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The formula the WA uses for “exceptional scores” was created by the USGA and is in their Rules of Golf manual. The WHS has expounded on those rules. In years past you had the average of twenty scores and a new HI revision on the 1st or 15th. You could easily manipulate those 20 scores to “hide” an exceptional score. Today an exceptional score immediately reduces your HI, and the twenty scores are no longer a factor, the exceptional score overrides the twenty score average. This means you could enter a tournament today with a 6 HI, shoot an exceptional round and immediately your HI drops to 2.0 and that 2.0 cannot be hidden by adding scores to create a higher HI.
It is very hard to identify someone who has cheated unless you examine every single scorecard. A “regular” or normal score is not going to raise any alarms so the only way to really do it would be to audit every single card. There may be a computer program you could use, but what would be the parameters? Everyone who shoots an exceptional score is mad when they are adjusted or DQ’d, every one who loses to someone who shoots an exceptional score cries foul.
This year is unique because the WA lost the ability to view an entire years worth of HI’s. If someone wants to manipulate their handicap for an entire year just to come to the WA with a higher handicap it is hard to stop them, THE FIRST TIME. Now after competing in the WA once, the next year regardless of the HI you submit, the WA has a prior tourney HI to use in lieu of the submitted HI.
Because flights ae carefully planned in advance one simple answer would be to move a player to the next flight down. But that would create a logistical nightmare for the WA staff. I personally feel the best and fairest way is to compare a players score to their flight. If the entire flight averages 80 over the four rounds and one player averages 76, those 16 shots I think imply something is amiss.
I do think the implication that Scott has done or is involved in anything unethical is insulting and simply wrong. But you are entitled to your opinion. I do wonder why if you feel such improprieties go on why you continue to come back. Personally I would not play in a tournament I felt was rigged and I had no chance of winning.