Yahoo Sports Fight breaks out between golfers, caddie at Korn Ferry Tour qualifying event over pace of play
A fight broke out among golfers trying to make it into the Korn Ferry Tour’s Wichita Open on Monday morning, making for one of the craziest Monday Qualifiers in recent history.
The Korn Ferry Tour did not identify the players involved, though only one player in the threesome in question finished his round. A player who participated in the event confirmed the altercation to Yahoo Sports on the condition of anonymity.
“The Korn Ferry Tour is aware of the incident that occurred at today’s qualifier in Newton, Kansas,” the Tour said in a statement, via Golfweek. “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.”
One of the golfers, Luke Smith, was then arrested, according to ESPN's Mark Schlabach. Smith was charged with one count of misdemeanor battery.
Fight breaks out at Korn Ferry Tour Monday Qualifier
The altercation on Sand Creek Station Golf Course in Newton, Kansas — which was first reported on by The Firepit Collective’s Ryan French — started after a threesome started to fall behind after one of the members hit a few errant balls.
Derek Fribbs was in the threesome in question, and told French that Smith and his father — who was caddying for him — didn’t help him or the other player look for lost balls and wouldn’t replace the pin on the greens.
The fight itself broke between the seventh green and eighth tee after the second player reportedly confronted Smith and his father for not helping. Smith then swung on the other and the two went to the ground in a scuffle, a source confirmed to Yahoo Sports, while the golfer’s father kept Fribbs and others from intervening.
The altercation eventually died down and the group teed off on No. 8, but pro shop officials who were called by other groups on the course showed up and then walked off with the two players — leaving Fribbs to finish his round alone.
The player who was punched reportedly said he intended to press charges.
"[Smith] held the victim down until he said 'uncle,' and then released him," Newton, Kansas, police said in a statement, via ESPN.
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
Fribbs finished his round alone, and had an official walk with him as an official spotter. He finished with a 7-over 79, and didn’t qualify for the Wichita Open.
The Wichita Open is set to kick off Thursday at the Crestview Country Club.
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