The Korn Ferry Tour handed Bryson Nimmer a one-stroke penalty for slow play during Thursday’s opening round of the Nationwide Children’s Hospital Championship in Columbus, Ohio.
Nimmer, who sits at No. 36 in KFT points and is fighting for one of 20 available PGA Tour cards through the four-event Finals series, took 68 seconds to play his second shot on the par-4 18th hole at Ohio State University’s Scarlet Course. That’s 18 seconds over his allotted time.
The penalty turned what would have been a par into a bogey, forcing the former Clemson standout to sign for a 2-over 73. He now sits 11 shots off the lead and a couple strokes outside the projected cut line.
This marks the third slow-play penalty assessed on the Korn Ferry Tour this season under their revised pace-of-play policy, which took effect in April at the Lecom Suncoast Classic.
The new rules have real teeth. Players receive a one-stroke penalty after their first bad time, rather than waiting until a second violation as the previous policy did. A second bad time now costs two strokes, while a third results in disqualification.
Here’s how it works: When players fall behind pace, they’re put “on the clock” and monitored by an official after receiving a warning. They have 40 seconds to play most shots, though the tour allows an extra 10 seconds in certain situations – like being first to hit on a par-3 tee or first to play on a green.
The PGA Tour hasn’t adopted this stricter policy, which is currently being used on both the Korn Ferry Tour and PGA Tour Americas.
