More LPGA Tour golfers penalized for playing slow

Fassi started in the second half of the field, entered the 10th hole and caught a delay on the 18th hole, the second round of the major Women’s PGA Championship. She was notified by the referee at the beginning of the first hole. Due to two extra penalty strokes, her net score on this hole went from birdie to bogey.

“Maria Fassi from Mexico received a two-stroke penalty for violating the speed rule in the second round of the Women’s PGA Championship Game 67. Specifically, Fassi exceeded the average time of total shots on the 18th hole. I apply the playing schedule according to Article 5.6b of the Law of Golf”, the document from the Organizing Committee explains the matter.

The referee announced a penalty when Fassi entered the teeing ground on the first hole. He said she took 50 seconds on the previous hole for the second shot while the allotted time was 30 seconds. On the 18th hole, Fassi and caddy Mark Wallington discussed the type of club to use from a position 180 yards from the target, 167 yards of which to cross the lake.

“I was confused for the second half of the round. I just hit and cried for three holes,” Fassi told the media at the end of the match. From holes 1-9, she scored four bogeys, only one birdie, the rest all par.

When she finished, she entered the scoreboard and argued with the referee. “He insisted on going beyond 20 seconds so I don’t need to argue any more.”

“I’m pretty tired. A player in the same group also plays slow. And on this LPGA Tour everyone knows who plays slow. But I’m not going to name names or complain. I know I’m running out of time and guess I’ll get busted. This is an expensive lesson and will not happen again,” Fassi shared his feelings. On Golf Digest, she expressed hope for support from her colleagues In Gee Chun and Ayako Uehara.

Before Fassi, the LPGA Tour on May 26 recorded Carlota Ciganda making a similar mistake on the 18th hole in the first round of Bank of Hope LPGA Match Play – a pitting event in Las Vegas. Due to two extra penalty strokes on the last hole, Ciganda went from winning to losing the opening match. Before Ciganda, Yealimi Noh was fined with a stroke, adding 10,000 USD for a repeat offense at Kia Classic at the end of March.

Fassi attended the Women’s PGA Championship 2021 through a sponsor slot.

The event is co-owned and hosted by the LPGA Tour and the Professional Golf Association of America (PGAA) since 2014. This year’s tournament, with a prize fund of 4.5 million USD, takes place on the Highlands, par72 inside the Sports Club. Sports Atlanta, Georgia.

On the first day, Fassi hit 70 strokes, scoring -2. The next day, she hit 77 strokes, scored +3 on 36 holes and had to leave the game. Had it not been for a two-stroke penalty on the 18th hole, Fassi would have won a weekend ticket because the line was cut at +2.

Fassi has been on the LPGA Tour since 2019, has not won. As for the five major group, she made 11 appearances in three years, with the highest achievement at T12 at the US Women’s Open in her debut year in the US arena.

This season, Fassi struggled professionally. She injured her knee and had to hang up the club for six weeks, attended seven tournaments but only passed once.

Quoc Huy synthetic