Alright let’s start all the way back at the beginning so everyone knows the story here.
Earlier this week, NCAA officials made the outrageous decision to cancel regionals in Baton Rouge without one shot being played because of rain and standing water on the course.
Here’s the scene in Baton Rouge when officials canceled NCAA Regionals without one single shot being played over the course of three days. pic.twitter.com/JtchPN9zlt
— Golfweek (@golfweek) May 12, 2021
“Therefore, the top six teams that were seeded will advance along with the top three individuals that were not on those teams,” said Hurlbut, who is also the Fairleigh Dickinson athletic director. “Again, heart-wrenching decision that we had to make. The course is playable, but not playable at a championship level.”
Preposterous. Everything about that announcement was preposterous. The content of the announcement, the weird standing on the steps, the way they announced it, the way they just oddly turned around and walked away after announcing it, everything. Incredibly bizarre and borderline unbelievable. Imagine thinking that was the right way to do things. What does, “Playable, but not playable at a championship level” even mean????????
Here is an alternate angle that shows some of the players learning that their college careers came to an end right then and there, just like that.
So here it is, the LSU regionals at Baton Rouge has been cancelled due to the course being “PLAYABLE BUT NOT AT A CHAMPIONSHIP LEVEL”!!!!! Disgraceful how this whole week has been handled!!!! Every player worked so hard for this week and this is how we are treated!!! SHAMEFUL!!! pic.twitter.com/Z8FGrfYKLN
— Sara Byrne (@sarabyrne01) May 12, 2021
Awful. Just an absolutely surreal scene.
As you would expect, this (rightfully) led to a ton of outrage online about the decision to cancel the event.
This is what an unplayable course looks like according to @NCAA @USGA at the Baton Rouge regional. No water on the greens, looked even nicer yesterday when we couldn’t play either. After 18 years of playing golf I’ve never experienced anything like this pic.twitter.com/Oub1pJdACP
— Kristyna Frydlova (@frydlins) May 12, 2021
Here is the “UNPLAYABLE” golf course at the LSU regionals at Baton Rouge. As you can see the course is very much PLAYABLE. Two days have been called off as we have been told it’s difficult to walk on. Our coaches walked 18 holes today to see the course in good enough condition. pic.twitter.com/11VQFgI41G
— Sara Byrne (@sarabyrne01) May 11, 2021
This is what an unplayable course looks like according to @NCAA @USGA at the Baton Rouge regional. No water on the greens, looked even nicer yesterday when we couldn’t play either. After 18 years of playing golf I’ve never experienced anything like this pic.twitter.com/Oub1pJdACP
— Kristyna Frydlova (@frydlins) May 12, 2021
While walking the course only ONE maintenance worker was spotted and he wasn’t even working on the course. We were told everything was being done to get the course ready to play but from what was seen the last two days nothing is being done at all. pic.twitter.com/gVGI9Ualtz
— Sara Byrne (@sarabyrne01) May 11, 2021
From the moment it was called off yesterday so early in the day,around 11am,there was definitely a feeling of something wasn’t right. Again today was called off early with sun forecast the rest of the day. No reason we couldn’t have played with the course in the shape it is.
— Sara Byrne (@sarabyrne01) May 11, 2021
Yesterday afternoon Miami coach Patti Rizzo walked the course in Baton Rouge: “We should be out there playing right now.” pic.twitter.com/5tQwG7pRh2
— Beth Ann Nichols (@GolfweekNichols) May 12, 2021
The fact that it was considered playable is unreal. You have to be willing to pivot & adapt to make the things that matter, happen. Optics (which are terrible btw) aside, pragmatically there had to be backup plans. It’s golf for goodness sake. In the south.. where it rains often. https://t.co/sdcxQOW8Wh
— Amanda Balionis (@Amanda_Balionis) May 13, 2021
I’ve said it once and I’ll say it again. The NCAA sucks https://t.co/AilfSdSGvN
— Paige Spiranac (@PaigeSpiranac) May 12, 2021
This all leads up to Commissioner Riggs Barstool springing into action and putting out this press conference on Thursday.
Announcement. Inviting the following women’s golf teams to AZ next week:
Oregon St, Houston, Miami FL, North Texas, Purdue, Mississippi State, Tulsa, Sam Houston State, Kennesaw State, East Tennessee State, Jacksonville State, Quinnipiac.
& several individuals #LetThemPlay pic.twitter.com/X8zywqIBNU
— Riggs (@RiggsBarstool) May 13, 2021
Doing the right thing is that simple sometimes. It really is. When the NCAA does the wrong thing, somebody needs to come along, have a level head, pick up the pieces and try to do the right thing. That’s exactly what Riggs did by deciding to even attempt to throw together a college women’s golf tournament at the very last second so these players could finish their college careers in the way they deserve.
