Bernhard Langer has had his say on pro Justin Doeden after he admitted cheating during a PGA Tour Canada event.
Doeden reportedly changed the score on the final hole of his second round at the Commissionaires Ottawa Open from a 7 to a 5 after it had been signed off.
Had that change not been spotted, it would have seen the 28-year-old make the cut at the expense of 13 players who would have fallen outside the all-important top 60 necessary to reach the final two rounds.
Two-time Masters champion Langer is preparing for the Senior Open at Royal Porthcawl, where he is aiming for a repeat of his success in the tournament at the same course in 2017. However, he also addressed the incident involving Doeden, and began by expressing his disappointment.
He said: “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.”
Langer also explained why, in his opinion, the issue of cheating is more contentious in golf than other sports. He said: “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.'"
He then questioned whether pressures outside the game may have had an influence on Doeden’s decision. 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.”
However, Langer concluded that Doeden’s action went beyond mere rule-breaking with its blatancy. He said: “To me it's foolish, especially changing a scorecard is ridiculous, really. I mean, how can you think you're going to get way with changing a scorecard? You're not just breaking a rule. You're actually stupid.”
After concerns were raised over Doeden’s scorecard, an investigation was launched by officials, and, while that was ongoing, he withdrew from the tournament.
Later, he owned up to cheating on Twitter, writing: “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.”
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 @acaseofthegolf1July 24, 2023
'The Goal Is To Win A Few More'
While Doeden’s future is unclear following the incident, Langer – who recently surpassed Hale Irwin’s record for wins on the PGA Tour Champions with victory in the US Senior Open – believes he has plenty more golf in him.
He said: “The goal is to win a few more. If I enjoy what I'm doing and still healthy, I'll keep going. Right now I still feel well and feel like I can compete and if that's the case, I'll keep going and whenever the time is right, I hope I will know it and not bore you with an 82 or 84 and that kind of stuff.”
If Langer wins this week, it will be his 13th senior Major title.
