2023 ANWA

[iacas]

Augusta National Women's Amateur: 2 big-time changes coming

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This year's upcoming Augusta National Women's Amateur will feature some new changes that should be well-received by fans.

 

[boogielicious]

That’s a fun tournament to watch.

[DaveP043]

Unfortunately, the first day of the tournament is in the news primarily for a "bizarre" rules issue.  Its not really bizarre, but a headline about a rules infraction just doesn't work if it doesn't use a word like bizarre or weird or insane or something.

Defending ANWA champ Anna Davis involved in bizarre rules issue, hit with four-stroke penalty

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Defending ANWA champ Anna Davis involved in bizarre rules issue, hit with four-stroke penalty

But like many rules issues, the competitor simply didn't read the Rule sheet she was given on the first tee..  On the plus side, Davis blamed nobody but herself.  Its a shame that this bit of news overshadowed a tournament/course-record 66 by Rose Zhang.

[Vinsk]

Damn…that’s a shame. I can see maybe overlooking the rules sheet at Mr. Toad’s 9 hole extravaganza…..but Augusta? Good of her to own it though.

[DeadMan]

Rose Zhang is going to have a 5 shot lead going into the final round at Augusta on Saturday. The way the broadcast is set up, you could only see 3 holes, but it was an impressive 3 holes. She has the lowest round for each day so far. Really hard to see her losing it. If she shoots even par, the woman in second has to shoot 66 to beat Rose. Good luck with that.

[iacas]

5 hours ago, DaveP043 said:

Unfortunately, the first day of the tournament is in the news primarily for a "bizarre" rules issue.  Its not really bizarre, but a headline about a rules infraction just doesn't work if it doesn't use a word like bizarre or weird or insane or something.

Yeah. There's nothing bizarre about it.

3 hours ago, DeadMan said:

Rose Zhang is going to have a 5 shot lead going into the final round at Augusta on Saturday. The way the broadcast is set up, you could only see 3 holes, but it was an impressive 3 holes. She has the lowest round for each day so far. Really hard to see her losing it. If she shoots even par, the woman in second has to shoot 66 to beat Rose. Good luck with that.

Indeed. And she probably won't shoot even par at the rate she's going. She's set the tournament course record each day this year (granted, it's only two days, but still…).

[Denny Bang Bang]

I enjoy watching the final round on television, but wish there was a way to watch the Rnd 1 & 2 on The Masters app, or Masters website, something.  (I don’t have cable to watch it on Golf Channel).  Maybe that’ll happen if the tournament continues to grow.

6 hours ago, DaveP043 said:

On the plus side, Davis blamed nobody but herself.  It’s a shame that this bit of news overshadowed a tournament/course-record 66 by Rose Zhang.

She did overall handle it well, but she did toss a little blame on the scorekeeper in the interview I saw.

It was interesting to hear about the infraction, because it’s pretty uncommon (maybe not for people heavily involved with tournaments, but this is a first for me).  Agree it’s unfortunate it got more attention then Zhang’s great play.

 

[DaveP043]

2 minutes ago, Denny Bang Bang said:

She did overall handle it well, but she did toss a little blame on the scorekeeper in the interview I saw.

It was interesting to hear about the infraction, because it’s pretty uncommon (maybe not for people heavily involved with tournaments, but this is a first for me).  Agree it’s unfortunate it got more attention then Zhang’s great play.

Yeah, she said she asked the walking scorer, if I remember right, but that scorer is not associated with the Rules in any way.   The infraction seems odd to me, any time I've played "lift clean and place" (formally known as Model Local Rule E-3) it has been in fairways only, and that's the way the Rules themselves suggest it should be used.  I know that at Virginia amateur events each and every player is handed a rules sheet for today, I'm sure its the same at something as prestigious as the ANWA.  Its simply unfortunate that she didn't read the rules for the day.

[DeadMan]

54 minutes ago, Denny Bang Bang said:

 

I enjoy watching the final round on television, but wish there was a way to watch the Rnd 1 & 2 on The Masters app, or Masters website, something.

 

I watched it on the AWNA website. It was a free stream. 
 

The coverage was pretty bad, though. They were only covering holes 7-9 and 16-18. So you didn’t really get to see much. 

[Vinsk]

1 hour ago, DaveP043 said:

Its simply unfortunate that she didn't read the rules for the day

I know it’s her responsibility, but you’d think her caddy would’ve checked it?

5 hours ago, DeadMan said:

Rose Zhang is going to have a 5 shot lead going into the final round at Augusta on Saturday. The way the broadcast is set up, you could only see 3 holes, but it was an impressive 3 holes. She has the lowest round for each day so far. Really hard to see her losing it. If she shoots even par, the woman in second has to shoot 66 to beat Rose. Good luck with that.

 

Maybe Greg Norman will send his best wishes to her…😝

[ChetlovesMer]

8 hours ago, DaveP043 said:

Yeah, she said she asked the walking scorer, if I remember right, but that scorer is not associated with the Rules in any way.   The infraction seems odd to me, any time I've played "lift clean and place" (formally known as Model Local Rule E-3) it has been in fairways only, and that's the way the Rules themselves suggest it should be used.  I know that at Virginia amateur events each and every player is handed a rules sheet for today, I'm sure its the same at something as prestigious as the ANWA.  Its simply unfortunate that she didn't read the rules for the day.

