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He's right on the cut line right now, so the penalty might be the difference between whether or not he makes the cut.
According to
Guan said after the round that the wind changed on 17, so he changed clubs, and that's what made him take so long.
It's a joke.
According ESPN, this is the first slow-play penalty in a PGA Tour-sanctioned event in 18 years.
There are loads of slow players, and randomly deciding to single out a 14-year-old is truly awful. Golf Digest is reporting that he was given three slow-play warnings before the penalty. But still, come on.
Also, as Jason Sobel of Golf Channel notes, there may have been a language barrier when those warnings were given.
It's notable that this is Augusta National that's making the ruling, not the PGA Tour.
Ben Crenshaw, a 61-year-old who played with Guan and shot 12-over, said after the round, "This isn't going to wind up pretty. I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry this happened."
In addition to all that, the group wasn't even playing all that slow compared to their peers. The finished in 5 hours, 13 minutes. That's 14 minutes slower than the group ahead of them, but 12 minutes faster than the group behind them.
The golf world was outraged:
Just received this text from PGA Tour pro: "I don't think I've ever seen a more ridiculous time to start enforcing a rule." Amen, brother.
— Jason Sobel (@JasonSobelGC) April 12, 2013
Slow-play penalty for Guan on 17? All the slow-pokes in golf and they slap him with a penalty? Amazing. #Masters
— Bob Harig (@BobHarig) April 12, 2013
As brutally slow as it is out here anyway, you going to make an example of a 14-year-old whenprofessionals won't get moving? #Masters
— Bob Harig (@BobHarig) April 12, 2013
I applaud slow-play rules being enforced. Seems a bit cruel that in field full of snails, the 14-year-old amateur get zapped for dawdling.
— Steve Elling (@EllingYelling) April 12, 2013
Let's face it: Kevin Na and Jim Furyk are playing in this tournament. I want someone to prove to me they're playing much quicker than Guan.
— Jason Sobel (@JasonSobelGC) April 12, 2013
The 14-year-old Tianlang Guan got a 1-shot penalty on 17 for slow play. Yeah, he's been around here long enough, he should KNOW that.
— Rick Reilly (@ReillyRick) April 12, 2013
What a terrible decision to penalize Guan. Yeah, maybe he was playing slowly but the kids trying to make history, just look the other way.
— Jamie Lovemark (@jamielovemark) April 12, 2013
Can't believe that they gave out a penalty to Guan at the masters. The fact that he is looking at tour players playing every week (cont…
— Shane Lowry (@shanelowrygolf) April 12, 2013
…cont) like snails means that he plays the same way. This is a joke. Hope he makes the cut now.
— Shane Lowry (@shanelowrygolf) April 12, 2013