Report: Questions remain after forced WD at WMGA event
03 Aug 2018
by AmateurGolf.com Staff
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Marianna Monaco (NYSGA photo)
More than a week later, questions still surround Marianna Monaco’s forced withdrawal from the Women’s Metropolitan Golf Association’s Stroke Play Championship.
The story was reported by Golfworld on Aug. 1.
Monaco won the New York Women’s Amateur in 2017 and played college golf for South Carolina. She also played on the team that represented New York in the 2017 USGA State Team Championship.
After a disagreement at the WMGA event at North Shore Country Club in Glen Head, N.Y., on July 24-25, Monaco reported that she was presented with a letter from the WMGA – a photo of which she posted on her Facebook account – that asked her to withdraw from the event for a refund of her tournament entry fee. Monaco wrote a corresponding Facebook caption giving the reason for her forced withdrawal as having intimidated WMGA staff.
Golfworld published this statement from the WMGA:
“When conducting our tournaments, we require tournament participants to abide by the rules of those host clubs. When, as was the case with Ms. Monaco at a recent event, a tournament participant flagrantly violates the rules of a host club, the WMGA takes action to prevent additional violations.
"At the event, Ms. Monaco intentionally hit golf balls at the driving range beyond the yardage limits set by the club (beyond those limits is an inhabited public area). Ms. Monaco was requested by the host club to stop her conduct and to conform to their rules. The WMGA reiterated the host club’s request, yet for reasons we cannot comprehend, Ms. Monaco continued to violate the rules and hit balls into the public area.
"It was not the first time the WMGA has had issues with Ms. Monaco violating host club policies. Based on her history of inappropriate conduct, the WMGA asked Ms. Monaco to withdraw from the tournament and the WMGA.”