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‘Filthy Cheat’: PGA Tour Pro’s Bizarre Disqualification Leaves Golf World in Fumes

Published 03/04/2023, 5:54 AM EST

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According to the rules of golf, players are asked to sign their scorecard at the end of their day’s play. While such a rule doesn’t seem to harm anyone, it has become the reason for controversy after American golfer, Kamaiu Johnson, was disqualified for signing an incorrect scorecard. How have fans reacted to the bizarre report?

What happened at the ninth hole of the Arnold Palmer Invitational?

The incident occurred on the PGA Tour’s weekend event, the Arnold Palmer Invitational. 29-year-old Kamaiu Johnson was battling for survival on Friday after shooting 3-over par in the first round. But drama unfolded on the ninth hole, where Johnson’s life was made difficult.

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The golfer was playing in a group that consisted of Nick Hardy and Kyle Westmoreland. Making a par, Hardy proceeded to the tenth hole, followed by Westmoreland, who made a bogey. However, Johnson struggled to put his ball in the cup, missing his 22-foot par putt.

USA Today via Reuters

But if that wasn’t enough, he proceeded to miss the subsequent shots placed at 3 and 4 feet, respectively. It took him 7 strokes to find the hole, which was a triple-bogey on the par-4 hole.

Strange expulsion at Arnold Palmer Invitational causes chaos

However, the score for the hole became a talking point later. The walking scorer found a discrepancy in the scores and sought out camera angles and first-hand details from fellow golfers. Johnson claimed he hit six strokes, while others claimed the number to be seven.

Yet, an hour after the incident, the officials had video footage of Johnson taking seven shots on the ninth hole. Seen as a discrepancy, the 29-year-old was disqualified from the tournament, which became a talking point in the golf community.

Several fans were furious with the golfer’s acts, with many claiming his career was over. Yet, there were no details offered by Johnson after his expulsion, with no claims of deliberation whatsoever.

Some fans also clamored for the removal of the age-old rule, claiming that multiple camera angles and keen-eyed viewers have made it nearly impossible to cheat on a scorecard for its validation purpose. Here’s a selection of those tweets.

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In any case, Johnson shot a disastrous five-over par, which all but confirmed his elimination from the event.

Watch This Story: PGA Tour Suffers Another Blow as Major Golf Club Ends Ties for a Marquee Event

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Written by:

Sharan Nair

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One take at a time

Sharan is an Engineering student with a desire to carve out a career in sports journalism. He is an ardent Tiger Woods fan and his 2019 Masters victory is what further cemented his love for the golfer. A die hard football fan, Sharan can be seen cheering for Real Madrid, and playing FIFA every chance he gets.
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Edited by:

Manaal Siddiqui

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