KIAWAH ISLAND, S.C. – John Catlin became the first player to be penalized a stroke for slow play in a major championship in eight years on Thursday at the PGA Championship.
Catlin, who is playing this week’s championship on a special invitation, was given a slow play warning from the rules committee on the par-5 16th hole, which was his seventh hole of the day, when he took 74 seconds to hit his second shot.
His second bad time came at No. 3, when he took 63 seconds to hit his second shot. Under the PGA of America’s pace-of-play policy, Catlin was given a one-stroke penalty, which turned his par on the hole into a bogey.
The last slow play penalty in a major was given to Guan Tianlang, 14, at the 2013 Masters.
Catlin, who has won three times on the European Tour in the last nine months, finished with a 3-over 75 and was tied for 108th when he completed his round.
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