Golf amateur Paul Dunne is set for a bittersweet victory Monday at The Open championship at St. Andrews in Scotland.
He’s tied for first place as the competition enters its fifth and final day, but because of his amateur status, he’s unable to claim any prize money. Zilch. Zero. Nada.
The winner should walk away with £1.15 million ($1.8 million), but according to the rules, the prize money can only be awarded to a professional golf player.
Dunne’s success at The Open is raising awkward questions about how the cash should be doled out if the 22-year old goes on to win.
The awards committee is still discussing whether the highest ranked professional will get the top prize in those circumstances, a spokesman for the organizers told CNNMoney.
American hotshot Jordan Spieth, 21, is currently lying just behind Dunne. He’s vying for his third major victory in a row, after turning professional in 2012.
This year, there’s £6.3 million ($9.8 million) in prize money to be shared among the top 70 players. Even a player that comes in 70th can win £14,500 ($22,550) — provided they’re considered a professional golfer.
According to Bleacher Report, the last time an amateur won the historic tournament was in 1930. The winner — Bobby Jones — has been called “the greatest player who remained amateur to ever play the game,” according to the official website for The Open.
Dunne is currently ranked 80 by the World Amateur Golf Ranking.
His next tee-off time is at 2:30 p.m. local, or 9:30 a.m. ET.