Nelly Korda’s Patience Tested at $8M Event Hours After She Berated ‘Slow Play’ Culprits

Golf’s golden girl, Nelly Korda, seems to have it under control! With six LPGA Tour wins this year, she’s on a hot streak that’s left fans and fellow players alike in awe. Despite her love and passion for the game, there is one aspect of golf that gets under her skin and tests her patience like nothing else. 

That one thing is slow play, which she had openly expressed previously after the Chevron Championship, “Honestly, I despise it; it drives me up a freaking wall. Like, it’s just that I just can’t stand it; it’s probably my biggest pet peeve.” She further reaffirmed her stance, speaking ahead at the Evian Golf Club Resort wherein the fourth major with $8 million purse is going on. All of a sudden, her patience was tested again, just hours after she spoke out against it. This highlights the ongoing challenge she faces in dealing with this aspect of the game.

Nelly Korda faces slow play at the Amundi Evian Championship

According to a report by NELLYLEGION on their X handle, Nelly Korda has experienced a similar situation. The post quotes her caddie, Jason, as exclaiming, ‘No way!‘ upon arriving at the next tee and discovering that the group ahead had yet to take their shots. This information was sourced from the @TrackingBrooke handle.

The World No. 1 female golfer is currently taking the toll as she struggles to perform at the Amundi Evian Championship. After the first round, she was tied at T-42. Korda has openly expressed her frustration with slow play, stating, “I just think the faster people play is better for the game. The rules need to be enforced, and we have seen that. I think the LPGA Tour is doing a better job. I still think there is some room for improvement, and it’s going to be better for the game of golf if there aren’t three groups on one hole.”

The 14-time LPGA champ believes that the rules regarding slow play should be enforced, as it can throw off the rhythm of golfers and be a drag for fans. She emphasized, saying after the 2023 Amundi Evian Championship, “If I’m being honest, if I was a spectator and I was out here for five-and-a-half hours to six hours, it’s tough to watch. You want to watch a sport that’s continuously moving and not continuously stalling.“ The 25-year-old commented on this after the 2023 Evian Championship, when Carlota Ciganda, a Spanish golfer, was penalized for slow-speed play. 

Moreover, the Spaniard refused to add the penalty to the scorecard and was disqualified. But what are the exact rules of fast play, and how has Korda defended them? Let us explore.

The World No. 1 stands with ‘Pace of Play’ rules

Known for her quick play, Korda expressed her support for the R&A and USGA’s Rules of Golf guidelines; she stated, “I am a fast player, but I would say at the end of the day, The Rules of Golf are The Rules of Golf, and it’s good that it’s being enforced.” The rules state that players have 40 seconds to complete their strokes. 

However, additional time is allowed for specific situations. For instance, the first player to tee off on a par 3 hole gets an extra 10 seconds, as does the first player to make their second stroke on a par 4 or par 5 hole, and the first player to make their third stroke on a par 5 hole.

Additionally, players get extra time when playing on or around the putting green. If a player exceeds the time limit, they will first receive a caution. Moreover, if a player exceeds the time limit, they will first receive a caution. If they exceed it again, they will incur a one-stroke penalty under Rule 6-7. A third offense will result in an additional two-stroke penalty, and a fourth offense will lead to disqualification.

Nelly Korda thinks that slow play can negatively impact the game, which makes it less enjoyable for players and spectators. What is your take on this? The comments section is all yours to express your views.