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Jim Thorpe Faces Tax Evasion Charges
Jim Thorpe, the man with one of the most interesting swings in all of golfdom, is in trouble with the IRS. Unlike a slew of recent cabinet appointees and other high level government job seekers who have neglected to pay taxes, Mr. Thorpe has been charged with four counts of failure to file an income tax return and three counts of failure to pay income taxes. These charges carry a maximum 7 years in jail and up to a $3.2 million dollar fine.
Jim Thorpe, the man with one of the most interesting swings in all of golfdom, is in trouble with the IRS. Unlike a slew of recent cabinet appointees and other high level government job seekers who have neglected to pay taxes, Mr. Thorpe has been charged with four counts of failure to file an income tax return and three counts of failure to pay income taxes. These charges carry a maximum 7 years in jail and up to a $3.2 million dollar fine. We’re into high stakes stuff here, and not for the first time. Mr. Thorpe was investigated by the IRS for failure to file tax returns for the years 1992 through 1995. He was not prosecuted because he said he relied on the advice of two accountants.
Mr. Thorpe has played in more than 300 Champions Tour events, earning more than $13 million. His earning from his PGA Tour career netted him more than $2 million. In addition he earned endorsement fees from Harrison Sports, Callaway Golf, and from sponsors such as Foxwood Casino. The government also states he earned more than $1.7 million gambling, which he used to continue gambling. That last statement is indicative of the mastering of the obvious by federal prosecutors. Hey, the guy won $1.7 million and took his winnings and was never seen inside a casino again. Sure, and I eat one potato chip and close the bag up until tomorrow.
A long time ago I was instructed by a high priced attorney there are three people you never lie to; your lawyer first, your clergyman second, and any representative of the IRS because the penalties for that are so severe. That advice has stood me in good stead ever since. So I have to wonder why after one incident with the IRS would Mr. Thorpe provide any reason at all for that agency so come snooping into his affairs a second time. I have to believe, as with the government appointees whose dirty laundry was hung on a very public line, it’s because he thought he could get away with it. Now before you jump to conclusions that I am convicting Mr. Thorpe without knowing anything about the details of the case here’s what his attorney Mark Horwitz had to say: "We look forward to having a trial," Mr. Horwitz said this afternoon. "We don’t think he’s willfully violated the law. That’s not to say he doesn’t owe the tax; but we don’t think he’s guilty of a crime." That says to me he owes the government some money, but like the public figures this was not due to any criminal behavior but rather an honest mistake. Pardon me if that doesn’t stretch my belief system just a tad far.
Mr. Horwitz continued, "I think the timing of it is sort of interesting in the sense of what we’ve just seen coming out of Washington with a Cabinet secretary and some other Cabinet-level appointees," he said, referring to the tax troubles of some of President Obama’s nominees. I have to agree with this, it does open the argument that folks in the government get treated differently than folks outside that exclusive club. I also have to wonder why they have chosen to prosecute a professional golfer, after all this wouldn’t make the local paper were I the object of this investigation.
I just don’t comprehend the prosecutor’s thinking in this case. It would seem to me ill conceived and ill timed, but then with all the other craziness going on in the country today I guess I shouldn’t be surprised. It serves as a reminder to never ever mess with the IRS.
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Tour Rundown: 4 straight for Nelly | Bhatia outlasts McCarthy
A week of southern USA golf with a gambler’s flair, concluded on Sunday. The Augusta National Women’s Amateur and the national Drive, Chip, and Putt finals were celebrated in Augusta, Georgia. The LPGA offered its version of the OK Corral with the annual match-play event in Las Vegas. The Korn Ferry Tour gathered in Savannah, Georgia, for the Club Car Championship. Finally, the PGA Tour offered a final opportunity to qualify for this week’s Masters tournament, at the Texas Open.
In order to run something down, you have to be faster. Luckily for me, I took typing in school. Let’s run down a bunch of events this week, beginning in Augusta.
Augusta National Women’s Amateur: Woad wins
The ANWA begins play each year with 36 holes at Champions Retreat golf club, north of Augusta and adjacent to the Savannah river. A cut is made, and the finalists move to the storied Augusta National golf club two days later, for the third round. On Friday, every golfer in the field has the opportunity to play a practice round at ANGC, cut made or not. It’s a nice touch that sweetens the week for golfers like Carolina Lopez-Chacarra, who has missed the cut by one shot, each of the last two years.
