A one-stroke penalty for slow play could very well cost 14-year old Chinese amateur, Tianlang Guan the halfway cut in the 2013 Masters.
Guan was slapped with one stroke penalty at the 17th hole by European Tour Chief Referee, John Paramour.
The teenage sensation, and the youngest player ever to compete in the Masters, was three over par at the time for 35 holes but ended his round at four over and likely to miss out via the ’10-Shot Rule’ in playing all four days of the 77th Masters.
China’s 14-year old Tianland Guan slapped with a one-shot slow-play penalty. (www.pgatour.com)
Paramour was later interviewed some time later and hereunder is his response.
Qn. John, can you tell me what happened?
A. The club will be making the statement on the issue shortly so I’ll leave it to them.
Q. Can you tell us when you warned him?
A. Tenth green, advised him on 12th tee, second shot to 13th was a bad time, walking to 17 tee and then obviously 17th fairway.
Q. Did you speak to his family on the 18th?
A. Yes I did.
Q. What did you say to them?
A. Nothing I could say to them really, it had happened.
Q. Did you feel like you had no choice?
A. I feel like that in those situations any time they happen, that’s my job. That is what I do.
Q. Does the fact that he is a 14 year old kid play into your decision making?
A. No, because it is the Masters.
Masters officials later issued a statement saying: “Tianlang Guan was assessed a one-shot penalty for violation of Rule 6-7 of the Rules of Golf and the Tournament’s Pace of Play Policy. His group, which included Ben Crenshaw and Matteo Manassero, was deemed out of position on No. 10. Guan began being timed on Hole 12 and received his first warning on Hole 13 after his second shot.
“In keeping with the applicable rules, he was penalized following his 2nd shot on the 17th hole when he again exceeded the 40 second time limit by a considerable margin.”
Footnote –
It’s understood the last player to be penalised a shot for slow play in a Major was Frenchman Gregory Bourdy who had to add a shot to his scorecard after a slow play penalty at the 16th hole on the final round of the 2010 PGA Championship at Whistling Straits, and in the Major won by Germany’s Martin Kaymer. (See NEWS story on Bourdy)
