Josh Howell partnered with Korn Ferry Tour pro David Kocher to win the 2026 BMW Charity Pro-Am Amateur X3 division. However, X user Yip Strickler’s investigation revealed grave cheating: Howell played with a false handicap. Following that, the event management conducted a thorough investigation and found Howell guilty. He has been stripped of his amateur title. Chris Harrison is now recognized as the rightful winner. The BMW Charity Pro-Am announced the news in an official statement.

“Congratulations to Chris Harrison, the official and rightful 2026 BMW Charity Pro-Am presented by TD SYNNEX Amateur X3 Division Champion. Following a thorough review of information regarding the original championship results, the Tournament has officially recognized Chris as this year’s X3 Division winner. His outstanding performance throughout Tournament play earned him his title, and we are proud to ensure he receives the recognition he rightfully deserves.”

“Integrity and sportsmanship will always be at the heart of the BMW Charity Pro-Am presented by TD SYNNEX. Moving forward, we are implementing enhanced registration review procedures and additional handicap verification protocols to help ensure an equitable playing field for every professional, celebrity, and amateur participant.”

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Yip Strickler reposted this statement and praised the leadership at the BMW Charity Pro-Am for taking it seriously. The X user shared a report on June 17, 2026, with the allegations. He said that Howell was sandbagging by playing with a false handicap.

Sandbagging means inflating your handicap—posting only bad rounds or adding strokes—to gain a net-score advantage in competition. Golfers can also intentionally play poorly to post inflated scores.

This increased handicap becomes a weapon in golf events. That’s because the golfer’s gross score is converted into a net number. For example, a golfer with a handicap of 3 converts a gross 75 to net 72—a 3-stroke advantage.

Howell played with a handicap of 5.0 based on his account registered with the Wyoming State Golf Club. @YipStrickler said he found another account in the name of Joshua Howell, who was registered with Soldier Hollow Golf Club in Utah with a handicap of +0.9. Further investigation by the BMW Charity Pro-Am confirmed the allegations, leading to this decision.

The margin of victory—9 shots—reveals the advantage. In round one, Kocher’s one-over 71 should have dragged the team down, yet they posted six-under 64, a gap only Howell’s inflated handicap could explain.

NFL player Aaron Rodgers was also accused of sandbagging at the 2023AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am.

One historic example is the 1955 sandbag incident, which changed golf. Golf Digest revisited the event in an article. It is centered on a 1955 Calcutta at Deepdale Golf Club on Long Island, where two outsiders, Bill Roberts and Charles Helmar, entered a high-stakes event with listed handicaps of 17 and 18. However, they were 3-handicap-caliber players.

In the end, they won $4,000 of the $45,000 pot. However, one golfer’s conscience didn’t allow him to take home the money. He confessed to the club president. As a result, reforms were made around how private clubs handled handicaps and Calcutta.

Cases like this show that the manipulation of handicaps has challenged golf for decades. The BMW Charity Pro-Am’s decision to revise its results and strengthen handicap verification suggests organizers are intent on protecting the integrity of the competition.