Bet You Never Would Have Guessed!

Filed in archive Golf Wanderings on October 10, 2007

There was a story published yesterday on the BBC's website regarding gambling and professional tennis.

Scotland's Andy Murray claims that tennis matches are fixed quite often on the men's ATP Tour and that many players are aware of it.

"It's difficult to prove. They [the players] can try their best until the last games in each set and then make some mistakes, hit a couple of double faults and that's it", he said.

Britain's former number one player, Tim Henman, concurs with Murray. Henman says he, too, has heard of matches being fixed.

Fixing matches has been a dark shadow that has hung over the international sport of cricket for many years.

And there's not a soul on this planet who hasn't heard about horse races being fixed.

What about the match-fixing scandal in Italian football last year? Or the scandal in German football several years ago that allegedly involved match referees?

When a small group of people can control the outcome of a sporting event for monetary gain, huge money can be made and tempting bribes can be offered to the right individuals.

In some parts of the world, it's a normal part of "doing business".

Golf is a worldwide sport. Let's not kid ourselves that there isn't betting going on.

It would be so easy for a golfer in a match-play tournament like the Ryder Cup or President's Cup or Walker Cup or the World Matchplay Championships to do the same thing. Sublimely easy to "accidentally" spray a tee shot or chunk an approach shot.

But that could never happen in golf which has so successfully policed itself with the honor system. Could it? Anything is possible in this world.

The next time you enter a Masters office pool, you might wonder for a fleeting moment.