June 1, 2010
A Good Name: Priceless.
You know the Mastercard “priceless” commercials, right? They go something like this:
An airline ticket to Hilton Head Island: $800.
Lodging and meals for four days: $1500.
Accidentally breaking a golf rule: $400,000.
Maintaining your integrity: Priceless.
What I’ve just recounted is the story of professional golfer Brian Davis. The Englishman
had battled for four days in the PGA’s Verizon Heritage tournament to reach the top of
the leader board. He was now in a sudden-death playoff with Jim Furyk for the
championship.
With more than a million dollars on the line, he set himself to chip from a hazard onto the
green. As he took his backswing, his club barely brushed a reed, causing it to move.
This was a violation of rule 13.4 and carried with it a two-shot penalty.
Interestingly, no one saw the reed move. Thus, no one would have called the penalty.
Well, no one saw it move except Davis. Hopes of his first championship were willingly
relinquished as Davis called the penalty on himself.
Was there any consolation prize for such noble behavior? You’ll be glad to know that he
did get second place and $600,000. But I contend he got something even more valuable
than that.
One article that recapped the tournament bore the headline, “Honor over Heritage”—a
play on the name of the tournament. For Davis, being a man of honor was more
important that winning the Heritage championship. In a wonderful twist, by choosing
“honor over heritage,” Davis has secured an enduring heritage.
Proverbs 22:1 says, “A good name is more desirable than great riches; to be esteemed is
better than silver or gold.” In short, a good name: priceless.