European Tour star hit with slow play penalty in first round of PGA Championship
John Catlin was warned for his slow play on the 16th hole and was then given the penalty on the 3rd hole, which was his 12th hole of the day.
European Tour player John Catlin was given a one-stroke penalty for slow play during the first round of the PGA Championship on Thursday.
The 30-year-old incurred his first bad time on the par-5 16th hole, which was his seventh hole of the day, when he took 74 seconds to hit his second shot so he was given a warning.
His second bad time occurred on the par-4 3rd hole and this is where the American was given a one-stroke penalty, meaning that he was given a bogey instead of par.
The World No. 80, who has enjoyed fine form on the European Tour of late, finished his round with a 3-over-par 75 scorecard that included four bogeys and a double-bogey.
It is the first penalty for slow play administered at a major championship since 14-year-old Guan Tianlang was penalized for one stroke during The Masters in 2013.
Catlin qualified for the tournament at Kiawah Island via a special invitation, off the back of winning three times on the European Tour in the space of eight months.
He picked up his first victory at the Estrella Damm N.A. Andalucia Masters in September 2020 and doubled his tally three weeks later at the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open.
Catlin's most recent win on the European Tour came at the Austrian Golf Open in April, where he beat German Max Kieffer in a dramatic playoff.
The man from California is set to tee off at 6.14 pm this evening in the second round and he will be looking to improve on his score on Thursday if he is to make the cut.
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