'Don't Blame The Players For Slow Play' - Korda On Evian Championship 'Carnage'
Jessica Korda has given her opinion on the par 3 16th at Evian Resort Golf Club
The issue of slow play is never far from the conversation, and it’s only a matter of months since there was considerable controversy over the pace of play during the final round of April’s Masters at Augusta National.
Now, a women’s Major is the focus of slow play, but, according to Jessica Korda, it has nothing to do with the players.
The American isn’t participating in the Amundi Evian Championship at Evian Resort Golf Club in France this year as she's out for the rest of the season with a back injury. However, she is keeping a close eye on the action and has given her opinion on some of the holes via Twitter updates during the second round.
One of the holes she commented on was the par 3 16th. She wrote: “Guys.. 16.. it’s a stressful hole - always - and now you get to sit on the tee-box for 10-15th or more and watch the carnage that’s happening in the group in front. No wonder the rounds are 6+ hrs. Don’t blame slow play on the players today.”
Guys.. 16 😅 .. it’s a stressful hole - always- and now you get to sit on the tee-box for 10-15th or more and watch the carnage that’s happening in the group in front. No wonder the rounds are 6+ hrs. Don’t blame slow play on the players today @LPGAJuly 28, 2023
The hole in question doesn’t seem too troublesome at first glance. However, it plays harder than it looks thanks partly to a tee slightly more elevated than the green, meaning players need to hit down towards it.
Add some downwind and the hole becomes even more tricky, which is what players were faced with during the second round. To add to their dilemma, the pin for Friday’s play was also placed left over some water, which gave some players a hard time keeping the ball on the green.
The wind and pin locations were a factor throughout the course on Friday. Alison Lee, who heads into the weekend on five-under after an even-par second round said: "To be honest, shooting even par, it felt like really, really good round for me. There were - I would say more than half my round the wind was blowing quite a bit and it was very, very tough. I started on 10.
Get the top Black Friday deals right in your inbox: Sign up now!
The hottest deals and product recommendations during deals season straight to your inbox plus all the best game-changing tips, in-depth features and the latest news and insights around the game.
"Starting on 10 up until probably my 13th, 14th hole, was very, very windy, very stressful. A lot of the holes, especially with these pins that they were in today, it was very, very difficult."
With two days of play still to come, it’s too early to say whether the 16th will play a pivotal role in the outcome of the tournament, but it appears to be shaping up to be as controversial as the 17th at Royal Liverpool during last week’s Open.
That par 3, which has been completely redeveloped, features severe run offs into a brutal waste area and two steep bunkers either side of the small green. The tricky nature of it even led Matt Fitzpatrick’s caddie, Billy Foster, to describe it as “a monstrosity.”
For the second Major in a row, a par 3 is causing plenty of difficulties, only this time, according to Korda, with the effect of slowing the pace of play.
Mike has over 25 years of experience in journalism, including writing on a range of sports throughout that time, such as golf, football and cricket. Now a freelance staff writer for Golf Monthly, he is dedicated to covering the game's most newsworthy stories.
He has written hundreds of articles on the game, from features offering insights into how members of the public can play some of the world's most revered courses, to breaking news stories affecting everything from the PGA Tour and LIV Golf to developmental Tours and the amateur game.
Mike grew up in East Yorkshire and began his career in journalism in 1997. He then moved to London in 2003 as his career flourished, and nowadays resides in New Brunswick, Canada, where he and his wife raise their young family less than a mile from his local course.
Kevin Cook’s acclaimed 2007 biography, Tommy’s Honour, about golf’s founding father and son, remains one of his all-time favourite sports books.
-
Graham DeLaet Facts: 20 Things To Know About The PGA Tour Pro Turned Broadcaster
Graham DeLaet had a successful career in the game, but after injuries took a toll, he has stepped into a broadcasting role in recent years - here are 20 facts about him
By Mike Hall Published
-
Arron Oberholser Facts: 15 Things To Know About The PGA Tour-Winning Golf Channel Broadcaster
Arron Oberholser left his PGA Tour career behind to take up life as a Golf Channel broadcaster in 2013 – here are 15 things to know about him
By Mike Hall Published
-
LPGA Tour Announces 2025 Schedule
The 2025 LPGA Tour season will have two new events including a visit to Mexico, while the biennial International Crown returns
By Mike Hall Published
-
Anyone From Nelly Korda To 60th-Place Carlota Ciganda Can Win The Biggest Check In Women's Golf History This Week - Here's Why
The LPGA Tour season culminates in the CME Globe Tour Championship at Tiburon Golf Club this week - and an $11 million total prize purse is on the line
By Jonny Leighfield Published
-
Lexi Thompson Says She ‘May Tee It Up A Few Times Next Year’ As She Prepares To Retire From Full-Time Professional Golf
The American has revealed she might play a limited schedule next year as she prepares for life beyond a full-time professional schedule
By Mike Hall Published
-
'I Just Think It Really Drags The Game Down' - LPGA Tour Stars Weigh In On Slow Play Debate
Nelly Korda is one of the players who has given her thoughts on the issue of slow play on the LPGA Tour after Charley Hull suggested a brutal idea to kill the issue
By Mike Hall Published
-
CME Group Tour Championship Prize Money Payout 2024
Nelly Korda heads the field as players compete for one of the largest purses in the history of the women’s game
By Mike Hall Published
-
Women’s NCAA Division I Champion Adela Cernousek Turns Pro
Texas A&M's Adela Cernousek has announced she is turning professional, with a place in the final stage of LPGA Tour Q-Series on the horizon
By Mike Hall Published
-
‘I Feel Sorry For The Fans' - Charley Hull Proposes Brutal Idea To 'Kill' Slow Play
After pointing out that her third round at The Annika took close to six hours, the World No.11 suggested an idea which could greatly reduce slow play on tour
By Jonny Leighfield Published
-
Nelly Korda Joined By Tennis Star Brother Sebastian As He Watches Her Win For First Time
Sebastian Korda was present to watch Nelly Korda claim her seventh victory of the season in the Annika Driven by Gainbridge at Pelican
By Mike Hall Published