Doris Chen DQ’d during LPGA Q-series event
During Round seven of the LPGA Q-series event, Doris Chen was DQ’d. Her mom moved her ball from OB to in bounds, which she then played. This resulted in her being disqualified.
Doris Chen made it to the 7th round of this year’s LPGA Q-Series event. She was likely already outside the cut line when the incident happened. She was in the 60’s in the standings, and needed a T45 to qualify for 2019 status. Her chances ended one round early on the 17th hole.
After an errant tee shot left into the trees, the story gets very complicated. Doris Chen has been quoted as saying one thing, whereas her caddie is saying something much different.
Doris Chen’s story is that her and her caddie found the ball in a bad lie in some pine needles near the out of bounds area, albeit in bounds. A woman who lived nearby came out and told them that she saw someone kick the ball from a good lie to a bad one.
This, and the location of Chen’s mother are the two most important parts of the story. As her caddie, Alex Valer, has a much different recollection of the story.
When asked about it, Valer stated that Chen’s mother was in the area, and was in fact the one that found the ball. Not only that, but when they did find it, the woman that Chen stated told her the ball had been kicked actually pointed out her mother as the culprit.
“She said ‘That person right there kicked your ball,’” Valer said.
Not only that, but the homeowner also told the LPGA later on that the ball had been kicked from out of bounds to in bounds. With Valer coming out with his statement, it puts a dark shadow surrounding Chen’s comments and recollection of the situation.
Valer tried to remedy the situation before it was too late, and he tried to do so multiple times. Chen wanted to play the ball. Valer let her know that she should get a rules official, as there were too many factors involved that could lead to a disqualification.
He let her know before she played the ball from where it was, as well as walking to the 18th tee, the last possible moment the situation could be remedied. Instead she teed off. After teeing off, by violating Rule 15-3b, she was disqualified after further review.
The worst part about this is Valer’s statement that Chen asked him to keep it hush hush, and not provide details on what happened. However, when Valer was questioned after the round by officials, he told them what happened.
Regardless of what truly did happen, Doris Chen ended up disqualified. It doesn’t look good for her going forward, and it wasn’t a good showing if she did indeed ask Valer to keep it quiet, as they weren’t that familiar with each other, as this was his first time caddying for her.
A subdued congratulations is in order to Sarah Schmelzel for winning the Q-series. They are also in order to all the women who qualified for 2019 LPGA status.