You don’t see this every day.
A fight broke out during the middle of a qualifier for the Korn Ferry Tour’s Wichita Open on Monday at Sand Creek Station Golf Course in Newton, Kansas.
The Firepit Collective’s Ryan French – you know him on Twitter as @acaseofthegolf1 – was first to report on the altercation and arrest early Monday afternoon.
According to French’s reporting, the fight stemmed from one player, Austen Dailey, confronting another in the group, Luke Smith, about not helping to tend the pin or search for potentially lost golf balls. Smith, a University of Tennessee-Martin sophomore, had his dad on the bag and took exception to Dailey’s request for help with putting the pin back and looking for balls.
A source who played in the qualifier spoke on the condition of anonymity and confirmed the reason for the fight to Golfweek.
Full story from a source:
Player A who had been slow hits it left into trouble. Player B and Players B dad don’t help him look. At green Player A says “you could have helped look” Player B dad says “you could hit it straight”
And it was on. (Quotes not exact)
— Monday Q Info (@acaseofthegolf1) June 14, 2021
The tour released the following statement to Golfweek: “The Korn Ferry Tour is aware of the incident that occurred at today’s qualifier in Newton, Kansas. The individuals involved are not current Korn Ferry Tour members. We are in the process of gathering more details and have no further comment at this time.”
The altercation took place after Dailey hit a wayward shot on the par-3 7th hole. After both Luke Smith and his father allegedly failed to help look for the ball, Dailey approached the two and said how helping to look for errant shots might speed up the group. The Smiths then allegedly began to yell at Dailey about his own play, and as Dailey walked away, Luke Smith reportedly jumped on and started to punch him. When Fribbs attempted to break up the fight, Smith’s father began to use a putter to keep him from breaking up the fight.
Another group called the pro shop to come break up the fight. Smith was then taken to the clubhouse and arrested after Dailey decided to press charges.
“It was crazy, I can’t believe it happened,” said Fribbs of the fight after finishing his round at 7-over 79.
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