LPGA adopts strict sluggish play coverage, leaving Nelly Korda thrilled

The LPGA is starting to crack down on sluggish play, a difficulty that has plagued the tour for years.

In a memo despatched to gamers on Tuesday, initially obtained and posted to X by Ryan French of Monday Q Information, the LPGA indicated that gamers would obtain a fantastic for going one to 5 seconds over and will obtain as a lot as a two-stroke penalty ought to it take longer than 16 further seconds to hit a shot. As for individuals who take a further six to fifteen seconds, match officers would then asses a one-stroke penalty.

In line with Brentley Romine of the Golf Channel, the LPGA’s present tempo of play coverage reads: “A participant in a bunch which is out of place could also be penalized for unreasonable delay if: A, the participant takes greater than 60 seconds to play one shot, together with putts, and/or B, the gamers exceeds the utmost allotted period of time for the overall strokes timed on a given gap by greater than 10 seconds.”

Primarily, the general coverage stays the identical. However the penalties assessed might be a lot harsher, which Annika Sorenstam known as for throughout final week’s Hilton Grand Holidays Event of Champions in Orlando.

“It ought to damage extra. A stroke, two strokes, no matter it takes,” Sorenstam advised SB Nation.

“Possibly it’s some form of suspension down the street or one thing, after which clearly, if it continues, you would possibly wish to contemplate a participant’s eligibility. [Slow play is] not good for the tour.”

One participant thrilled about this improvement is World No. 1 Nelly Korda. She performs shortly with out dilly-dallying or stagnation, similar to Sorenstam did in her heyday.

“Lastly. Yeah, I’m very enthusiastic about it,” Korda mentioned Wednesday.

“I believe that’s one of many issues that I’ve seen over my time on Tour; is that we used to go from 5 hours to below 5 hours, so now it’s 5 and a half hour rounds. Implementing harsher guidelines might be good for the sport of golf.”

Sluggish play has additionally troubled the PGA Tour, which followers noticed firsthand on the Farmers Insurance coverage Open. Even Dottie Pepper of CBS Sports activities known as it out, saying it has turn out to be a difficulty of “respect,” or lack thereof.

Korda is conscious of that, too, including that sluggish play doesn’t have an effect on simply the LPGA.

“It’s simply going to have a optimistic affect on the sport of golf,” Korda mentioned.

“I really feel prefer it’s not simply girls’s golf that’s fighting it. I believe the whole sport of golf is fighting sluggish play. It’s a really, very large subject throughout all excursions. I believe it’s simply going to be higher for the followers. They’re going to be — as an alternative of dropping half your followers on the again 9, I really feel like they’re going to keep it up and watch the ending of it.”

Now it’s time for the PGA Tour to take after the LPGA and implement comparable, stricter insurance policies.

Jack Milko is a golf employees author for SB Nation’s Enjoying Via. Comply with him on X @jack_milko.