This idea was met with an overwhelmingly positive response.
Great things by @barstoolsports #LetThemPlay https://t.co/4Sb5DeYrk9
— Chandler Russell (@Chan_you_digit) May 14, 2021
Riggsy to the rescue! https://t.co/f4IWpiZUkk
— Matt Ginella (@MattGinella) May 14, 2021
The NCAA was unable to fulfill its commitment to hold a Regional Women’s Golf tournament in Baton Rouge for weather related reasons despite a playable course.
Barstool is funding an independent tournament for the 12 teams whose season ended abruptly. https://t.co/zLshS9cstu
— RedditCFB (@RedditCFB) May 14, 2021
#LetThemPlay https://t.co/aTn3MO5p2n
— Dave Portnoy (@stoolpresidente) May 13, 2021
Let’s go!!!! https://t.co/aZWFNJR80r
— Dave Portnoy (@stoolpresidente) May 13, 2021
Even from those shafted by the NCAA’s decision.
From there, things unfolded as such.
Update: Things looking good.
Honing in on a course. Half the teams have committed already. Planning to provide funds for expenses. 2 days of competition with team & individual champions. Grinding to ensure no compliance issues.
Working with @NCAA, not against. #LetThemPlay https://t.co/E5IThbnomu
— Riggs (@RiggsBarstool) May 14, 2021
Teams started to commit to the new event left and right as Riggs and the team worked tirelessly to find a course that would be willing to host the event.
Next up was working with the very organization that cancelled the original event in the first the place and set off this series of events.
Ironically it looks like we’re just waiting for the @NCAA to sign off. I have a course. I have hotels. We’re planning to cover expenses.
We just need to ensure the girls won’t get penalized or violate any compliance rules. And we need to know FAST. #LetThemPlay https://t.co/E5IThb5NuW
— Riggs (@RiggsBarstool) May 14, 2021
Update from early Friday morning: Nothing yet from the NCAA.
Good morning @NCAA. It’s 4:45am in California and I’m up just waiting for assurances our event will not be used to claim any players violated anything from a compliance standpoint. Then I send assurance to the coaches, they commit, book flights, and it’s a full go. #LetThemPlay https://t.co/E5IThbnomu
— Riggs (@RiggsBarstool) May 14, 2021
Imagine being the NCAA and not agreeing to the LTP Classic? They’re already facing an avalanche of horrific PR and they have the gall to make Riggs and the team wait while they figure out what to do? JUST APPROVE IT. Give the assurances that none of the players and coaches will be in violation and let these young women play. It’s really simple. You guys already fumbled the situation in the worst way so let somebody else try to fix it.
Thankfully, this happened.
The LTP Classic is a go. #LetThemPlay
Big, BIG props to @WhirlwindGolf stepping up and offering to host free of charge. No golf fees. They just want to help.
Next Thursday & Friday in Phoenix. Let’s do this. pic.twitter.com/332PCBeEAU
— Riggs (@RiggsBarstool) May 14, 2021
What a collaborative effort this has been. We’ve had Barstool spearheading it, Whirlwind offering to host for free, the Thunderbirds assisting in finding a venue, compliance offices from Miss State & Purdue. Let’s play some golf!! #LetThemPlay
— Riggs (@RiggsBarstool) May 14, 2021
“And just like that, The LTP Classic was born! Just really really awesome stuff. These days, Barstool Sports has the reach and resources to make something like this happen, so why not do it? Like I’ve said a million times above, it’s the right thing to do. People can paint Barstool Sports in whatever light they want but, when the chips are down, we will always do the right thing when it calls for it. I don’t see any other media company stepping up like this for women’s college golf, do you? Say whatever you want about Barstool Sports, we’ll keep rolling along and making cool shit happen. Haters be damned.”
“HUGE shoutout to Live Event Lisa. She’s the best in the biz.”
The biggest unsung hero of all this will be @Lisam_LL. After 10 days on the road for @BarstoolClassic she’s immediately dropping her week “off” from traveling to go to Arizona all week to run ops for a brand new college women’s golf tournament. Something we’ve never done 👏👏👏 https://t.co/Tud9qzC8lA
— Riggs (@RiggsBarstool) May 14, 2021
Honestly just a huge shoutout to everyone who put the LTP Classic together on such short notice. Riggs, Live Event Lisa, Whirlwind Golf, Barstool fucking Sports, everyone. I’m sure there’s a ton more people I’m not listing but shoutout to them as well. This is all VERY VERY cool.
So boom. Next week. Thursday and Friday. Phoenix. It’s on. #LetThemPlay.
Article originally appeared on: barstoolsports.com