Bernhard Langer accused of ‘cheating’ to beat Tiger Woods as rules questioned

Bernhard Langer accused of ‘cheating’ to beat Tiger Woods as rules questioned

Bernhard Langer and his son Jason won the PNC Championship for a record sixth time on Sunday, defeating Tiger Woods and his son Charlie in a playoff – but the victory was overshadowed by controversy

 

Team Langer beat Team Woods for the PNC Championship

Team Langer beat Team Woods for the PNC Championship((Image: Getty))

By Rich Jones, Rory Robinson

16:32 ET, Dec 24 2024

Bernhard Langer and his son Jason clinched their sixth PNC Championship win, edging out Tiger Woods and his son Charlie in a playoff. However, the victory sparked controversy among golf enthusiasts due to Langer’s strategic use of the competition’s age-based tee rules.

 

 

While Team Langer basked in their triumph, detractors shone a light on the event’s regulations, arguing that they provided 67-year-old Langer with an undue edge. Rather than receiving universal acclaim for their performance, attention was drawn to how Langer benefited from tees positioned significantly nearer to the hole compared to other competitors.

 

 

 

The contest reached a nail-biting conclusion after both teams finished at an unprecedented 28-under par over 36 holes. The playoff’s outcome hinged on the first hole, where Bernhard sunk an eagle putt to secure the win.

 

Tiger Woods shows true colors after heartbreaking PNC Championship ending

Tiger Woods’ ex-wife Elin Nordegren shows her class with act after painful ending

“For me personally, it just makes me focus even more so,” Langer commented on not being the crowd favorite. “I seem to enjoy that challenge to be the underdog or to play in tough circumstances. It just helps me to zero in even more.”

 

“The crowd was more than anything I’ve ever played in front of for sure,” he added. “I’m not that competitive these days. I play a couple amateur events a year. But definitely today was not something that I am used to.”

 

 

In the tournament’s format, Langer was allowed to tee off from a distance over 700 yards shorter than Tiger and even closer than 15-year-old Charlie Woods. This rule, initially designed to level the playing field for senior competitors, has faced backlash from fans and media, particularly given Langer’s driving abilities on the PGA Tour Champions, where he averaged 275.5 yards off the tee this season.