Sun Ju Ahn's penalty - fair or not?

[delc]

Sun Ju Ahn was the leader in the British Womens Open, until she was penalised 2 shots for building a stance in a green side bunker at the final hole. I personally thought she did nothing more than fairly taking her stance, although she did push down a bit of sand in the process. Any conflicting views? Maybe the LGU don't want another Korean winner! :mmm:

 

[Deleted member 15344]

http://forums.golf-monthly.co.uk/showthread.php?68777-Ricoh-Womens-British-Open

 

[garyinderry]

any videos of this floating about ?

 

[Lump]

That was building a stance for sure. It wasn't a case of twisting your feet into the sand, she obviously and deliberately moved sand with her feet to gain a better stance. Totally fair in my eyes.

 

[delc]

That was building a stance for sure. It wasn't a case of twisting your feet into the sand, she obviously and deliberately moved sand with her feet to gain a better stance. Totally fair in my eyes.

As she was standing on an upslope, probably difficult not to!

 

[Imurg]

That was building a stance for sure. It wasn't a case of twisting your feet into the sand, she obviously and deliberately moved sand with her feet to gain a better stance. Totally fair in my eyes.

As she was standing on an upslope, probably difficult not to!

Agreed but I think she was a bit over- enthusiastic!
Fair penalty

 

[guest100718]

As she was standing on an upslope, probably difficult not to!

come on, she was clearly dragging down sand to lower her left foot and raise the right.

 

[delc]

come on, she was clearly dragging down sand to lower her left foot and raise the right.

The sand looked quite deep and soft on an upslope to me, so difficult for her to get to get a secure footing, particularly as she is quite a big lass.

 

[Birchy]

Nailed on penalty, i thought she was gonna flick it up and volley it out at one point

 

[gmc40]

Sun Ju Ahn was the leader in the British Womens Open, until she was penalised 2 shots for building a stance in a green side bunker at the final hole. I personally thought she did nothing more than fairly taking her stance, although she did push down a bit of sand in the process. Any conflicting views? Maybe the LGU don't want another Korean winner! :mmm:

Not seen it but I'm pretty certain there is no conspiracy as your last sentence suggests may be the case.

 

[sev112]

Personally,I was waiting for her to ask the rules official to show her what she was supposed to do, the sand was just slipping away from under her.
I'd like to have seen the Rules gpperson place a similar ball and then attempt to fairly take a stance without the sand moving

Looked unfair to me

 

[CMAC]

steep slope with fine links sand, you cant take a stance without the sand and your foot sliding away from you, so you reposition your foot a couple of times till the sand stops sliding away, or you end up almost doing the splits.:mmm:

I watched her do it and I've done that many times on a bunker slope with fine sand, its very very hard not to. That's a very harsh decision saying she was building a stance, creating a stable stance I grant you but I don't believe she was 'building a stance' as per the rules definition.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I thought it was fair. It just looked wrong when she was doing it. I take the point about fine links sand and the slope but lets just say she seemed over enthusiastic

 

[rickg]

Any videos for this?

 

[LinksTurf]

Just before 3hrs 53mins on this: http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b04b5xzk/golf-womens-british-open-2014-day-3

 

[garyinderry]

silly rule. there is more sand in that bunker than the whole of lee park! poor girl nearly sunk first step into in.


I see nothing wrong with getting a firm base in a bunker. its doesn't help the shot one bit. everyone settles their feet into bunkers.

granted she kicked about more than normal, but that was deep sand. id feel a little aggrieved.

 

[garyinderry]

3hrs.26mins.25secs for the video

 

[palindromicbob]

It's the pulling down of the sand with her left foot that's the issue. Pretty much falls within the example given in decision 13-3/3 although less extreme. Had she simple taken her stance and shuffled to get a firm footing she would have been fine. Dragging the sand down gets her into bother. Fair penalty and the rules have been applied as they currently stand within Rule 13.

 

[dotty001]

Bloody hell didn't even know this rule existed I can't think of a time I've done this or been in the situation but will deffo make me think on if on a steep upslope

 

[Ian_S]

I'd say fair. The way she stepped into the bunker was so weird, it's like she was trying to make it as unstable as possible so she could build up a stance but have a defensible position ("you can't penalise me, look I could barely stand up"). Seems a bit of cynical, professional play to me.