Golfer Has Top Score But Doesn't Win Tournament Because She's A Girl

UXBRIDGE, MA — Emily Nash had the highest score in the Central Mass. Division 3 golf tournament, but walked away without a win or a trophy. The reason? It was boys' tournament.

Nash, a 16-year-old student at Lunenburg High, shot a 75 during Tuesday's tournament, besting the top-scoring male from a Marlborough school, who was named the victor. Nash's score won't count, or even win her second-place. She won't even get to advance to next week's state tournament. Like someone who guessed the right lottery numbers but never bought a ticket, she gets nothing.

Nash told The Worcester Telegram & Gazette, which was first to report on this story, she was "disappointed," but understood the rules are in place. She was made aware beforehand that she wouldn't be able to advance as an individual competitor, but claimed that she was not informed that her win wouldn't really be a win.

"None of us are mad at the [Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association] or anything like that, but I was definitely a little bit disappointed," she told the Gazette.

MIAA rules state a girl can compete on the boys' team if the school doesn't field a girls' team.

“I just don’t think they ever planned for this scenario,” Nash's father, Bob, told the Gazette.

Read the full Telegram story here

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