Slow-play penalty at ANWA leads to agonizing missed-cut for former champion

EVANS, Ga. — Anna Davis was penalized one stroke for slow play during the second round of the Augusta National Women’s Amateur, the club announced late Thursday afternoon. The penalty bumped the 2022 ANWA champion to four over for the championship, assuring her of a missed cut.

“While being timed, Davis received her first bad time after playing her second stroke on hole No. 5 and received her second bad time following her second stroke on hole No. 17,” the rules committee said in a statement. “She was subsequently assessed a one-stroke penalty, which was applied on hole No. 17.”

Davis and her playing partners, Lottie Woad and Maria Jose Marin, were notified “multiple times” that their group was out of position. With the penalty, Davis posted a six-over 78 in her second round at Champions Retreat (the third and final round will be at Augusta National on Saturday). Her two-day total of six over left her one shot outside the cut line.

Davis was visibly shaken after signing her scorecard and exiting the scoring area. After meeting with the tournament rules committee, Davis walked out with her father, Bill, who had his arm around her shoulder. She declined to speak with the assembled media.

This is the second year in a row Davis has been involved in a rules controversy at Champions Retreat. Officials penalized Davis four strokes when she made a preferred-lies gaffe during the opening round of the 2023 ANWA, changing her opening 5 to a 9.

“I knew we were playing lift, clean and place,” Davis said last year. “I asked my scorer if we were doing it like everywhere, but I guess he didn’t know. … Little rough start to the day, but that’s all right, it happens.”

Davis went on to miss the cut by two.

This isn’t the first time a teenager has fallen victim to Augusta National’s slow-play rules enforcement. Then 14-year-old Tianlang Guan received a slow-play penalty during the 2013 Masters when he was an amateur.

Davis’ playing partner Lottie Woad leads at five under after 36 holes at Champions Retreat.