‘Really Cheapens the Whole Event’: Golf Community Lashes Out at Women’s First Major for an ‘Outrageous’ Ruling That Almost Costed Them $765,000

The first LPGA major of the year saw Lilia Vu emerge as the winner after beating fellow compatriot Angel Yin on Sunday. Yin had made some costly bogeys at the 16th and 17th holes on the final day but birdied the par-5 18th to force a playoff against Vu.

Both golfers were then carted back to the 18th hole for the final face-off. But, Yin’s elation about securing the playoff was short-lived, as she sent her second shot into the water on no. 18. The 24-year-old then had to take a drop, reaching the green in four. It appears, however, golf fans weren’t impressed with the drop zone, with one Twitter user even terming it as “outrageous.”

Lilia Vu beats Angel Yin in an action-packed playoff

As Vu and Yin retook the par-5 18th hole at The Club at Carlton Woods, the latter’s second shot splashed into a pond in front of the green, and she had to take a penalty drop. Yin eventually reached the green in four. Vu, meanwhile, was over the green in two shots.

She chipped onto the putting surface, leaving her a putt of around 14 feet, longer than Yin had left for par. A former UCLA sensation, Vu’s right-to-left putt for the winning birdie dropped in the left corner of the cup.

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The win was highly emotional for Vu, who had once considered leaving her golfing career behind after a not-so-pleasant start. Lilia Vu’s first major win came with a $765,000 payout, as runner-up Yin walked away with $479,680 in earnings. While most fans were thrilled throughout the 2023 Chevron Championship, some took to Twitter to express their displeasure over the underwhelming drop zone on the 18th.

Fans react to the underwhelming drop zone at the Chevron Championship

LPGA’s first major this year was a huge success, with the likes of Lilia Vu, Angel Yin, and Nelly Korda keeping fans hooked to their screens until the last minute. Golf fans weren’t impressed by the drop zone on the 18th hole, with one expressing that it underplayed the event’s seriousness. Meanwhile, another opined that the drop zone was too “easy” for a major championship.

Some were also stupefied at the closeness of the grandstands to the drop zone, saying it should have been out of the boundary. Another blamed the event’s sponsor for the underwhelming drop area.

While many Twitter users expressed their disappointment, golfer Allisen Corpuz weighed in with her own experience. The American golfer had finished T4 at the Chevron Championship on Sunday.

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What is your opinion on the controversial drop zone near the 18th hole? What was your favorite moment from this year’s Chevron Championship? Let us know in the comments below!