‘Flat-Out Cheating’: Former LIV Golf Pro Has Fans Demanding Rule Change After Concerning Visuals from $400,000 Win

“First of all, thanks Hero, and everyone involved with Hero. I appreciate it, and you guys probably changed my life today. So thanks for that.” These were the emotional words of Eugenio Chacarra, the 25-year-old Spanish golfer who made history by becoming the first Spanish golfer to clinch the Hero Indian Open title. Chacarra’s journey to victory was not an easy one – he began the final day with a double bogey and closed with a bogey-par finish, but still managed to win by two shots over defending champion Keita Nakajima of Japan. The win was a memorable one, and he was overwhelmed with emotion as he thanked everyone involved with the Hero Indian Open. He even gave a nod to God, saying that he got some good bounces that helped him win. And the result of his win? A winner’s cheque of USD 382,500. Well, the golfer has done it all, but the trouble is, fans are still not happy.

As Eugenio Chacarra celebrated his historic win at the Hero Indian Open, some fans took to social media to express their concerns about his putting stance. Certain visuals from the tournament led some to believe that Chacarra may have been anchoring his putter, which is a controversial technique that has been debated in golf circles.

While it’s essential to note that there has been no official ruling on the matter, the speculation has sparked a lively discussion among golf enthusiasts.

Fans are not happy with Eugenio Chacarra’s latest move

Golf fans have never and will never miss a chance to raise their voice when something even remotely wrong happens in any game, and that was exactly the case here. The difference this time is that Chacarra’s name wasn’t the only one that got dragged into the dirt. “Have you seen a certain Mr Bernard Langer?”, said one fan while the other said, “Same as Langer has for years 😅”. And well, unfortunately, that is true.

Langer’s unorthodox putting style, which features a long putter, has long been a subject of debate regarding anchoring. Although his technique may appear anchored from a distance, Langer has been cleared of any rule violations by the USGA and R&A. The key to his compliant stroke lies in the subtle movement of his top hand, which he deliberately shifts away from his chest during the putting motion, thus avoiding any direct anchoring against his body, in line with the anchoring ban introduced by the USGA and R&A in January 2016, which is exactly what another fan wrote, “He’s getting away with it in the same way that Langer has ever since the anchoring ban was introduced.” 

One fan pointed out something that has been a problem in golf as far as one can remember: “Same way as no tour actions and penalizes slow play”, while the other bluntly said, “It’s flat-out cheating.” Well, they’re not completely wrong here – slow play has indeed been a nagging issue for spectators, and the PGA Tour is finally taking concrete steps to address it. As part of their efforts to tackle this problem, the Tour is introducing new policies, including the implementation of stroke penalties on the Korn Ferry Tour and PGA Tour Americas, starting in April. However, that does not completely justify whether Eugenio Chaccara’s actions are, in fact, to be considered cheating.

This “speed-of-play” policy aims to crack down on slow-playing golfers, and the Tour is also exploring other initiatives, such as testing rangefinders and publishing individual speed-of-play statistics, all in a bid to keep the game moving at a brisker pace. So, what are your thoughts on the situation? Let us know in the comment section below!