U.S. Am Champ, Seve's Son Eye Pro Ranks

Sean Martin reveals that U.S. Amateur champion Kelly Kraft will not pull a Colt Knost, and instead play the Masters before turning pro. Of course, that means passing up the U.S. Open and Open Championships.

“I’m going to turn pro basically Sunday night after the Masters,” Kraft said. “I’m not going to play in the Open or the Open Championship because I can try to qualify for those.”

In contast, an unbylined Daily Mail report says Javier Ballesteros is going to turn pro after…law school.

'I have an invitation to play next May in the Majorca Open and I will play, for sure,' one-handicapper Javier said.

'Then when I've finished my law degree I would like to give it a shot and turn pro.

'While I am studying I cannot train a lot. I hit 200 balls every day but I can play only once a week and playing is when you really learn the game.'

The Old Geezer Wins Mid-Am

A 54-year old in the Masters! David Shefter on Randal Lewis' 2011 U.S. Mid-Amateur 3&2 win at Shadow Hawk Golf Club.

Geezer Has Shot At U.S. Mid-Am Title

Ron Balicki reports on 54-year-old Randal Lewis's impressive run to the final match.

“I know it is so hard to get to a USGA final, and especially in something like this at my age,” Lewis said. “I realize this is probably my last chance. Heck, I’m anxious to turn 55 (May 2012) and start playing senior golf.”

With a victory Thursday, Lewis will have more to think about than what senior events he might be entering. He would have one where he would not only be taking on the young guys, but they would be the best in the world at the Masters.

“I learned from the last time (1996) to not start thinking about that,” he said. “What I need to do is concentrate on what I have to do in that match, stay patient, and keep playing like I’ve been playing all week. If I can do that, everything else will take care of itself.”

"As a Yank, I am not sure I have ever felt more embarrassed to be a member of the USGA."

That's USGA dues paying members Steve Elling in this week's Pond Scrum chatting with John Huggan about the wild array of current events, including the Walker Cup committee sending captain Jim Holtgrieve's team to Royal Aberdeen without the NCAA Champion and world No. 7 ranked (now former) amateur, John Peterson.

Huggan: Ah yes, amateur bodies picking teams. I have some personal experience of this -- both good and bad -- and sadly these things are not always just about golf. Personalities and nationalities both play parts in this often distasteful business. Both teams will go into this year's matches with something less than their best 10 players. It has nearly always been that way and it always will be.

Elling: You have to wonder if Peterson's post-round comments after that Nationwide event, where he said that there were a bunch of guys in college capable of regularly beating PGA Tour pros, rubbed some folks the wrong way. Still, even if he had said Gadhafi should be governor of New Jersey, he should have been a lock for the team.

Huggan: On the GB&I side, the omission of Scottish amateur champion David Law -- a member of the host club, no less -- is almost impossible to justify. And it sounds like your man Peterson has been equally hosed. But let me repeat, these things are not unique. As soon as you get blazers involved, there is going to be a fire to put out.

Martin Dempster reports on David Law's equally mind-blowing omission, and at least you have to credit captain Nigel Edwards for acknowledging the "unfortunate" move and talking about the R&A committee's rationale behind their selection.

"David Law is unfortunate and his situation is accentuated by the fact he comes from Aberdeen," admitted Edwards. "If he'd had a better summer from the Lytham Trophy through to the Scottish Amateur, it might have been different, but that's stating the obvious.

"Sometimes you have to go with a hunch. I'm not saying that David wouldn't have won points for us, but myself and the selectors took an accumulation of factors into account. It was a tough call for a number of reasons and not just the obvious ones. If the teams had been picked straight off the world rankings (Law was 121 places above Irishman Alan Dunbar when the side was selected), both sides would be very different to what they are."

Back to Peterson, who announced on Twitter late Sunday night after learning of his Walker Cup fate that he was turning pro, after holding off in hopes of making the team:


Unfortunately the writers we've grown to trust to watch over the governing bodies on amateur golf matters had to file print stories for their respective publications, so there was no follow up. However the comments on Ron Balicki's original story suggest that the outrage is not going to help the USGA's cause at the grass roots level.

Patrick Kane, editor/publisher at Virginia Golf Report:

Shame on the USGA again. They did it two years ago and now again, a well deserving player is denied a spot on the team because 2 or 3 control freaks that think they know it all decide a young man does not quited fit what they think he should. Isn't that how young people grow up? I'm sure Peterson regrets remarks he made, if he learns from them then great. But 2 or 3 men should not have so much power that they can crush a deserving young man of a dream that should have come true based on his RECORD.

And Jeannette Kandes Reed of Augusta, Georgia:

The Walker Cup team should be picked by rankings only.....each and every young man plays their hearts out throughout the school year and throughout the summer and to have it come down to some one or two persons either on the team or on the committee that has issues with an individual is a disgrace....golf is an individual sport, there are always issues, there is always jealousy, but when you pick a team, these guys have one thing on their minds and that is winning.....yes, it is a team, but you go head to head in match play, they are individually playing as a team. Whoever, had issues with John, grow up! The Peterson family is one of the nicest families you will be ever have the pleasure to meet. Too bad every year USGA or someone on the team feels the need to leave a deserving person out. John you have a bright future ahead of you, you went out on top as an amateur and a college player, I know you and your family are very proud, great job!