Another week, another controversy for 14-year-old Guan Tianlang.
After posting a second-round 72 to miss theFedex St. Jude Classic cut on Friday, Guan was assessed yet another penalty for a rules violation.
With his ball nestled in the left fairway bunker on the par-5 16th hole, Guan picked it up to identify it without informing either of his playing partners. According to eyewitnesses, Steven Bowditch ?one of his two playing partners, along with Steve Lebrun ?confronted the teenager about his lack of knowledge of the rule.
After the round, it was ruled that Guan violated Rule 12-2. He was assessed a one-stroke penalty for failing to alert his marker or fellow competitor of his intention to mark and lift his ball for identification.
Bowditch initially refused to sign his playing partner뭩 scorecard before finally acquiescing.
This isn뭪 the first penalty that Guan has received in his short time competing in professional events. In the second round of the Masters, while flirting with the cut line, he was assessed a controversial one-stroke penalty for slow play.
He made the cut that week, earning low amateur honors at Augusta National, and again two weeks later at the Zurich Classic, but has since failed to reach the weekend in three consecutive PGA Tour-sanctioned starts.