Rick Pedone

Sports Editor

Citizen journalism is the rage in this digital era, but now we’ve taken it up a level.

Citizen officiating.

LPGA Hall of Famer Julie Inkster was disqualified from the Safeway Classic in Oregon Saturday for putting a weighted donut on her golf club to help her loosen up while her group was backed up during the third round of the tournament Saturday.

Inkster inadvertently violated rule 14-3, which apparently is just as onerous as rules 13-4, 12-2 and the other 2.5 million nitpicking edicts that collectively give golf’s hierarchy something to dwell on while they seek an antidote for John Daly’s pants.

Inkster admitted her mistake and accepted the disqualification. But, it wasn’t a tournament official that discovered the infraction.

She was ratted out via an e-mail from a television viewer who saw her taking practice swings with the donut on her club and contacted tournament officials.

This wasn’t an unprecedented action; in the past, men have been disqualified from PGA tournaments when TV viewers reported rules violations.

Still, it’s ridiculous.

What other professional sport allows fans to act as the eyes of the officials?

Why don’t we roll back Kansas City’s 1985 World Series championship because everyone watching on TV saw umpire Don Denkinger blow the call on the Royals’ Jose Orta at first base? Cardinals pitcher Todd Worrell clearly beat Orta to the bag in the ninth inning of Game 6, but Denkinger called Orta safe and the Royals rallied to win the game and, eventually, the World Series.

Or, how about when Dallas forward Brett Hull’s skate crossed the crease, a clear violation captured on replay, while scoring the winning goal to clinch the 1999 Stanley Cup against Buffalo? Think a few thousand Sabres fans wouldn’t mind changing that decision?

I’m not sure what it says about an individual who feels compelled to officiate a professional sports event from his/her couch. I definitely question his motivation. Does this person have a relative or friend in the tournament?

And, did this individual overlook other potential rules violations by other players, either because he had a vested interest, or simply because the TV cameras couldn’t capture every player’s actions throughout the event? For example, could he count the number of wedges in the players’ bags? Make sure they were playing the correct ball? You can’t officiate a pro golf tournament by remote control.

The LPGA should have responded to the e-mail with a polite “thank you” and left it at that.

It is the tournament officials’ jobs to monitor play on the course. They are trained for it. They are impartial.

Occasionally, those officials, many of whom are volunteers, make an error. Happens in every sport, every week. That’s just the way it is.

Under no circumstances should golf officials invite input from fans about determining whether a player is disqualified. What’s next, a vote on whether the “Hand of God” goal by Maradona at the 1986 World Cup should count?

Of all athletes, golfers are the most ethical in policing themselves. Inkster’s lapse is rare on the professional level. Golfers are more inclined to call 2-stroke penalties on themselves than to cheat.

As for those couch potatoes interested in umpiring sports events, I’ll invite them to contact their local city recreation department, Little League or high school sports association, all in need of officials.

ooo

And, mercifully, high school football season begins tonight when Liberty hosts East Ridge for its Kickoff Classic. The rest of the county gets busy Friday. Next week, college football begins and, finally, the NFL starts in two weeks.

When the highlight of summer sports is three NBA multi-millionaires preening in Miami, or phone-in officials eliminating Hall of Fame golfers from tournaments, then it’s definitely time for football.

Meanwhile, has anybody figured out where NASCAR went?