Chella Choi Cheating. What is the LPGA doing about it?

[Ernest Jones]

Cheater, cheater, pumpkin eater.

[David in FL]

It's not really my style to call people names, so I'm not a big fan of the last three words there, but I have to agree.  This was the biggest piece of the puzzle to me.  Her actual actions were pretty shocking, but IMO only a little bit worse than what Simon Dyson did ... IF she would have reacted differently when confronted with it.  Any combination of embarrassment, humility, shame, regret, etc, and I could see her recovering pretty quickly after some kind of small to medium suspension.

But defiance?  It's hard to infer anything other than she thinks what she did is OK and has probably done it before.

This exactly.

We all make mistakes.  Some are bigger, dumber, or more indicative of character than others, but when confronted, the reaction needs to be appropriate to the mistake.  Defiance was the very definition of an inappropriate response.  She'll be remembered for that, as much as for the infraction itself.

The term low life scumbag is for someone who doesn't pay child support, or for fake contractors who scam old ladies, or people who collect disability and are perfectly fine, or a-holes who beat their wives and kids.

This girl is a cheater.

Hmmmmm.......

Not all low-life scum bags are cheaters, but all cheaters are low-life scum bags?

Cheater, cheater, pumpkin eater.

Now THAT, is totally uncalled for!

[Ernest Jones]

This exactly.

We all make mistakes.  Some are bigger, dumber, or more indicative of character than others, but when confronted, the reaction needs to be appropriate to the mistake.  Defiance was the very definition of an inappropriate response.  She'll be remembered for that, as much as for the infraction itself.

Yep. That is the nail in the coffin in my opinion.

When I was at the Canadian Open this year one of the hospitality tents was handing out baseball-style cards of Chella Choi. I had never heard of her, sad that the first time I hear anything about her since getting that card is this instance. She's really taken a major blow to her reputation and totally shit the bed by refusing to accept the penalty and withdrawing. Sponsors must be thrilled.

[newtogolf]

We may not know what she was thinking, but it's clear her intentions were to cheat.  She knew where the ball belonged and intentionally placed it in different locations to make her putt easier and avoid a spike mark.  Her decision to withdraw further indicates her lack of integrity, she opted to take her clubs and go home rather than accept the assessed penalty.

I agree with @iacas hanged to DQ, and she should be suspended for a minimum of 6 months.

[Slice of Life]

I can count on 0 fingers the number of times I've marked a 6" putt. I don't understand why pro golfers do...especially to cheat. If you can't hit a 6" putt over a pitch or spike mark, you shouldn't play golf professionally anyway...

Sad...

[MSchott]

Because she is clearly a cheat.

There may have been a spike mark between her ball and the hole also.

It certainly seemed to be something she was very much at ease with.

Her reaction to the decision is all you need to know about this low life scumbag.

Grumpy is not even close to describing your piss poor attitude. I am not condoning what she did but clearly condemning someone as a scumbag is beyond the pale. I hope you live your life to flawless standards less someone think of you as a piece of garbage. Sometimes the internet is the way people throw out their trash without thinking of how it makes them look.

[Ernest Jones]

Grumpy is not even close to describing your piss poor attitude. I am not condoning what she did but clearly condemning someone as a scumbag is beyond the pale. I hope you live your life to flawless standards less someone think of you as a piece of garbage. Sometimes the internet is the way people throw out their trash without thinking of how it makes them look.

In this context I think it would suffice to just not be a cheater, cheater, pumpkin eater.

[boogielicious]

Quote:

Originally Posted by MSchott

Grumpy is not even close to describing your piss poor attitude. I am not condoning what she did but clearly condemning someone as a scumbag is beyond the pale. I hope you live your life to flawless standards less someone think of you as a piece of garbage. Sometimes the internet is the way people throw out their trash without thinking of how it makes them look.

In this context I think it would suffice to just not be a cheater, cheater, pumpkin eater.

Are we talking pumpkin pie or raw pumpkin?  Because pumpkin pie is tasty and should not be equated with cheating.

[Golfingdad]

I can count on 0 fingers the number of times I've marked a 6" putt. I don't understand why pro golfers do...especially to cheat. If you can't hit a 6" putt over a pitch or spike mark, you shouldn't play golf professionally anyway... Sad...

