Good news for amateur golfers: As of Jan. 1, you can compete in tournaments and take home prize money…as long as you give it to an approved charity, that is.

In what might be called the “Hideki Matsuyama Rule,” the USGA and R&A have added Rule 3-1b to the books, which “enables an amateur golfer to participate in an event where prize money or its equivalent is donated to a recognized charity, provided the approval of the governing body is first obtained in advance by the organizer.”

If you’ll recall, in 2011, following the tsunami in Japan, Hideki Matsuyama wanted to collect the winnings he was entitled to by virtue of his play (but wasn’t allowed to do so by virtue of his status).

“At the time we were not able to accommodate that request, but that prompted our review,” David Rickman, the R&A’s executive director of rules and equipment standards said of the incident.

Thus, four years later, with a revision to the Rules of Amateur Status, we have Rule 3-1b.

Of course, alert as ever for the possibility of corruption or the tainting of amateur golf, Rickman added: “What we have in mind here is, we’re looking for the governing bodies to have control of this process to direct these to charitable causes that have absolutely no connection to the amateur golfers concerned.”

“The rule requires governing-body approval in advance for this to take place. If the money was going to an independent and recognized charitable source, then obviously that approach would be given positive consideration.”

No word on if Sammy Schmitz would be able to win prize money and donate it to his GoFundMe…