Scottish golfer handed five-year ban after outrageous cheating incident

A Scottish golfer has been handed a five-year ban from Lothians Golf Association competitions following a rules incident at this summer’s Lothians Amateur Championship, as exclusively revealed by The Scotsman.

Craig Surgeon, a Kingsknowe Golf Club member who has also represented Lothians this season, has been punished after an incident during qualifying at Turnhouse in July.

The Scotsman has reported that the case centred on the 18th hole during the second round of stroke-play qualifying.

Surgeon was reported to have dropped a ball and subsequently claimed that it was a provisional ball he had played from the tee. 

The incident was brought to light during the competition, prompting the golfer to disqualify himself.

He later admitted his involvement publicly.

“It was me,” Surgeon wrote in response to a social media post discussing the incident. 

“I DQ’d myself and I have owned up and am facing the consequences.”

He also apologised, acknowledging that the incident was something he would have to deal with going forward.

The Lothians Golf Association subsequently investigated the circumstances surrounding the incident, with the disciplinary process taking almost two months to conclude.

The association has now confirmed that the player has been suspended from entering all LGA events for five years.

However, the full five years will not be served as an active suspension. Three years of the sanction have been suspended, leaving two years currently in effect.

In a statement issued to The Scotsman, the LGA said: “Following an incident that occurred during the qualifying rounds of the Lothians Amateur Championship in July, the Association investigated one player's actions.”

It added that, following its investigation and consideration of the available information, the matter had been concluded.

“The Association feels its actions are justified, prioritising the integrity of golf,” the governing body said.

The player and his club have both been informed of the decision.

Surgeon had already removed himself from the Lothians Championship after the incident, having contacted the association once he returned home and admitted that he had played the “wrong ball”.

The subsequent suspension means he will be unable to enter Lothians Golf Association events during the active period of his punishment.

The case represents a significant sanction for a player who has competed at representative level, having featured for Lothians in the Scottish Area Team Championship this season.

The LGA has not named the golfer in its statement, although The Scotsman identified Surgeon as the player at the centre of the investigation.

The association has now said it considers the matter closed.