Sweden’s Ingrid Lindblad is currently the most successful contestant in ANWA history. The LSU all-america golfer has thrice finished inside the top three at Augusta National. This year, she posted minus-four to claim solo third position. Ahead of her was Bailey Shoemaker, a former New Yorker who now lives in Florida, and is bound for the University of Southern California. Shoemaker posted six birdies against zero bogies on day three, for a dream score of 66. She moved from one-under par to the top of the leader board, at seven deep.
As the golfers with leads began to lose their way, Shoemaker’s position looked better by the minute. Even the overnight leader, Lottie Woad of England and Florida State University, began to stumble. Her bogey at the par-five 13th dropped her two shots behind Shoemaker. It was then that magic returned to the National. Woad secured a birdie with a 15-feet putt at the long 15th, to move within one of the leader. After a par at the 16th, Woad faced the uphill climb of the final two holes.
At 17, Woad ripped a long drive up fairway center, then finessed a wedge to 15 feet, and holed the putt for a three. At the home hole, she was long with her approach, and faced a downhill putt from … you guessed it, just about 15 feet for the victory. As the putt turned left, into the center of the hole, the magnitude of what Woad had done began to sink in. Three-under par over the closing four holes takes a special something, and all Bailey Shoemaker could do, was smile and acknowledge Woad’s work.
The winning moment for Lottie Woad.#ANWAGolf pic.twitter.com/bedGPJ4wRQ
— Augusta National Women’s Amateur (@anwagolf) April 6, 2024
PGA Tour @ Texas Open: AB takes down DMC for second Tour title
It’s a good thing that Akshay Bhatia was paired with Denny McCarthy on day four, else he might not have believed what transpired. There was AB, with a four-shot advantage after 54 holes, targeting a second triumph and a Masters invitation. There was McCarthy, attempting to break through for his own, maiden Tour title. After nine holes on Sunday, the lead had swelled to six shots. At that point, the Silver Streak rolled into town.
Bhatia played a decent back nine, overcoming a bogey at ten with three other birdies. And he got annihilated by McCarthy. The 2015 Porter Cup champion made but one par on the inward half, at the 11th. He wrote “birdie” on the other eight holes, closed in 28 (eight under for the nine) and tied Bhatia at 20-under par. Rory McIlroy probably felt good about his 66, which moved him to third position, but he could only claim the “A” Flight on this day. He was nine shots back of the playoff.
As for the playoff, it was an anticlimax. Moments after making birdie at the par-five closer, McCarthy could not repeat his sucess. Despite a celebratory shoulder injury, Bhatia did make four, and the tournament and Masters invitation were his.
An update on Akshay Bhatia’s shoulder injury. https://t.co/iYKkZXlTKc pic.twitter.com/U08UYGHmiX
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) April 7, 2024
LPGA @ T-Mobile Match Play: No JK; NK has four straight
If it looks like stroke play, and smells like stroke play, it just might be match play. The LPGA took a page from the Western Amateur script this year. Three rounds of stroke play took place from Wednesday to Friday, as the field was trimmed to 65, and then to 8. The great eight then went head to head to decide who moved on and who went home. Four golfers tied for the eighth position, and three holes later, Moriya Jutanugarn had defeated Yuka Saso, Brooke Henderson, and Hae Ran Ryu for the right to move into match play.
Leona Maguire had been the queen of Shadow Creek, site of the event, and she preserved that royal title with a 4 & 3 win over Jutanugarn in round one of knockout play. Joining her in the semifinals were Sei Young Kim (6 & 5 over Rose Zhang), Narin An (1 up over Minami Katsu) and Nelly Korda (3 & 2 over Angel Yin.) The penultimate round saw Maguire (3 &2) and Korda (4 & 3) emerge triumphant, creating a dream conclusion pitting two of the top young talents.
Proponents of match play point to the elimination of all other competitors save the one. Medal-play aficionados reply by saying shoot a number and let the chips and putts fall where they may. On this day, Leona Maguire posted plus-two through the fifteen holes of the match, while Nelly Korda played the sequence in three below par, It doesn’t matter which style of competition you prefer. A five-shot difference tells you all that you need to know, about who played better that day.
On the occasion of her fourth consecutive victory on the LPGA circuit, Nelly Korda is the best player of this day, this week, this month. What a run.
