Tommy Gainey won the first Korn Ferry Tour event of the year on Wednesday, with an 11-under-par performance at The Bahamas Great Exuma Classic. The tournament victory comes just one month after Gainey was arrested in Florida for soliciting a prostitute and charged with a first-degree misdemeanor, as part of a massive prostitution sting called “Operation Santa’s Naughty List.”
New year new Tommy pic.twitter.com/HSs4FsOjB0
— Brendan Porath (@BrendanPorath) January 15, 2020
Well, the Golf Channel broadcast chose to completely ignore that piece of information during their coverage of the tournament (and after Gainey won it). Even if it’s an uncomfortable subject to talk about on a golf broadcast, it’s still a pretty important detail about a recent national story. As Golf Digest’s Joel Beall put it on Twitter: “Be it psychological, emotional, etc., what happened—and [Gainey’s] response to it—is relevant to his play.”
There's been no mention of Tommy Gainey's arrest on broadcast past 2 days. Guy was in wilderness (40 MCs, 0 Top 10s last 61 events), now on verge of first win since '12. Be it psychological, emotional, etc., what happened—and his response to it—is relevant to his play.
— Joel Beall (@JoelMBeall) January 15, 2020
Tommy Gainey was arrested in a prostitution sting 35 days ago. It was national news. Today, he won a significant golf tournament and the broadcasters didn't mention it one time. Not once during the 4 hours of coverage, not once after he won.
Not surprising, but like, come on. https://t.co/jO4fH6LSKi
— Dan Rapaport (@Daniel_Rapaport) January 15, 2020
The Golf Channel *website* at least mentioned the arrest and featured a quote from Gainey, in an article from Will Gray.
The victory also comes one month after Gainey was arrested for solicitation in Florida as part of a widespread prostitution sting. He tied for 76th the following week at Korn Ferry Tour Q-School.
“With the injuries that I’ve been through, the other troubles that I’ve had, I’m very lucky and very blessed,” Gainey said. “This means everything.”
About Matt Clapp
Matt is an editor/writer at The Comeback and Awful Announcing.
He can be reached by email at mclapp@thecomeback.com.