Tag: Jacob Skov Olesen

This DP World Tour rookie was penalized for slow play in his first professional start

Perhaps a sign of changes coming?

There has been plenty of discussion recently about slow play in professional golf.

Whether it’s the stars of the LPGA discussing it or PGA Tour players talking about it in relation to recent changes on Tour, slow play is a universal problem in golf. Some players, including Matt Fitzpatrick, have even taken to social media to complain about pace-of-play problems.

Well, for one DP World Tour rookie making his first professional start, he wasn’t given any slack.

Jacob Skov Olesen was assessed a one-shot penalty during the first round of the 2024 BMW Australian PGA Championship on Thursday for slow play. Olesen, the 2024 British Amateur champion, advanced via DP World Tour Q-School to earn his card and was making his pro debut in the tour’s 2024-25 season opener at Royal Queensland Golf Club in Brisbane.

Olesen, 25, took 130 seconds to hit his approach shot into the 10th hole. That’s more than three times the allotted time (40 seconds) to hit a shot once it’s a player’s turn. Olesen made bogey on the hole and opened in 3-over 74.

With the uproar recently on pace of play, perhaps the penalty is a sign the tours are going to crack down more in the coming months.

While most golfers won’t mind paying fines for being slow on a shot, every single one will speed up when valuable strokes are on the line.

Jacob Skov Olesen makes history, becomes first Dane to win Amateur Championship

“It’s an honor, and I’m really proud to be the first Danish winner.”

Jacob Skov Olesen made history Saturday.

The former Arkansas and TCU golfer became the first Dane to win the Amateur Championship, taking down Dominic Clemons 4 and 3 in the 36-hole finale at Ballyliffin in Ireland.

Olesen’s victory earned him a spot in next month’s Open Championship at Royal Troon as well as spots in next year’s Masters and U.S. Open at Oakmont, given he remains an amateur.

“It’s an honor, and I’m really proud to be the first Danish winner,” Olesen said. “I haven’t really gotten to think about that, but I guess that’s something I’ll have forever, which is super cool. Hope it can inspire someone else from Denmark to win next year or maybe some other years in the future.”

Olesen, 25, took advantage early and was 2 up after the morning 18 holes. Then, he was 6 up at points during the afternoon session before eventually winning 4 and 3.

Clemons, who won the Scottish Open Amateur stroke play title he won at Muirfield earlier this month, was 5 down with 5 to play but was able to win one hole to close the gap, however, Olesen’s advantage was too much.

“I will say on 15, the last putt there, I was thinking, two putts from 15 feet and you get to play The Open, the Masters and the U.S. Open,” Olesen said. “That was probably the first time I really allowed myself to think about it. It’s what you dream of since you were a kid, to get to play those and play those courses and play against those fields. It’s really cool.”

The 2025 Amateur Championship will be played at Royal St George’s and Royal Cinque Ports from June 16-21.