Nelly is NOT messing around on 15 ???? pic.twitter.com/CZILDIECjJ
— LPGA (@LPGA) April 8, 2024
Korn Ferry Tour @ Club Car Championship: Fisk takes risk and wins in Savannah
Philip Knowles and Kevin Roy each had thoughts on a first-time win on the KFT this week, but their hopes and dreams were postponed. Knowles dropped back from 1st to 3rd with a final-round 71. He tied John Pak and Max McGreevey at 12-deep, two shots behind the first-place tie. Roy posted 72 and finished one shot farther back, in a tie for sixth at minus-eleven. The spotlit stage for overtime was occupied by Rob Oppenheim and Steven Fisk. Fisk closed with 68, moving up two shots in the process. Oppenheim went one better, finishing off a day-four 67 with a jittery 36 on the inward half.
Oppenheim turned in 31 shots on Sunday, and looked for all the world to be on his way to a convincing victory. Nerves and jitters got in the way, and he matched bogeys and birdies on the way home for minus-14. In the playoff, Steven Fisk was able to negotiate par from the final hole at The Landings, and it was enough to earn the title. Oppenheim’s bogey-six relegated him to a coveted, but frustrating, second-place finish. And for those not in the know, it was Fisk who earned the breakthrough, initial victory on the KFT.
It doesn’t get more clutch than this ?
Georgia local Steven Fisk chips it within inches to make a tap-in birdie on his last and join Rob Oppenheim at the top of the leaderboard. pic.twitter.com/gGF1ZD5f54
— Korn Ferry Tour (@KornFerryTour) April 7, 2024
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7 PGA TOUR courses you need to play
Golf is a unique sport in that you can play where the pros play and make golf history of your own. Nothing in golf can compare to playing a world-renowned course and following in the footsteps of the game’s best golfers. The feeling is incomparable, and it’s one we think more golfers should experience!
To get you started, here are our picks of the best PGA TOUR courses you can (and should!) play:
PGA Tour courses you can (and should) play
- Pebble Beach
- TPC Sawgrass – Stadium Course
- Arnold Palmer’s Bay Hill
- Torrey Pines – South
- Harbour Town
- PGA National – Champion
- Innisbrook Resort – Copperhead
Pebble Beach Golf Links (AT&T Pro-Am, U.S. Open, PGA Championship)
One of the most recognizable golf courses in the world, Pebble Beach Golf Links is the definition of a bucket golf course. Golfers will play iconic holes like the par-3 7th to the stunning par-5 18th. Enjoy great views of the Pacific Ocean as you play amongst the clifftop fairways and make memories that will last a lifetime when you play this PGA TOUR and major championship course.
TPC Sawgrass – Stadium Course (THE PLAYERS Championship)
Home to arguably the most famous par 3 in golf, the Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass is a top bucket-list course designed by Pete and Alice Dye. A challenging layout awaits that will test all facets of your game, especially shot shaping and course management. Subtle elevation changes, undulating greens, and unique bunkering add a degree of difficulty that stump even the best players in the world. Not to mention one of the best finishing stretches in golf with the long par-5 16th, the iconic 17th hole island green, and the testy par-4 18th.
Arnold Palmer’s Bay Hill (Arnold Palmer Invitational)
A course fit for “The King” is what you will experience when you visit Orlando and play Bay Hill’s Championship Course. This classic Florida layout offers generous landing areas off the tee with few trees, but bunkers guard the greens and large ponds will make you rethink your shot choices. The course is only available for members and guests staying at The Lodge, so a stay is required to play this stunning course. But with year-round sunshine and pristine course conditions, it is never a bad time to visit Bay Hill!
Torrey Pines – South (Farmers Insurance Open, U.S. Open)
Another California clifftop course that should be on your bucket list is the South Course at Torrey Pines. Located just north of San Diego, this annual PGA TOUR stop has also hosted two U.S. Opens, which adds to the allure of the property. Narrow fairways and tall rough combined with amazing views of the Pacific Ocean and the California coastline make for an unforgettable round of golf. Large bunkers and elevation changes add to the challenge of the course, but the moderately sized greens offer golfers some respite. Who would’ve thought that a municipal course could be so exciting?
Most recognized by the famous red and white striped lighthouse behind the 18th green, Harbour Town is the brainchild of Pete Dye and Jack Nicklaus on Hilton Head Island, South Carolina. While the course is relatively short for a PGA TOUR event, the challenging design offsets length for accuracy with the narrow fairways framed by overhanging trees making it a shot makers course. A majority of the course winds through the wooded and sandy terrain before looping back towards the coastline with the final two finishing holes playing along the water.
