 14, 2019 by lastings

[iacas]

1 hour ago, lastings said:

Secondly, I absolutely believe the parents may have not understood the rules and assumed that as long as she wasn't paid, she is still an amateur.

The rules on that are pretty clear, though, so they would have had to be really, really stupid to have believed that she was fine.

I think they knew but decided to risk it, calling the USGA's bluff basically or at least forcing their hand.

1 hour ago, lastings said:

I would especially believe this if they said someone at Apple's legal dept told them this.

Apple's legal department wouldn't be the source for information on amateurism in golf, and they'd know that. Plus, I doubt Apple's legal department would say anything, lest they be found liable for something. They are, after all, lawyers.

1 hour ago, lastings said:

I can tell you this for sure, If I was in that situation when I was fifteen, my mom would have no clue.

If you were one of the top amateurs in the world, and your mom had "no clue," nor found someone who could have a clue, she'd be negligent in her duties as your parent at that point.

1 hour ago, lastings said:

but, that isn't really the sticky wicket here,.  what is, is the potential penalty. If she loses her amateur status, then she probably loses out on a full ride to a good college. she misses out on a free education, but also misses out on some very valuable golf coaching. The type of coaching that could potentially mean the difference between her becoming a professional golfer and not becoming a professional golfer.

would the USGA potentially destroy this girls future over a misunderstanding?   should they?  

They should enforce the Rules as written. It is the ONLY fair thing they can do at this point.

And… I doubt she was going to go to college. I imagine she was going to turn pro at 17 or 18. Now she might have to do it at 16.

[Mr22putt]

I think the USGA just slaps Lucy on the wrist considering she's the USGA's poster child.

I use to call her Crazy Lucy Li....now I know why....she's pretty funny too.

[Sandy Divot]

On ‎1‎/‎14‎/‎2019 at 6:48 PM, iacas said:

The rules on that are pretty clear, though, so they would have had to be really, really stupid to have believed that she was fine.

I think they knew but decided to risk it, calling the USGA's bluff basically or at least forcing their hand.

Apple's legal department wouldn't be the source for information on amateurism in golf, and they'd know that. Plus, I doubt Apple's legal department would say anything, lest they be found liable for something. They are, after all, lawyers.

If you were one of the top amateurs in the world, and your mom had "no clue," nor found someone who could have a clue, she'd be negligent in her duties as your parent at that point.

They should enforce the Rules as written. It is the ONLY fair thing they can do at this point.

And… I doubt she was going to go to college. I imagine she was going to turn pro at 17 or 18. Now she might have to do it at 16.

She's the #9 ranked amateur. Do you think that is good enough to make a living as a pro?

[iacas]

2019 USGA update: Lucy Li amateur status investigation

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Mike Davis, Executive Director of the USGA, comments on the ongoing investigation that could have Lucy Li's amateur status in jeopardy.

:sigh:

Enforce the rules as written. This feels like they're already laying the groundwork to not do that.

Who cares that she was eating ice cream and answering media questions? That's got nothing to do with this.

[Mr22putt]

On 1/17/2019 at 8:44 AM, iacas said:

2019 USGA update: Lucy Li amateur status investigation

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Mike Davis, Executive Director of the USGA, comments on the ongoing investigation that could have Lucy Li's amateur status in jeopardy.

:sigh:

Enforce the rules as written. This feels like they're already laying the groundwork to not do that.

 

No one should be surprised with this...look at my post #12....Lucy Li is EGGHEAD's teacher's pet...look at him smiling when discussing whether he should strip Lucy of her Am status.

On 1/16/2019 at 1:32 PM, Sandy Divot said:

She's the #9 ranked amateur. Do you think that is good enough to make a living as a pro?

Possibly yes....especially if Lucy signs on with IMG and get some immediate sweet endorsements right away.

In other sports, we have seen many athletes get drafted in lower rds to become stars...while other drafted high have tanked.

[Vinsk]

On 1/16/2019 at 4:32 PM, Sandy Divot said:

She's the #9 ranked amateur. Do you think that is good enough to make a living as a pro?

I mean not to razz the LPGA....but she qualified for a US OPEN at 11 years old. She’ll be fine I’m sure.

[bkuehn1952]

The Rules are clear. Ms. Li broke the Rules. Perhaps the USGA will apply a variation of "failure to include an unknown penalty" exception? I can see the USGA giving her a pass if Apple agrees to remove her from their ad campaign and, in fact, no one was given any money or promise of future compensation for her participation. I would not agree with that solution. If the USGA is determined to find a solution short of yanking her amateur status, I can see them trying to find some middle ground.

[Vinsk]

On 1/17/2019 at 11:44 AM, iacas said:

Enforce the rules as written.

Yeah this. Anything less is a slippery slope.