In a surprising turn of events, Linda Chen, a former professional golfer, thought she had won a brand-new Mercedes-Benz after hitting a hole-in-one at a charity golf tournament. However, she was left disappointed and frustrated when the prize was denied to her. As a result, Chen has taken legal action and filed a lawsuit against various groups involved in organizing, advertising, and sponsoring the tournament for breach of contract.

According to the lawsuit, Chen argues that by participating in the Fins on the Fairway golf tournament, paying the entry fees, and hitting a hole-in-one, she had fulfilled all the requirements outlined in the contract to be eligible for the prize. Chen believes that she accepted the defendants' offer, formed a contractual agreement, and met her obligations. As a result, she believes she is entitled to either the prize, a Mercedes E Class, or its value of $90,000.

However, the defendants, including the owner of the group that organized the event, Timothy Galvin, and the president of Ace Hole In One, the company that insured the prize, dispute Chen's eligibility. They argue that Chen failed to disclose her full history as a golfer when registering for the tournament, which would have disqualified her from winning the prize. Galvin claims that Chen did not mention her amateur status on her LinkedIn page or inform the tournament ahead of time. Furthermore, he points out that other professional golfers participating in the event had disclosed their status, demonstrating that it was possible for Chen to do the same.

Chen, in her defense, states that she only competed as a professional golfer from 1994 to 1996 and has been officially registered as an amateur with the U.S. Golf Association for over 15 years. She believes that her status as an amateur should have made her eligible to win the prize.

The charity tournament, which took place on May 22 at the Isleworth Golf & Country Club in Central Florida, was a fundraising event for Nova Southeastern University Orlando. The Mercedes-Benz was advertised as the prize for anyone who achieved a hole-in-one. However, when Chen successfully sank her ball in one shot on the 11th hole, Galvin refused to acknowledge her win. According to the lawsuit, Galvin dismissed her and abruptly walked away when she approached him to claim her prize.

Chen persisted and followed up with her Proof of Claim, but was informed by Galvin in a June 14 email that her hole-in-one prize claim had been denied. Galvin contends that he wasn't dismissive of Chen and claims that it was Ace Hole In One that made the final decision regarding her eligibility. He asserts that he had initially informed Chen that her former professional status might be an issue and assured her that he would communicate further with her.

Galvin maintains that Chen's lawsuit contains multiple inaccuracies. He emphasizes that he has worked with Ace Hole In One on numerous events where eligible participants have won prizes. He believes that the court proceedings will expose the truth about who is eligible, who is responsible, and who should be held accountable for the outcome.

As the legal battle continues, Linda Chen remains determined to fight for what she believes is rightfully hers. The court will ultimately determine the outcome of this dispute, shedding light on the eligibility criteria and responsibilities of both the organizers and participants in charity golf tournaments.