Is This a Serial Offender?”: Cheating Incident on PGA Tour Event Left Padraig Harrington Perplexed Once Again

Is This a Serial Offender?”: Cheating Incident on PGA Tour Event Left Padraig Harrington Perplexed Once Again

The PGA Canada Tour has hosted numerous legendary professionals competing for its prestigious title, with notable participants including Stephen Ames, Moe Norman, and George Knudson, among others, showcasing exceptional skill, innate talent, and impressive strokeplay that often leaves fans in awe.

Even with its high standards and quality, the Tour has experienced incidents that compromised the sport’s integrity, causing professionals to cross boundaries and violate the principles of sportsmanship, such as the notable incident at a PGA Tour Canada event last year.

In July 2023, all eyes were on the events that conspired at the Commissionaires Ottawa Open. Particularly on the actions of one pro, Justin Doeden. On the 18th hole of one of the rounds, Doeden scored a double bogey. It’s definitely not the first time a pro has scored a double bogey. Even the best of the best have had multiple such scores in their lives. But what made this double bogey unique was what Doeden did after it.

The 2-over-par score meant that Doeden didn’t make the cut for the next round. This also meant that he was not in contention for the prize money from the $1,000,000 purse. Quite aware of these facts, Doeden ended up changing his score to a 1-under par on his scorecard. That meant that he would make the cut and be able to continue to compete. Fans should be aware that this goes completely against the spirit of the game and is considered a serious offense in the rulebooks.

However, things didn’t turn out as he had planned. The PGA Tour officials launched an immediate investigation to try to understand how the scores were miscalculated. Once Justin Doeden learned about the investigation, he became clear about the mistake he had made while calculating his score. He also followed that up with an apology for making the mistake. The news spread through the media like wildfire as everyone caught the attention of Doeden’s cheating.