The Forecaddie was pleased to see no collegiate golf programs have been caught up in the federal indictments related to the college admissions bribery scheme as of yet. But golf is not without direct ties to the scandal.
The founder and guiding spirit of the GFore brand, Mossimo Giannulli, and wife Lori Loughlin of “Full House” fame are among the high-profile defendants on an indictment list that so far has ensnared 33 parents along with multiple coaches and administrators.
Giannulli sold GFore to Richemont’s Peter Millar brand in January 2018, and as the Forecaddie noted then, left Giannulli in place to continue steering his company as it has evolved into golf’s most popular hipster brand. A member of Bel-Air and Lakeside Country Clubs, Giannulli now faces a courtroom battle.
A cooperating witness in the federal indictment told investigators that Giannulli falsified a profile to portray his daughter as a coxswain for the L.A. Marina Club in an effort to gain her admittance to USC. Giannulli sent a photo of his younger daughter on an indoor rowing machine that was used to create fake images of her non-existent rowing career.
The Man Out Front will be keeping an eye on the scandal and how it might impact the IMG Academy, where a top college admissions advisor was arrested. Given that IMG says no other golf academy has “generated as many college scholarships or put as many players on professional tours as the IMG Academy,” The Forecaddie is understandably concerned.
Also taking plenty of heat is USC athletic director Lynn Swann, a former PGA of America independent director and prominent member of Augusta National. Over the last 18 months, five with ties to USC athletics have been arrested by the FBI, according to the Los Angeles Times. Under Swann’s watch, men’s and women’s water polo coach Jovan Vavic faces charges in the bribery scheme along with senior associate athletic director Donna Heinel. Vavic and Heinel were fired by the university.
Stay tuned.
