Poker News Daily has learned that Dusty Schmidt, known in the online poker world as “Leatherass,” will drop his lawsuit against the United States Golf Association (USGA). He will likely play professional golf and continue his poker career.
A preliminary injunction originally scheduled for Monday, July 13th was delayed one day. The U.S. District Court in Portland, Oregon heard arguments as to why Schmidt should have his amateur status reinstated after USGA officials revoked it due to his now-infamous poker/golf challenge. The prop bet focused on whether anyone could defeat Schmidt over 72 holes of golf and 10 heads-up poker matches. No poker player or golf pro took Schmidt up on his challenge. However, the USGA still revoked his amateur status. Schmidt’s challenge was worth $1 million.
Schmidt told Poker News Daily on Wednesday, “I lost the preliminary injunction on July 14th. I didn’t lose it because I was in the wrong from a golf rules perspective. The judge gave the impression that what the USGA did to me was not right. But from a legal perspective, I did not have a strong enough legal remedy for him to rule in my favor. He equated it to a church excommunicating a member unfairly and there not necessarily being a legal remedy under which a judge can force the church to reinstate that member.”
The USGA’s website has a section devoted to gambling that reads, “The definition of an amateur golfer provides that an amateur golfer is one who plays the game as a non-remunerative and non-profit-making sport. When gambling motives are introduced, problems can arise which threaten the integrity of the game.” Promotions designed to “create cash prizes” are frowned upon by the USGA, which is located in Far Hills, New Jersey and serves as golf’s governing body in the United States and Mexico.
According to the Oregonian, a trial date in Schmidt’s lawsuit was set for September 22nd. He candidly told the Northwest news outlet, “The USGA is pretty ingeniously designed. The way their rules are set up, they’re almost impenetrable from a legal perspective. I don’t think I could win with O.J.’s lawyers. No matter what angle you tried to go for, they had the loophole covered. There was just no way.” His amateur status was officially revoked in mid-June after an e-mail received three days earlier cautioned Schmidt that participating in the challenge could jeopardize his amateur status.
What’s left for Schmidt now that playing golf as an amateur is no longer an option? The golfer and poker player told Poker News Daily, “At this point, I am going to continue to work with my instructor, two-time PGA tour winner Brian Henninger, and when the time is right, likely make the decision to reenter pro golf.” According to stats posted on PGA.com, Henninger has over $3.3 million in lifetime earnings from PGA events, including 44 finishes in the Top 25. His wins came in the Deposit Guaranty Golf Classic in 1994 and the Southern Farm Bureau Classic five years later.
In an article that appeared in July, the Associated Press noted that the USGA gave Schmidt the green light to reapply for amateur status, but “the process wasn’t timely enough because of the registration fees he’d already paid to compete in events over the summer.” In a July interview, Schmidt told Poker News Daily why maintaining amateur status was vital: “They have no professional events here [in Oregon]. I have a baby girl on the way and want to enjoy playing competitive golf close to home. If I have to play only in professional events, I’ll be forced to go on the road. I have no opportunity to play competitive golf here.”
