“I think they were probably bombarded"

Tod Leonard reports that the USGA has reversed it's decision on MacKinzie Kline, the 14-year-old whose doctors want her riding a cart in the U.S. Junior Girl's and U.S. Women's Amateur because of a heart condition.

USGA spokesman Marty Parkes said yesterday the ruling was made by the organization's three-person medical panel after receiving more documentation from the Klines last week.

“The more we looked into it, it was clear that because of her condition she needed a cart,” Parkes said.

“They stepped up and did the right thing,” said John Kline, MacKinzie's father. “They did more investigating rather than falling back just on what the rules were. They made the right decision.”

John Kline said he was deluged with e-mails and phone calls last week from supporters, many of them strangers, who vowed to contact the USGA to voice their displeasure.

“I think they were probably bombarded,” Kline said.

Of course, one wonders why they would have to be bombarded with emails and calls to figure this one out? And one wonders why one wonders about any bad USGA decision at this point?