DQ’d after refusing to add penalty strokes for a slow-play violation…What Really? – Here’s How It Went Down:
Carlota Ciganda was disqualified from the Evian Championship on Friday following the conclusion of her second round at Evian Resort after she signed for an incorrect scorecard. Here’s the rub. I kinda side with the golfer on this one… You be the judge –
The two-time LPGA Tour winner failed to add a two-stroke slow play penalty to her 1-over score of 72, after disputing the penalty with rules officials and being “heard and denied.”
According to an LPGA spokesperson, Ciganda’s pace violated the LPGA Tour’s Pace of Play Policy, and even after her appeal against the ruling was rejected, the Spanish tour pro signed her scorecard without including the two-stroke penalty and left the scoring area.
The LPGA provided a statement on the incident to Sports Illustrated via email.
“Group 14, who started on No. 10 at 8:27 a.m., received a warning on No. 7 after being out of position. The group failed to make up time through the seventh hole, therefore the group was timed starting on No. 8. On the ninth hole, Carlota Ciganda’s shot times prompted a two-stroke penalty per the LPGA Tour’s Pace of Play Policy. Ciganda was allowed an appeal with the advance and lead rules officials before returning her scorecard, which was heard and denied. Therefore, a two-stroke penalty was upheld.” Needless to say by the end of the day outcome, she did not agree and did not accept the ruling…
“Ciganda opted not to add the two-stroke penalty to her signed scorecard. She was told that leaving the official recording area with a signed score lower (without the penalty strokes) would lead to disqualification, and left on her own accord.
“Rule 3.3b(3) states that if a returned score is lower than the actual score, the player is disqualified from the competition. The exception to this Rule does not apply because Ciganda was aware of the penalty strokes received and upheld before signing her scorecard and leaving the recording area,” the statement read.
Ciganda was playing with Anna Nordqvist and Celine Herbin when she was penalized. Players battled tougher conditions at Evian Resort Golf Club on Friday, with the winds picking up and tricky pin positions.
The 33-year-old has been penalized for slow play before. At the 2021 Bank of Hope LPGA Match Play, she lost a match due to a bad time, receiving a slow-play penalty on the final hole of the day.
Alright my golfer elite – my fellow weekend warriors and my loyal golf comrades: what’s the verdict – comment below 👇👇👇👇 on what you think of the situation and if it was handled properly. Did they get this right or was it a blown call?