Her caddie goes into some detail on it. He lashes out a folks on social media. Which, in a way, I get. But, on the other hand, any time anything happens there will be folks on social media looking to pile on. Never-the-less, his perspective is interesting. 

Defending ANWA champ 'disappointed' to miss cut after rules snafu, caddie has choice words for critics

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Defending ANWA champ 'disappointed' to miss cut after rules snafu, caddie has choice words for critics

By the way, the rules infraction didn't in the least seem bizarre to me. I also think SNAFU is totally inappropriate. SNAFU would imply that either the rules committee doesn't know what they are doing, or that the golfer, herself, gets penalties all the time. 

[DaveP043]

2 hours ago, ChetlovesMer said:

Her caddie goes into some detail on it. He lashes out a folks on social media. Which, in a way, I get. But, on the other hand, any time anything happens there will be folks on social media looking to pile on. Never-the-less, his perspective is interesting. 

Defending ANWA champ 'disappointed' to miss cut after rules snafu, caddie has choice words for critics

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Defending ANWA champ 'disappointed' to miss cut after rules snafu, caddie has choice words for critics

By the way, the rules infraction didn't in the least seem bizarre to me. I also think SNAFU is totally inappropriate. SNAFU would imply that either the rules committee doesn't know what they are doing, or that the golfer, herself, gets penalties all the time. 

The interesting part to me is this:

"Bisharat said he was angry because he has played in numerous tournaments at all levels that allowed for preferred lies through the greens if the wet and muddy conditions warranted it. He said he competed in a pro mini-tour event in San Diego just two weeks ago that allowed for it."

These folks have played golf at a much higher level than I have, but I'm pretty surprised that E-3 has been used "through the green"  (he means in the General Area) as a common thing.  The MLR as written refers only to closely mown areas, and the reasoning behind that limitation is expressed pretty clearly in the introduction to the MLR.  I've played a few times where LCP was extended beyond the fairways, but the vast majority were fairways only.

[Bucki1968]

2 minutes ago, DaveP043 said:

The interesting part to me is this:

"Bisharat said he was angry because he has played in numerous tournaments at all levels that allowed for preferred lies through the greens if the wet and muddy conditions warranted it. He said he competed in a pro mini-tour event in San Diego just two weeks ago that allowed for it."

These folks have played golf at a much higher level than I have, but I'm pretty surprised that E-3 has been used "through the green"  (he means in the General Area) as a common thing.  The MLR as written refers only to closely mown areas, and the reasoning behind that limitation is expressed pretty clearly in the introduction to the MLR.  I've played a few times where LCP was extended beyond the fairways, but the vast majority were fairways only.

I agree with you. I have played numerous amateur and professional tournaments in my lifetime, and I can't think of one time where Lift, clean and place was extended beyond the fairways. I would have to assume that it's done that way in areas around the country that I'm not familiar with. In defense of her caddie, I agree with his statement about no one saying anything on the first tee. Especially in a tournament of this magnitude.

[DaveP043]

6 minutes ago, Bucki1968 said:

In defense of her caddie, I agree with his statement about no one saying anything on the first tee. Especially in a tournament of this magnitude.

I agree, I was surprised to read that.  Part of me wonders if he wasn't paying complete attention to the Starter's instructions, just as he did when reading the Rules sheet several times.   

[Elmer]

18 hours ago, Vinsk said:

Damn…that’s a shame. I can see maybe overlooking the rules sheet at Mr. Toad’s 9 hole extravaganza…..but Augusta? Good of her to own it though.

If there is not a course named "Mr. Toad’s 9 hole extravaganza", there should be.

That just sounds fun.

poor kid, but rules are rules. Got to know the rules!

[Vinsk]

Zhang seems like such a nice lady….but goodness she’s long winded. Chamblee and the others need to help her shorten her answers. 

Edited March 31, 2023 by Vinsk

[iacas]

8 hours ago, Bucki1968 said:

I agree with you. I have played numerous amateur and professional tournaments in my lifetime, and I can't think of one time where Lift, clean and place was extended beyond the fairways. I would have to assume that it's done that way in areas around the country that I'm not familiar with. In defense of her caddie, I agree with his statement about no one saying anything on the first tee. Especially in a tournament of this magnitude.

I've coached and played and officiated several events.

I can think of many times when LCP was "through the green" or "in the general area."

It may have been more common when the embedded ball rule wasn't in effect everywhere like it is by default now, but it's definitely happened before. I can see it happening more in junior events (my daughter has had this rule in place in the general area, too, before).

[Vinsk]

10 hours ago, Bucki1968 said:

I agree with you. I have played numerous amateur and professional tournaments in my lifetime, and I can't think of one time where Lift, clean and place was extended beyond the fairways. I would have to assume that it's done that way in areas around the country that I'm not familiar with. In defense of her caddie, I agree with his statement about no one saying anything on the first tee. Especially in a tournament of this magnitude.

It really doesn’t matter if Bisharat has played in 1000 tournaments and were all LCP through the green. This one isn’t and was stated so on the rules sheet. Rules are rules.