J. Scott Butherus

Naples Daily News

Naples’ Philip Heasley, fishing aboard the Kallianassa in last week’s White Marlin Open in Ocean City, Maryland, thought he had the fish of a lifetime.

His 76.5-pound white marlin caught during the second day of what has been touted as the world’s richest billfish tournament on the planet was in line to collect a tournament-record purse of over $2.8 million. Through the final five days of the event, his fish held on to win all three divisions in a field that featured 329 registered teams.

On Tuesday, tournament president James Motsko announced that the Heasley’s purse was being withheld because of a “suspected rules violations.”

“Tournament directors, in coordination with the independent judges in the tournament, have made the determination to withhold the winning prize until it can be ensured that the prize is being paid to the proper recipient thereof," Motsko said via a release.

On Thursday, Heasley and his crew denied any wrongdoing.

“The Kallianassa’s excellent crew and superb captain have always maintained the highest levels of integrity; they will be vindicated and walking tall in the fishing community,” Heasley said in a prepared statement.

Neither Heasley nor event officials gave specifics as to nature of the violation. Heasley did not respond to multiple voicemails seeking further comment.

Tournament officials will conduct an investigation, which under tournament rules for any prize amount over $50,000 may include a polygraph test for Heasley and his crew.

Heasley's white marlin was the only white marlin which qualified in this year's tournament so it is unclear to whom the record $2.8 million award would go.