A Japanese professional golfer recently received the death penalty for cheating on a scorecard.
Not really. But she did get the equivalent of a professional death sentence: a ten year ban from the Japanese LPGA.
Ai Takinami got the ban after admitting that she altered her scores on two holes after her marker had signed her scorecard following the first round of the second qualifying tournament held at the Northshore Country Club in Ibaraki Prefecture on Oct. 31.
I’ve been thinking about this one for a while and can’t come to a conclusion on the appropriateness of the sentence. Clearly golf has to do everything it can to protect the integrity of the game. But this seems to be to be a bit harsh? Does a momentary transgression warrant the ending of a career? I’d say no, unless this was a trend. Would the JLPGA have done the same thing if it had been a name player, instead of a marginal 26-year-old who has never won? I doubt it.
I dislike cheating, but I feel sorry for her.
Discover more from GolfBlogger Golf Blog
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
Well, you still have to take into account the culture.
10yrs seems harsh, but it is a big long lasting statement about cheating.
Well, as someone who isn’t about to go playing in a tournament anytime soon, and also as one where changing 2 strokes usually means less than a 2% improvement in score- I am not sure if I am fit to comment.
I think the problem here is how blatant it was, it was altering the card after it had been signed by the marker. This isn’t like something where there could be a question of what the right thing was. No question of a dispute over a particular issue.
Ten years? Maybe at 26 if she isn’t winning, they are doing her a favor by essentially booting her from the game. (Unless she is like Natalie Gulbis who is making more than some of the winners in the LPGA).
Maybe a more appropriate punishment however would be a fine of double her winnings for 2006, and no play for 2007.