Lee Ann Walker, unaware of rule, adds 58 penalty strokes at Senior LPGA event

  • Lee Ann Walker hit with 58 penalty strokes over two days
  • Walker unaware of rule change involving caddies on green

The rules have changed since the last time professional golfer Lee Ann Walker competed in an LPGA-sanctioned event. She found out the hard way.

Walker shot rounds of 85 and 74 at the Senior LPGA Championship.

That was before she had to add 42 penalty shots to her opening round in French Lick, Indiana, and 16 more to the second round, giving her scores of 127 and 90.

Walker says she wasn’t aware that caddies no longer can stand behind players as they putt unless a player starts the stance over. She didn’t realize it until midway through her second round Tuesday, and then she had to add a two-shot penalty for every time it happened.

LPGA rules official Marty Robinson said another caddie in the group informed Walker of the rules infraction and the golfer then brought the situation to an official’s attention on the 14th hole (her fifth), Robinson told Golfweek.

“We had her recreate the times that that happened,” Robinson said.

It goes in the books as a 127 in the first round – with a birdie on her last hole.

The USGA and R&A implemented a change that went into effect on 1 January prohibiting caddies from lining up a player on the putting surface under Rule 10.2b.

Walker made her LPGA debut in 1995 and played 13 years on the tour.

Contributor

Guardian sport and agencies

The GuardianTramp

Related Content

Article image
Golf is a hard sport to be out in. The LPGA didn't make it easier for me | Anya Alvarez
The women’s tour’s deafening silence during Pride Month exemplifies why many pro golfers don’t feel comfortable being out. I would know

Anya Alvarez

05, Jul, 2018 @11:16 AM

Article image
Lexi Thompson's major bid ruined after four-stroke penalty reported by TV viewer
Thompson led by three strokes with six holes left when informed of penalty, which was prompted when a TV viewer emailed over incorrect ball placement

Guardian sport and agencies

03, Apr, 2017 @2:54 AM

Article image
LPGA's Twitter poll to award event entry is exploitation not creative thinking | Anya Alvarez
Anya Alvarez: A tournament’s tacky choice to award a sponsor’s exemption to the winner of Twitter poll reduces hard-working pro athletes to clickbait and props to be ogled

Anya Alvarez

04, May, 2017 @8:11 AM

Article image
An amateur event at Augusta is a good start, but women's golf deserves more
The just-announced women’s amateur tournament at Augusta is a milestone for women’s golf, but I’ll admit it: I want more

Anya Alvarez

05, Apr, 2018 @3:13 PM

Article image
'He cheats like hell': Trump's pro golfing partner on playing with the president
Suzann Pettersen, the 15-time LPGA Tour winner and a golfing partner of Donald Trump, says the president “cheats like hell” on the golf course

Guardian sport

30, Jan, 2018 @4:25 PM

Article image
Hank Haney's racist and sexist comments were unsurprising in the world of golf
Women’s golf is full of brilliant athletes from a huge variety of backgrounds. It can be tough to find out more about their stories though

Anya Alvarez

30, May, 2019 @2:42 PM

Article image
How women are leading golf out of its hidebound past ... again
A younger of generation of players is helping the LPGA find a voice for change. But the organization has a history as a force for progress

Anya Alvarez

05, Apr, 2019 @9:00 AM

Article image
Michelle Wie hits back at Rudy Giuliani over crass story on Bannon podcast
Michelle Wie has hit back at Rudy Giuliani after he shared a story about being able to see the golfer’s underwear while she putted during a 2014 golf outing

Guardian sport

20, Feb, 2021 @7:52 PM

Article image
Women’s PGA Championship: Chun In-gee wins third major title – as it happened
Hole-by-hole report: Chun In-gee recovers after a shaky start to land her third major title, condemning Lexi Thompson to another painful near miss. Scott Murray was watching.

Scott Murray

26, Jun, 2022 @8:17 PM

Article image
Rose Zhang: the US college golf star toppling Tiger Woods’ records
After becoming the first player in 72 years to win on her LPGA debut, the 20-year-old American could be what’s needed for a tour that’s deeper than ever but wanting for household names

Bryan Armen Graham

09, Jun, 2023 @8:00 AM