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Ready for this? Because it’s wild. JB Holmes, who has played eight events on the PGA Tour this season, entered a scramble competition at a Tennessee club two weeks ago where Calcutta was nearly $30,000.
The only problem? Entered under an ambiguous name, his first and middle names: John Bradley.
Most people know who JB Holmes is. He’s a five-time PGA Tour winner – most recently at the 2019 Genesis Open, where he beat Justin Thomas by one margin – and even played for two Ryder Cup teams. The 41-year-old professional has made more than $25 million in his career.
As for John BradleyThe golfer who entered this tournament? It seems to have flown under the radar, but only for so long.
The wild incident first came to light via a Twitter account BeatinTheBookie.comwhich focus on sports disability. Ryan French of the Monday Q Info was the first to cover the story in depth with B Article published on Tuesday via unnamed members and sources. But search the web or scroll through social media, and it was still somewhat of a mystery or fairy tale with more questions than answers. It really couldn’t be JB Holmes, could it?
On Wednesday, Brooks T. West, owner and operator of the Franklin Bridge Golf Club in Franklin, Tennessee, the course where the accident occurred, spoke to GOLF.com to add clarity and clear up some misconceptions.
But first, he covered the most important question: Yes, JB Holmes entered the action under the name John Bradley.
The Gangsome is an annual two-day six-man stampede held at Franklin Bridge in which big money can be won through Calcutta. Four of the players must be members and each team can receive an additional handicap. However, the handicaps did not count towards tournament scoring.
No USGA handicap for Holmes can be found, but there is John Bradley at Three Ridges Golf Course in Knoxville, Tennessee, about 300 miles east of the Franklin Bridge, which holds a handicap of 9.6 (and a drop of 8.8). The number 8.8 is also what John Bradley included in a photo that circulated on social media.
But West said Holmes did not introduce himself to this handicap. Turns out, whether by design or accident, that Holmes was a late entry into the event, only two days earlier. He plays and trains from Troubadour, a luxury private course and community 15 miles off the road that is home to a few big-name pros. Some of the Troubadour members played in Gangsome last year, too.
According to West, with no handicap to spare for Holmes – aka John Bradley – the pro shop hastily searched the Internet and accidentally found John Bradley of Three Ridges Golf Course. That didn’t raise any eyebrows, West said, because the team Holmes was on didn’t have any extra handicaps anyway, so the number didn’t necessarily matter. And again, handicaps do not count in the scoring.
Twenty-two teams entered this year’s tournament, and after the first day they were divided into three rounds, with Calcutta staging the final day. Calcutta is an auction-style bet that is popular in many golf club tournaments. Golfers can bid on individuals or teams, and the money raised through the auction is put into a pot. If your golfer or team wins or puts in the money in the predetermined payout structure, you can win the money as well. And with thousands at stake, even though handicaps don’t affect scoring, it’s wise to have a good understanding of who’s in the field—especially if someone’s a five-time PGA Tour winner.
“If he had just said his name was J.B. Holmes, that would have been fine,” West said. “But it certainly would have spoiled the first trip in Calcutta, but at least it would have been based on real names.”
After the first day, Holmes led the team in 21-under, one ahead of their locker catchers. The trip on which Holmes was had Calcutta’s purse of about $30,000, of which 70 per cent (or about $21,000) would go to the team with the lowest score on the second day; The rest will go to the second place. The lowest two-day total on each trip will receive prizes. The Holmes team themselves did not buy in Calcutta, but they did buy half after someone else demanded an offer of $5,000 from them.
One source GOLF.com spoke to explained that it’s like putting a finger in a bowl of peanut butter, but not taking a big scoop: “I think they’re after a light hustle here.”
Early on the second day, West became suspicious when he saw player John Bradley swing. The golfer who was also holding a round held up a bit, so he pulled up to the third hole to watch.
“This sounds like J.P. Holmes,” West said thinking to himself. “Then he strikes, and I say, ‘This is J.B. Holmes.'”
West confronted the group, who were shy but eventually admitted that they wanted Holmes to have a good time and not be bothered by any extra attention the celebrity would bring.
It was decided that the team would take back the Calcutta entry fee and would not be eligible to receive any winnings. However, the team could still play for the trophy, which they won with a total of 41 in less than two days (they were also going to win Calcutta). Second place was 37 under.
Eventually, the true identity of John Bradley began to spread, but when the round ended and the players entered, Holmes and his teammates’ names were crossed from the leaderboard. According to French, Holmes was not at the post-tour festivities and his bandmates quickly departed (with their devices in tow); The French also reported that the announcement of their victory was not well received by the golfers still in attendance. (The West denies this claim.)
Holmes’ reps didn’t immediately respond to GOLF.com’s request for comment or a request to interview Holmes, but it looks like he’s found a place for his trophy — right among replica Ryder cups.
West said he doesn’t plan to exclude members of Holmes’ group from next year’s event, but he does plan to adjust the entry rules.
As for the club, one of the busiest in the metro Nashville area, it charges about $90 at peak times and gets more than 50,000 rounds a year. Now, it’s getting more national recognition, though West hopes Gangsome doesn’t become a celebrity/pro event anytime soon.
“It’s a story that will go on for decades,” West said.