7-Year-Old Exhibits True Meaning of Sportsmanship

What did you do the last time you realised you made a mistake on the golf course? If you just ignored it and played on you’re probably in need of a sport’s etiquette lesson from Yago Horno Mateo.

The seven-year-old from Spain won a competition earlier this month only to discover later that he had incorrectly signed his scorecard. Instead of keeping quiet and hanging onto his win the young golfer decided to write a letter to his local golf association explaining the error and returning the trophy.

Yago’s father told a Spanish newspaper, “He [Yago] was very worried about the reaction of others. It was a genuine mistake but he didn’t want anyone to think that he was a cheat, and he really didn’t want his mum to know.”

For his incredible display of honesty and grace, Yago is getting some well-deserved praise for his actions. In a statement the Royal Andalusia Golfing Federation said, “We want to recognise this wonderful gesture of a player who, at a mere seven years of age, has proven to be a true gentleman.” Adding, “He has already learnt that the most important thing golf can teach us: honesty and a respect of the rules and of your peers.”

So next time you’re playing with friends and thinking of taking that mulligan remember Yago!