LPGA rookie hit with massive fine for slow play

A rookie on the LPGA has been hit with a $10,000 fine for slow play, it has emerged.

First reported by Golfweek, Yealimi Noh was given the sanction after being given two bad times during the third round of last week’s Kia Classic.

The 19-year-old tied for 61st, earning a cheque for $4,247 for her four days’ work. However, the American ended up making a financial loss for the week after her pace of play penalty.

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Afterwards, the world No.47 explained that she had been working with a new caddie last week and had taken more time over her approach shots in the third round after being disappointed with her performance on the Saturday.

Nonetheless, she was magnanimous enough to accept the LPGA’s decision to fine her.

“I can’t appeal because it’s obviously my fault,” said Noh. “As much as I think about it’s a good learning experience, obviously now I’m never going to do that again hopefully, which is good. It’s hard to get over; that’s a lot of money.”

This is the second time that Noh has been fined in her short LPGA career to date.

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She was previously penalised in the first event of her rookie season in 2020, the Gainbridge LPGA at Boca Rio,  where she tied for 35th. With the COVID-19 pandemic having severely impact the 2020 schedule, the LPGA has made the decision to class all of last year’s rookies as rookies for 2021, too.

The LPGA also reportedly issued a two-stroke penalty to Robynn Ree for being out of position at the Kia Classic – its first such sanction of the season.