Golfer DQ’d from AIG Women’s Open after caddie uses DMD

Ana Pelaez Trivino has been disqualified from the AIG Women’s Open after her caddie used a distance measuring device at St Andrews.

The Spaniard would have been comfortably inside the cut-line at the Old Course – the leaderboard saying she’d followed up an opening 72 with a two-over 74 – but a tournament statement revealed the 26-year-old’s caddie had used a device on two holes of the back nine. DMDs are prohibited at the final women’s major of the year.

The statement read: “Ana Pelaez Trivino has been disqualified from the AIG Women’s Open. Her caddie used a Distance Measuring Device on two separate occasions (10th and 18th holes).

“The use of a Distance Measuring Device is prohibited at the Championship under model local rule G5. The penalty was applied under Rule 4.3.”

Ana Pelaez Trivino disqualified: What is the rule on Distance Measuring Devices at the AIG Women’s Open?

That latter rule says a first breach brings with it a two shot penalty, but the second occasion – “even if the nature of the breach was entirely different” – means disqualification.

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Although unusual, Pelaez Trivino, enjoying her rookie season on the LPGA Tour, isn’t the only player to have come to grief because of this rule.

Natthakritta Vongtaveelap didn’t get past the 5th hole of her debut in last year’s US Women’s Open at Pebble Beach before she was sent packing when her caddie Jinsup Kim twice used a DMD.

Part of the confusion may arise because rangefinders are allowed at events on the LPGA Tour, and they’ve also been used at the Women’s PGA Championship since 2021.

But even when they are permitted, perils can still remain. Justin Leonard recently disqualified himself from the opening round of a PGA Tour Champions event because he had the slope function on his rangefinder.

Now have your say

Ana Pelaez Trivino disqualified: What do you think? Does the punishment fit the crime? Should rangefinders be allowed in all professional events? Let me know thoughts with a comment on X.

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