UA golfer praised for gaffe response
FAYETTEVILLE — University of Arkansas golfer Segundo Oliva Pinto made headlines in the sports world late Thursday and into Friday.
To be more precise, his caddie made the headlines for a match-deciding gaffe at the U.S. Amateur, while Oliva Pinto won followers throughout the world of golf for how he handled the incident.
Oliva Pinto was tied in his round of 16 match with Georgia Tech senior Tyler Strafaci on the par-5 18th hole with both players facing their fourth shot late Thursday at Bandon Dunes Golf Resort in Bandon, Ore.
Oliva Pinto’s shot would be a sand wedge from a greenside bunker, while Strafaci faced a tough up-and-down for par from about 30 yards short of the green.
As Oliva Pinto, a 20-yearold Argentinian, was sizing up where he wanted to land his shot from the sand, his caddie, Brant Brewer, hopped into the sand trap and rubbed his hand back and forth across the sand.
Though Brewer, a caddie at Bandon Dunes, tried to deny to a USGA rules official that he touched the sand, multiple camera angles caught him swishing it about. Strafaci’s caddie, his father, also attested to seeing him do it.
The penalty: Loss of the hole. And with that blunder, the match was over, with Strafaci awarded a 1-up victory.
Oliva Pinto was gracious in defeat. The transfer from UNC-Wilmington removed his cap and shook hands with Strafaci and conducted a calm interview with the Golf Channel after getting a big hug from his good friend and Arkansas teammate Julian Perico.
On Thursday night, Oliva Pinto posted a picture of himself and Brewer on his Instagram account with the words: “He is a good guy and a great friend. This can happen to anyone my man!!”
The official USGA Twitter account noted Oliva Pinto’s calm response to the incident, writing “Even after a Rules violation by his caddie that cost him the 18th hole and his Round-of-16 match, Segundo Oliva Pinto showed great class and sportsmanship.”
Perico posted a picture of himself and Oliva Pinto to his Twitter account Thursday night with the words: “Through thick and thin with my brother. Proud of the fight we put this week. But even more proud of the lesson this man gave to everyone yesterday!”
Tom VanHaaren, an ESPN golf reporter, said he spoke with Oliva Pinto on Friday and the player told him Brewer was in tears on Thursday night after the rules violation.
Brewer had multiple people reach out to him on social media to offer encouragement.