Carlota Ciganda has explained her controversial disqualification from the Amundi Evian Championship, with the Spaniard posting a message to her Instagram.
The Spanish pro was handed a two-stroke penalty for slow play on her final hole of a wind-affected second round. She appealed the decision but, when it was denied, she refused to add the penalty to her scorecard, which resulted in her disqualification.
By signing for a one-over 72 at France’s Evian Resort Golf Club rather than a three-over 74, she knew the outcome - disqualification for signing for a score lower than she shot - but chose to do it anyway.
Taking to Instagram to explain her frustrations and her side of the controversy. Ciganda wrote: “I got a few messages about the DQ. I want to be very clear and the reason I did not sign a 7 on the last hole is because I don’t think I took 52 seconds like the rules official said. I had a 10 footer on the last hole, last putt and the group behind they were not even on the tee on a par 5.
“Very poor performance from the LPGA rules official, they don’t understand what professional golf is about, they only look at their stopwatch like if 20 seconds is going to make a difference. I had family and friends watching and they all said it was impossible I took that long to hit that putt!
“It was tough out there with windy conditions and difficult pins and I wish everyone gets treated the same and they don’t pick on the same players all the time! That’s all!”
Had Ciganda signed for a 74, it would have been added to the 74 she shot in the first round, and she would have missed the cut by two strokes but instead chose the DQ.
According to an LPGA statement, Ciganda’s group, which included Anna Nordqvist and Celine Herbin, received a warning that they were out of position on the seventh hole (their 16th of the day). Still out of position after the conclusion of the hole, the group was timed starting on the eighth hole. On the ninth hole, LPGA officials said that Ciganda’s shot times prompted a penalty for slow play.
It is not the first time Ciganda has received a stroke penalty for slow play on the LPGA Tour. At the 2021 Bank of Hope LPGA Match Play event, she thought she won the 18th with a birdie and the match against Sarah Schmelzel. But after the round, Ciganda was notified she took too long, turning the hole and match from a victory to a loss.
However, Ciganda appears to have the support of Jessica Korda, who is not playing in this year’s tournament because of a back injury, with Korda singling out the 16th hole as an issue.
She wrote on Twitter: “Guys.. 16 it’s a stressful hole - always- and now you get to sit on the tee-box for 10-15th or more and watch the carnage that’s happening in the group in front. No wonder the rounds are 6+ hrs. Don’t blame slow play on the players.”