PGA National – Champion Course (Honda Classic, Ryder Cup, PGA Championship)
With the prominent golf tournaments this course has held, it is hard to leave it off the list. A fantastic Jack Nicklaus design, the Champions Course at PGA National is also home to a famous stretch of golf holes called “The Bear Trap.” The fairways and greens are player-friendly while the bunkers and water hazards are the course’s biggest defense. You will enjoy a 5-star experience and feel like a professional when you visit PGA National’s Champion Course.
Innisbrook Resort – Copperhead Course (Valspar Championship)
One of the more under-the-radar courses on Tour, the Copperhead Course at Innisbrook Resort still offers a challenge even to the pros. Designed by Lawrence Packard, the course, while not heavily wooded, requires accuracy with tight fairways, strategically placed bunkers, especially around the greens, and a decent amount of water hazards that come into play. As you head towards the clubhouse, you will encounter “The Snake Pit;” a collection of the most difficult finishing holes on the PGA TOUR.
There you have it, GolfWRXers. Have you played any of these PGA TOUR tracks? What was your experience? Let us know in the comments.
Editor’s note: This article is presented in partnership with Golfbreaks. When you make a purchase through links in this article, GolfWRX may earn an affiliate commission.
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Morning 9: Anthony Kim speaks | New TGL team | ANWA contenders
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flyer
Mar 19, 2009 at 9:07 am
Tax evasion is a crime, but tax avoidance is a moral obligation. It keeps our government honest, or at least attempts to. If Thorpe crossed the line he should be forced to pony up and possible pay additional penalties, but good for him for trying. He should have used a better tax lawyer.
Jiovanne
Mar 16, 2009 at 2:30 pm
There are individuals on this post who are attacking government as if it were the main issue here. Yes, sometimes the tax issue isn’t fair but we must all pay taxes. Why does Jim think because he makes more he can just evade? What makes this more interesting to me is that he’s a very outspoken individual on the growth of the game and minority involement in golf. As a role model and voicebox you’d think he’d be a little more carefull with what he does. Think before you speak.
Steve
Mar 15, 2009 at 11:28 am
Mr. Thorpe has spent the better part of his life training & practicing for professional sports. So, he trains himself to a level in golf where most of us only dream of playing. However, when he gets to professional level our federal government decides they are owed part of his spoils. For what effort has the government decided they deserve his money? Perhaps funding entitlement programs, making our corrupt politicians more affluent seems a good idea for some. But, please consider that Mr. Thorpe has put forth a lot of effort to be able to compete at his level & I for one think as likely Mr. Thorpe does; that government is not entitled to a darn nickel of it.
Jason
Mar 5, 2009 at 5:27 pm
The argument that people in the government get treated differently has been open for decades, are you just now realizing this? And of course this makes the news….Jim Thorpe is somewhat ‘famous’. Who are you? Some beat writer for the wrx? You’re right, I’m sure nobody would really care if you didn’t pay your tax.
And a note to Mr. Thorpe, pay your taxes, please. The freeloaders in this country need you now more than ever.
Jackson
Feb 27, 2009 at 11:53 pm
what a leech on society. the government may rip you off but Mr. Thorpe is freeloading off other tax paying citizens. It’s not like he really needs more money. Totally lost respect for this guy.
Dayton
Feb 20, 2009 at 5:42 pm
How could anyone be so stupid. What possible defense could there be for not filing a return.
Gary
Feb 19, 2009 at 12:06 am
The IRS couldn’t go after Mr. G because of the SOL. However, I do not think he is fit to serve in any governmental position.
Watch
Feb 18, 2009 at 5:07 pm
Plan A: Do not get caught.
Plan B: If caught — either in intentional evasion, or in an honest mistake — do not go to jail. Make nice.
Our federal, state and local governments rip you off twenty ways to Sunday already. No matter what the illegal law says, Big Jim does not owe the government money. But they’ll manage to steal it from him anyway.
Paybax
Feb 18, 2009 at 3:28 pm
So in the US you have to pay tax on your winnings? So does that mean you can claim your losses as well?
Mike Crozier
Feb 18, 2009 at 1:14 am
won 1.7 million gambling??? daly and mickelson should be taking lessons from this guy.