Grant Whybark

Last spring, University of St. Francis (Joliet, Ill.) golfer Grant Whybark secured a spot in the NAIA National Championship by virtue of his team winning the Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference title.  All of the members of the winning team qualify for nationals, as well as the individual winner of the tournament.  With his ticket to nationals already punched, Whybark still had a chance to win the individual title.  The sophomore found himself in a playoff with Olivet Nazarene University Senior Seth Doran, who had to win to advance to the NAIA championship.  The St. Francis golfer made his intentions clear on his tee shot.  Whybark intentionally hit his ball 40 yards to the right of the fairway and finished with a double bogey on the hole.  Doran made par and won the playoff.  When asked why he did it, Whybark told Yahoo! Sports, “We all know Seth very well.  He not only is a very good player, but a great person as well.  It was one of those things where I couldn’t feel good taking something from him like this. My goal from the start was to get to nationals with my team.  I had already done that.”  Some national pundits scratched their heads at Whybark’s actions, but the young man provided a simple explanation:  “I think some people were surprised, but my team knew what I was doing and was supportive of me.  I felt Seth deserved to go to nationals just as much as I did.” The light of a man’s character shines long after the polish on his trophies has faded.