Davis Misses Cut at Augusta After Penalty for Slow Play
The 2024 Augusta National Women’s Amateur has had its fair share of drama, and one of the tournament’s past champions, Anna Davis, found herself in the midst of it. Davis, who won the ANWA in 2022 at just 16 years old, was assessed a one-stroke penalty for slow play during the second round at Champions Retreat Golf Club. This costly infraction moved her from 3 over par to 4 over for the championship, causing her to miss the 36-hole cut and the chance to compete in Saturday’s final round at Augusta National.
The pace of play issue arose when rules officials notified Davis and her playing partners multiple times that they were “out of position,” according to the tournament’s policy. As a result, the group, which included the 36-hole leader Lottie Woad, was put on the clock. The tournament’s pace of play policy allows players 40 seconds to play a stroke, with an additional 10 seconds if they are the first player to play.
Unfortunately for Davis, she received her first bad time after her second stroke on hole No. 5 and her second bad time following her second stroke on hole No. 17. Consequently, she was assessed a one-stroke penalty, which was applied on hole No. 17. This penalty ultimately cost her the opportunity to continue competing in the tournament.
This is not the first time Davis has been involved in a rules violation at the ANWA. In the 2023 championship, she unknowingly broke the lift, clean, and place rules. These rules only allowed players to clean their balls from “closely mown areas,” such as the fairway. Davis mistakenly utilized the rule twice while playing from the rough on her opening hole and was assessed a 4-shot penalty, resulting in her missing the cut.
As Davis walked to the parking lot with her father after the penalty, she appeared distraught. When asked if she would answer questions from the media, she replied, “Maybe later,” attempting to crack a smile through her tears. It was a tough moment for the Auburn freshman, who had hoped to make a strong showing at this year’s championship.
The ANWA Tournament headquarters released a statement regarding Davis’s rules violation, stating, “Anna Davis was assessed a one-stroke penalty for violation of the Tournament’s Pace of Play Policy. Her group, which included Lottie Woad and Maria Jose Marin, was notified that they were out of position multiple times during their second round. While being timed, Davis received her first bad time after playing her second stroke on No. 5 and received her second bad time following her second stroke on hole No. 17. She was subsequently assessed a one-stroke penalty, which was applied on hole No. 17.”
Despite the unfortunate turn of events for Davis, the tournament continues with other talented players vying for the coveted championship title. The ANWA serves as a platform for showcasing the talents of women in golf and continues to inspire future generations of female golfers. As the competition progresses, all eyes will be on who will emerge as the victor at Augusta National.