Agostini On Golf: Teen shows proper respect for golf rules

By Ron Agostini
ragostini@modbee.com

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Junior golf, at its core, is designed to instill all those life-lesson cliches — sportsmanship, honesty, character, etc.

San Jose's Tharusyan Pillay, 13, has bought into the concept.

Pillay, an incoming freshman at St. Francis of Mountain View, was locked in a tight match, the 12-13 division final of the JGANC/NCPGA Championship last week at Ripon's Spring Creek Country Club. He and his opponent, Bradley Knox of San Jose, prepared to hit their second shots on the 19th hole.

(The Modesto Bee) - Ron Agostini, Bee Sports Columnist

What happened next will reinforce your hope for the younger generation.

Pillay's ball moved slightly, no more than a quarter of a revolution, as he addressed his second shot. Neither Knox nor the marker noticed, but Pillay knew he had violated Rule 18-2, and immediately notified both and called the penalty on himself.

He replaced his ball, according to the rules, knocked his third shot onto the green and holed a 20-foot putt for a hard-earned par.

Knox two-putted and the match continued to the 20th hole. Pillay birdied to eventually win — in this case, the golf gods smiled on him — but his painful honesty contained the more important victory.

"We're talking about a 13-year-old kid in the biggest competition of the year. It meant something to him," said Hollister's Terry Sullivan, board director of the Junior Golf Association of Northern California, who witnessed the episode. "He understood what golf is all about."

Sullivan, the head pro at Santa Teresa Golf Club in San Jose, knows Pillay because the teenager plays at his course. Nevertheless, he would have been impressed by any youngster who lives up to golf's lofty expectations.

"I told him after the match, 'What you did out there was bigger than your win,' " Sullivan said.

Golf's self-policing seems almost archaic in today's anything-goes society where many people truly believe, "If you aren't cheating, you're aren't trying."

Thankfully, golf does not go there. One of the standard bearers was Bobby Jones, who lost the 1925 U.S Open by penalizing himself for an incident similar to Pillay's. Praised later, he dismissed the incident with his famous response: "You may as well praise a man for not robbing a bank."

Kanasan and Shasi Pillay clearly had a plan for their son. He was introduced to the game at age 4 and tournament golf at 8.

"My husband plays golf, and he's always told Tharusyan if there's any doubt, call the official," Shasi said. "We're very happy he did the right thing."

Pillay returned to Santa Teresa on Monday and received congratulations from many friends — for his honesty as much as his victory. Chalk up another win for junior golf.

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HOLES-IN-ONE — Matthew Thomas, Gustine, 90-yard 12th at Stevinson Ranch, sand wedge. ... Tom Matthews, Sonora,135-yard 12th at Mountain Springs, Sonora, 8-iron.

Bee sports writer Ron Agostini can be reached at 578-2302 ragostini@modbee.com.