It wasn't 6", but yes I totally agree. No earthly reason why that was necessary. I just watched the video with sound and realized that I think she did this to be a Good Samaritan.;). It said that her dq/wd allowed 18 extra players to make the cut. What a nice girl! ;P

[newtogolf]

Grumpy is not even close to describing your piss poor attitude. I am not condoning what she did but clearly condemning someone as a scumbag is beyond the pale. I hope you live your life to flawless standards less someone think of you as a piece of garbage. Sometimes the internet is the way people throw out their trash without thinking of how it makes them look.

While @Shorty might have taken it a little far, calling her a cheater does not sufficiently describe her actions.  I'd say somewhere in between cheater and "low life scumbag" is about right.

[mcanadiens]

Golf can be pretty unforgiving to professionals who cheat. Obviously, this one is going to have some real making up to do. Hopefully she comes correct and when she does, she gets another chance. If this becomes a pattern with her, that will be different.

Let's all remember, most of us have probably fractured a rule or two in our time. Our misdeeds just don't have dollar signs attached to it.

[Ernest Jones]

Golf can be pretty unforgiving to professionals who cheat. Obviously, this one is going to have some real making up to do. Hopefully she comes correct and when she does, she gets another chance. If this becomes a pattern with her, that will be different.

Let's all remember, most of us have probably fractured a rule or two in our time. Our misdeeds just don't have dollar signs attached to it.

There's a difference between not knowing the correct rule or fluffing a lie in casual play because you suck anyway and intentionally cheating so you can beat other players in a professional tournament.

[David in FL]

There's a difference between not knowing the correct rule or fluffing a lie in casual play because you suck anyway and intentionally cheating so you can beat other players in a professional tournament.

yep.....and like @Shorty , I believe it approaches "scumbag" territory.  I really struggle to differentiate it much from the actions of a thief.

[zipazoid]

yep.....and like @Shorty, I believe it approaches "scumbag" territory.  I really struggle to differentiate it much from the actions of a thief.

In the professional golf world, being labeled a cheater is more than sufficient disparagement. This will make her a pariah. Hell, low-life scumbags would have a better chance of playing the tour over a cheater.

[Ernest Jones]

yep.....and like @Shorty, I believe it approaches "scumbag" territory.  I really struggle to differentiate it much from the actions of a thief.

Yep, my dad used to take liberties on the course but he was just out there for his own enjoyment. Never competed, never kept a handicap, just enjoyed walking around the course hitting golf balls. He referred to it as, "being kind to yourself", he knew he didn't have the time or dedication to become a great golfer, just wanted to enjoy himself. Nothing wrong with that and he was never a "cheater" and was a man of impeccable morals.

What Chella got busted doing is an entirely different animal all together. She's a cheater, plain and simple.

[Jeremie Boop]

Sure she's a cheater, no way to argue against that, nor would I. I find it very unfortunate to see members here resort to name calling. It's not surprising coming from some though. It's still sad though, that even intelligent people can be so vehement and vicious.

[newtogolf]

Sure she's a cheater, no way to argue against that, nor would I. I find it very unfortunate to see members here resort to name calling. It's not surprising coming from some though. It's still sad though, that even intelligent people can be so vehement and vicious.

Under normal circumstances I'd agree with you but in this case she attempted to steal money from her peers by cheating and when caught denied being a cheater and quit.

Not to go too off topic but in general the world might be a better place if we called people out and held them responsible for their actions rather than try to sugarcoat everything to make people feel good about themselves when they shouldn't.

[Jeremie Boop]

Under normal circumstances I'd agree with you but in this case she attempted to steal money from her peers by cheating and when caught denied being a cheater and quit.

Not to go too off topic but in general the world might be a better place if we called people out and held them responsible for their actions rather than try to sugarcoat everything to make people feel good about themselves when they shouldn't.

There's a difference between calling them out as a cheater and calling them scumbag or whatever. I will never agree with the way some people have acted in this thread when it comes to the name calling. She's a professional athlete who was caught cheating and everyone knows it. Being known as a cheater in professional sports is more than enough of a stigma, and by default indicates that they were trying to "steal money from her peers" as you put it.