Two-Time LPGA Winner DQ’d from Major After Not Including Slow Play Penalty On Signed Scorecard

A two-time winner on the LPGA Tour was disqualified from the final Major Championship of the season, the Amundi Evian Championship, after refusing to accept a slow-play penalty, which resulted in her signing a scorecard that was scored incorrectly.

On the final hole of the round, Carlota Ciganda was assessed a penalty after she and playing partners Anna Nordqvist and Celine Herbin were put on the clock one hole earlier. They were given a warning on their 16th hole of the day.

Carlota Ciganda opted not to include a slow-play penalty on her scorecard, despite her appeal to rules officials being denied.

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Ciganda took too long to play on the final hole and was given a two-stroke penalty per the LPGA’s Pace of Play Policy.

Ciganda took the opportunity to appeal the decision but was denied. This happened before the scorecard was signed, and although the two-stroke penalty was upheld, Ciganda chose to sign the scorecard anyway, which was technically incorrect.

An LPGA Spokesperson told Golfweek that:

“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.”

Celine Boutier of France leads the tournament through two rounds with a score of -7 after firing a -2 on Friday.

Earlier this week, we reported on Justin Doeden of PGA Tour Canada confessing to a similar scorecard infraction when he did not factor in a water ball on the final hole of his round.

Cover Image via LPGA