South African Lee-Anne Pace has found herself in the middle of a withdrawal controversy with questions over her actions and the possibility of winning a season-long $1-million prize.
Pace withdrew during round one of the CP Women’s Open on the LPGA Tour citing a nagging hip injury. The mid-round exit meant that her scores for the day were erased.
Why the drama? She had just made a quadruple-bogey 9 at 14 – the hole that identified as part of the season-long Aon Risk Reward Challenge. Her withdrawal means Pace was able to keep her running average in tact and maintain her lead of .49 shots over Hyo Joo Kim.
Pace has hit back at any claims, her withdrawal was for any foul reasons.
‘I know what it looks like, but I can guarantee that’s not the case,’ she said.
‘It’s all legitimate. It just happened to happen there, on that hole.
‘I understand what people are going to think. They’re going to think what they think, but I feel, under the circumstances, I did the right thing, to not keep playing with a bad back.’
The South African needs play five more rounds to be eligible for the Aon Risk Reward grand prize.
