The PGA Canada Tour has witnessed some of the most amazing pros fight it out for the title’s glory. Over the years, we have seen many greats partake in the tournament like Stephen Ames, Moe Norman, George Knudson, and many more. In a showcase of amazing skills, natural talent, and beautiful strokeplay, fans are often left starstruck by everything they witness.

Despite the high standards and quality of the Tour, there have still been moments that destroy the integrity of the sport. It can make a pro cross their limits and go against the concept of sportsmanship. One such incident occurred about a year ago at a PGA Tour Canada event.

A dishonorable act comes to the surface

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.

Some of the reactions that made the headlines were that of Padraig Harrington and Bernhard Langer. Let’s see what they had to say.

Padraig Harrington and Bernhard Langer’s views on the incident

Golf legends, Padraig Harrington and Bernhard Langer discussed the issue before their appearance at The Senior Open. In a press conference before the event, Harrington said, “It’s hard to believe that in the modern era, somebody could still think that they could [cheat].” Obviously, shocked by the events that transpired, he also added, “It just seems bizarre that somebody would do that in a fully-fledged organized tour event. And he thought he would get away with it?” However, Harrington was still not sure about the repercussions of such actions as he questioned, “Is this a serial offender?”

Bernhard Langer also had a few words to say about the issue. During his own press conference, Langer 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.” He also shared a personal incident that he felt aligns with the integrity of the game. “I once had a 3-foot putt; I lined it up, put my putter behind it, looked at the hole, and put it back. The ball moved marginally. Nobody saw it; not even a TV camera could pick it up, but I knew the line wasn’t where I had put it,” said Langer about how he acts during such moments. His honesty did lead to him getting penalized for the incident; something he knew would happen. “I called for a ruling, and well, the rule is, you address it, you get a one-shot penalty, and that cost me $330,000, and I called it on myself,” he said about the charges he had to face.

It’s worth noting that had the cheating incident not come to light, 13 golfers would have been tied for the 61st position and eliminated from the tournament. It’s still not clear if Doeden himself suffered any penalties or bans from the PGA Tour. As far as his career goes, he has only played one Korn Ferry Tournament event in 2024, which was way back in February.