Scottish Golf Union to probe Leven ‘rules breach’

THE Scottish Golf Union has confirmed it has launched an investigation following an alleged rules infringement in the world’s oldest amateur stroke-play event.

The Scotsman has learned that an incident during last month’s Leven Gold Medal has been passed on by the event’s organisers, Leven Golfing Society, to the governing body. It involves an unnamed player and the investigation will determine whether or not the allegation has any foundation and, if so, what punishment should be dished out.

“An allegation involving a player is being investigated,” acknowledged an SGU spokesman. “Once the investigation is complete, we will issue a statement.”

First played for in 1870 and won in the past by Lee Westwood, Andrew Coltart and Peter Whiteford, the Leven Gold Medal is a counting event on the SGU Order of Merit. But it is run by the host club and a spokesman for Leven GS confirmed the incident being investigated had taken place in last month’s event. “The matter is the subject of an investigation by the SGU and the player’s home club, but I can’t say any more than that at the moment,” he said.

It is believed the alleged infringement led to a member of the group the player was in making a complaint to the tournament organisers at the end of one of the opening two rounds. The investigation will involve hearing both sides of the story as well as seeking the views of anyone else who may have 
witnessed the incident.

It is not known if the SGU has been forced to hand out a punishment in the past in a similar situation, although it did take a stance once with Dunbar’s David Robertson. When he was reinstated as an amateur having served seven years of a 20-year PGA ban for cheating during Open qualifying, his entry was rejected for the 1993 Scottish Strokeplay Championship.