Bernhard Langer on cheating in golf? "It can be tempting"

Bernhard Langer has offered some interesting thoughts about cheating in golf after Justin Doeden was rumbled at a PGA Tour Canada event.

Ben Smith

27 Jul 2023

Bernhard Langer on cheating in golf? "It can be tempting"

Bernhard Langer says cheating can 'be tempting' as he offered his thoughts on Justin Doeden.

If the name sounds unfamiliar, Doeden is a 28-year-old tour pro who last week confessed to cheating during a PGA Tour Canada event.

He altered his score after the fact, etching a five instead of a double bogey seven onto his scorecard.

Had he not been rumbled, his score would have seen 13 players miss the cut as a result of his dishonesty.

Doeden then fessed up, stating 'this is not who I am' as he apologised to his family, competitors and sponsors.

I am here to confess of the biggest mistake I have made in my life to date. I cheated in golf. This is not who I am. I let my sponsors down. I let my competitors down. I let my family down. I let myself down. I pray for your forgiveness. John 1:9 @acaseofthegolf1
— Justin Doeden (@jdoeden11) July 24, 2023

Langer said Doeden's actions were 'disappointing' but offered some thoughts ahead of the Senior Open at Royal Porthcawl.

The German pro, now 65 years old, thinks golf is unique. He asked: "What other sport penalises yourself?"

Langer explained:

"It's obviously very disappointing when anybody cheats because the game of golf was built and founded on honesty and integrity and that's what we try to teach our younger generations, and that's what we all try to be, role models for that and uphold the rules."

"Let's face it, golf is very unique in that way. What other sport penalises yourself? If you're a soccer player, and you kick the other guy, you go, 'I didn't touch him, I didn't do anything'. Would you ever say, 'I tripped this guy, you need to give a penalty.'

"You'll never see that, ever. Any other sport, tell me any sport, tennis, you always think it's in. You never say, 'It's out.'"

More:

There is no denying the life of a professional golfer - even a successful one - can at times be gruelling.

The expenses rack up and after you've paid your caddie, paid your travel and hotel expenses and lord knows what else there's not much left.

Langer reckons this comes into some players' thinking:

He continued:

"I don't know what circumstances this player is living under and what's going on and whether that one stroke would improve his life dramatically, I have no idea. I can't imagine it.

"But there's tremendous stress out there, a lot of pressure. Some of these people, they have family, they have young kids and they live from this paycheck to the next one, so it can be very tempting."

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