A Scottish amateur golfer has been banned from Lothians Golf Association events for five years after a cheating allegation during this summer’s Lothians Amateur Championship, per The Scotsman.
Craig Surgeon, a member of Kingsknowe Golf Club in Edinburgh, was investigated over a rules breach during stroke-play qualifying at Turnhouse.
In the second round of qualifying, Surgeon dropped a ball on the 18th hole and claimed it was a provisional ball he had hit off the tee. Someone on the course spotted him drop the ball and corroborated the incident to officials.
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Surgeon left Turnhouse that day without admitting anything. After returning home, he contacted officials, admitted he had played the “wrong ball” and disqualified himself from the competition.
He also addressed the incident on social media. “It was me,” he wrote in reply to a post about it. “I DQ’d myself and I have owned up and am facing the consequences. Everyone knows, it’s no secret. Again to everyone I am sorry and it’s something I’ve got to live with moving forward.”
Nearly two months after the incident, the LGA confirmed the five-year suspension, with the last three years suspended. “The Association feels its actions are justified, prioritising the integrity of golf,” the LGA said. “The player and his club have now been informed and the Association now considers the matter closed.” Surgeon will not be permitted to play any events on the Edinburgh & East of Scotland Alliance circuit this year.
Kingsknowe Golf Club issued its own statement confirming it would replicate the county ban. “Kingsknowe Golf Club does not tolerate or condone any behaviour that undermines the integrity of the game,” the club said. “In line with the Lothians Golf Association’s decision, Kingsknowe Golf Club will replicate the suspension and the individual concerned will not be permitted to represent the club in any capacity for the duration of the county ban. A formal disciplinary proceeding is also underway as per club policy.”
The club added that it wished to “distance the club fully from the actions of the individual involved,” noting Surgeon had only been a member for a short period.
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The case is the second high-profile amateur cheating scandal to surface this year. Last month, Zach Holland, a two-handicap amateur, admitted to staging a fake hole-in-one at WingHaven Country Club in Missouri. Holland told his playing partners he needed to take an urgent phone call after the third hole and went ahead to the fourth alone, where he later claimed he had “thinned” his tee shot and had no idea where the ball ended up.
His partners found the ball in the hole and celebrated what they thought was a legitimate ace, but club staff reviewed CCTV footage and found Holland had planted a ball in the cup before his round began. He resigned his membership and apologized.
