John Catlin received a one stroke penalty after taking 63 seconds to play his second shot on the 12th hole after being previously warned.
John Catlin Receives Slow Play Penalty At PGA Championship
Catlin, who is making his Major debut this week, had received a warning for slow play on the 16th hole (his seventh) before taking 63 seconds to hit his second shot at the third (his 12th) resulting in a penalty.
The American, who claimed victory at the Austrian Open last month, had been going along nicely at level par when he came to the par-5 16th.
Taking 74 seconds to play his second shot, Catlin would receive a warning from the rules committee.
His second breach would then occur on the par-4 3rd hole, Catlin’s 12th of the day. When the American took just over a minute to hit his second shot. He was hit with a one-shot penalty.
John Catlin with the rare slow-play penalty. Got docked a stroke after a warning on 16th hole (his 7th) and then took 63 seconds to play his second on the third (his 12th) resulting in penalty.. Can't say I remember that happening in a PGA. #PGAChampionship
— Bob Harig (@BobHarig) May 20, 2021
The penalty resulted in a three-over-par 75 for the American, leaving him six shots back of the lead.
The incident is the first slow play penalty handed out at a major since Hideki Matsuyama was docked a stroke at the 2013 Open Championship.
Recently the PGA Tour have started to enforce new slow play rules for 2021.
The Observation List, which relates to PGA Tour’s Pace of Play Policy, outlines that players can’t take longer than an average of 45-seconds per stroke over a ten-tournament rolling period.
Ian Poulter was one of the individuals that exceeded this 45-second limit, with an email stating: “Using individual stroke data from Shotlink, we have identified you as a player with an overall average of 45 seconds or more.
“This places you on the Observation List for this week’s Wells Fargo Championship.
Poulter was placed on the Observation List after being 0.569 seconds over the limit. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)
“Your overall per stroke average is 45.569 seconds, up from 44.773 seconds going into the Valspar Championship last week.”
Taking to Instagram, Poulter responded, saying: “I apologise to whomever I am playing with this week. This is the first time ever I have been told I am 0.569 of a second slow. Sounds like some F1 cars. If I play out of turn I am sorry. If I’m ready I’m hitting.”
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