Carlota Ciganda disqualified from 2023 Amundi Evian Championship post slow play 'two-stroke' penalty 

Carlota Ciganda was disqualified from the 2023 Amundi Evian Championship on Friday, July 28, after scoring 74-72 in the first two rounds. She received a two-stroke penalty for sluggish play on the ninth hole (her final hole of the second round, as she began on the tenth).

The scorekeeper admonished Ciganda and her group, which included Anna Nordqvist and Celine Herbin, for slow play on the seventh hole. Despite this, Ciganda's short time resulted in a two-stroke penalty that she refused to accept and was thus disqualified from the tournament for violating the LPGA Tour's Pace of Play Policy.

The LPGA Tour spokeswoman stated in an emailed message obtained by various media:

“The group failed to make up time through the seventh hole, therefore the group was timed starting on No. 8. On the ninth hole [the group’s last hole of the day after starting on No. 10], Carlota Ciganda’s shot times prompted a two-stroke penalty per the LPGA Tour’s Pace of Play Policy. Ciganda was allowed an appeal with the advance and lead rules officials before returning her scorecard, which was heard and denied."

“Therefore, a two-stroke penalty was upheld," she added. "Ciganda opted not to add the two-stroke penalty to her signed scorecard. She was told that leaving the official recording area with a signed score lower (without the penalty strokes) would lead to disqualification, and left on her own accord. Rule 3.3b(3) states that if a returned score is lower than the actual score, the player is disqualified from the competition.

"The exception to this rule does not apply because Ciganda was aware of the penalty strokes received and upheld before signing her scorecard and leaving the recording area.”

Carlota Ciganda made the cut at the event by two strokes. If she accepted the penalty, she would have missed the cut at the major tournament.

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Carlota Ciganda's performance at the 2023 Amundi Evian Championship

Carlota Ciganda began the 2023 Amundi Evian Championship with a bogey on the second hole on Thursday, July 27. She made a birdie on the third hole before making a double bogey on the fourth.

Carlota shot 3 over par 74 with three birdies, three bogeys, and a double bogey in the first round. She had not signed the second-round scorecard. She did, however, cut after round 72 on Friday, but was disqualified.

However, this is not the first time Ciganda has received a penalty for slow play. She was penalized for sloppy play during a match play event at the 2021 Bank of Hope LPGA tournament, causing her to lose the championship.

Carlota Ciganda began her professional career in 2011 and has won eight professional competitions so far. She had competed in all five major tournaments in her career, with her best performance being third place at the Evian, US Women's Open and Women's PGA Championships.

Ciganda finished third in the Evian Championship in 2022. She placed fourth in the Chevron Championship in 2015 and 2019, and third in the US Women's Open in 2018. Her best finish at the Women's British Open was a tie for seventh place in both 2018 and 2019.