Evian Championship: Carlota Ciganda disqualified after refusing to add slow play penalty to scorecard

Spanish golf star Carlota Ciganda was disqualified from the Evian Championship on Friday after refusing to add a two-shot slow play penalty to her scorecard.

Having started from the 10th tee, the 33-year-old was finishing her second round at the par-five 9th hole when she was penalized two strokes by rules officials in accordance with the LPGA Tour’s Pace of Play Policy, an LPGA spokesperson said in a statement to CNN.



The penalty would have lifted Ciganda’s score up to three-over 74 for the round and six-over par overall, which would ultimately have seen the world No. 31 fall short of the five-over par cut line at the major in Evian-les-Bains, France.

Yet after her appeal to rules officials was “heard and denied,” Ciganda did not add the two shot penalty and – having left the recording zone – was subsequently disqualified for signing an incorrect scorecard, the LPGA spokesperson said.

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,” the statement said.

“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.”

The Spaniard’s group, which included Anna Nordqvist and Celine Herbin, had been warned that they were out of position at the second-to-last hole and – having failed to make up the time – were put on the clock at the penultimate hole, the spokesperson added.