Golfer suspends herself for 11 tournaments

[nearace]

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Golfers get mad at themselves all the time. Some seethe in silence, some hurl expletives or even clubs. But almost never do they get so disgusted with themselves that they pull out of a tournament ... much less 11 tournaments (http://sports.yahoo.com/golf/pga/news?slug=reu-japanban).
Ladies and gentlemen, meet Japan's Yuko Mitsuka. I defy you to find any golfer, male or female, tougher on themselves than Ms. Mitsuka.
Here's the story. Last week, Mitsuka was playing in the World Ladies Championship. Now, she's a rather deliberate (read: slow) golfer and finally, she got penalized two strokes for her slow play. In frustration, she dropped her clubs and walked off the course.
Oh, but the story doesn't end there. Mitsuka was hit with a Japanese LPGA-record two-million-yen ($21,590) fine. She then took it a step further, voluntarily disqualifying herself from 11 upcoming tournaments (http://sports.yahoo.com/golf/pga/news?slug=reu-japanban).
That, friends, is astonishing, and frankly, a bit bizarre. Slow play and tantrums are sins in golf, yes, but not mortal ones. Not that you'd know that from the JLPGA's comments on the matter: "This is the biggest fine in Japanese LPGA history," the tour's Hideaki Otani told Reuters, "and reflects the seriousness of what took place."
"It will have a serious impact on her to miss these tournaments," JLPGA head honcho Hisako Higuchi added. "Let this be a lesson to other golfers." (No word on whether Higuchi wagged a finger while saying this, but it sure seems like it.)
Now, while at first blush this fine and punishment seems way over the top, it's possible Mitsuka was pursuing a milder version of the you-can't-fire-me, I-quit strategy. In 2006, the JLPGA suspended a player for 10 years -- that's years, friends -- for falsifying a scorecard. So Mitsuka was looking at losing, what, years off her career because of one tantrum? No, better to inflict the wound on yourself than wonder what will be done to you.
The lesson in all of this? Clearly, you don't mess with the JLPGA. Any chance we could bring them in to clean up a few of our stateside leagues?

[mpare]

Perhaps this is a new form of seppuku.

[pdl16]

This poor kid is being escorted from a Japan LPGA event by 2 rules officials.

http://images.paraorkut.com/img/funnypics/images/s/scared_by_samurai-12305.jpg


Perhaps this is a new form of seppuku.

[shankuverymuch]

Any chance we could bring them in to clean up a few of our stateside leagues?


I hear ya !!!

I wish the PGA Tour would stop with the "You're on the clock, and if you don't pick it up, it will cost you $250.00". It's time The Tour enforced the rules, and started slapping slow play with 2 strokes. That might get the player's attention.

Then maybe, just maybe, our public and private courses wouldn't be filled with people who think that 5 hours is a "normal" time to play a round of golf !!!!!

FYI... Florida State Law says "Any person who uses the phrase 'Would you like to play through', or any phrase that conveys that, is subject to a fine of not less than death."

[dekker]

always thought they took golf too seriously in the east. Good thing the game was unknown in their feudal period.
perhaps this guide to seppuku should be required reading for those prone to on-course histrionics and slow play.:rofl:
http://kyushu.com/gleaner/editorspick/seppuku.shtml

[ontario]

That's very much a Japanese thing. Japanese executives are always stepping in front of trains or jumping off cliffs to atone for mis-deeds like stealing the coffee money or using too much toner. Doesn't surprise me that a golfer would DQ herself for that period.

[shankuverymuch]

She must have better guidance than Tiger.... for all the wrong reasons !