The record book next year won't show Kate Wynja and Sioux Falls Christian as the state A girls golf champions, but she will be looked at as a champion by all.

Wynja shot a 79 on the first day of the tournament and was on her way to a 75 on the final day for a total score of +12 overall. She would have been five strokes ahead of second place Payson Birkeland of Belle Fourche.

That's when things went a little crazy on Tuesday (June 5) afternoon. Wynja marked a 4 on her scorecard for hole 18, when she in fact scored a 5. She signed and turned in her incorrect scorecard, left, and returned moments later to admit her honest mistake.

USGA rule 6-6 states that the "the competitor should check his/her score for each hole and settle any doubtful points with the Committee. He/she must ensure that the marker or markers have signed the score card, sign the score card and return it to the Committee as soon as possible." A breach of that rule constitutes as a disqualification.

Because of the disqualification, Birkeland of Belle Fourche became the individual champion, while Belle Fourche jumped Sioux Falls Christian to take the team title.

The win would have been Wynja's second consecutive individual Class A title. Her honesty and integrity is worth more than the award or plaque the SDHSAA would have given her for the victory. She should be revered and nobody should take anything away from her.

The record book won't have her name next to "champion" when the SDHSAA puts out the yearbook next year...

But we all know that there was truly only one individual winner.


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