Golfer Loses Amateur Status over Poker Row

Golfer and online poker player Dusty Schmidt was set to challenge in court Tuesday a decision to rescind his amateur golfer status after he offered a $1 million challenge on his Website.

The hearing is to be heard in the US District Court in Portland, Oregon. Shmidt has chosen to represent himself in the case.

Schmidt, a former golf professional who makes his living as an online poker player, was stripped of his amateur status by the United States Golf Association after issuing a "Million Dollar Challenge" in April through his Website, 10thGreen.com. Under the challenge, Schmidt offered to pay $1 million dollars to anyone who could beat him at 72 holes of golf and at poker.

The USGA claims issuing the challenge technically makes Schmidt a professional, rather than an amateur.

Schmidt, who played golf professionally until suffering a heart attack at age 23, took up playing poker during his rehabilitation. He estimates that he has earned $3 million playing online poker.