Bryson Nimmer became the latest pro to be docked a shot for slow play this season during the opening round of the Korn Ferry Tour’s Nationwide Children’s Hospital Championship.
In April, an updated pace-of-play policy was introduced by the Korn Ferry Tour and PGA Tour Americas in order to clamp down on unnecessarily long rounds in the PGA Tour’s feeder circuits – guidelines which have now seen at least four players across the two tours punished.
On Thursday, Nimmer followed the likes of Hunter Wolcott – winner of the Diners Club Peru Open – in being docked a shot after exceeding the prescribed time limit to hit.
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The former Clemson Tiger had reached the final hole of his front nine at Ohio State University Golf Club’s Scarlet Course at even par – following a bogey on the par-3 13th and a birdie at the par-4 14th – when the incident occurred.
Late into the opening nine holes, Nimmer’s group was put on the clock and a referee began timing each player.
Nimmer took 68 seconds to play his second stroke on the 18th hole, exceeding the time allowed to play the stroke by 18 seconds. (2/2)September 18, 2025
After hitting his drive on the par-4 18th, Nimmer was first to play his approach shot and was therefore given 50 seconds to do so instead of 40 for his peers who followed on, in line with the new rules.
However, according to the Korn Ferry Tour, the 2025 Tulum Championship winner took 68 seconds to play his second shot – which includes time to calculate yardage and select a club – and was therefore penalized one stroke, transforming his par into a bogey five.
Previously, players were not docked a shot until their second “bad time” offense with a warning given out after the first.
But, according to the fresh pace-of-play policy that arrived ahead of the Lecom Suncoast Classic earlier this year, that leeway is no longer in place.
While the first offense will result in a one-stroke penalty, the second misdemeanour of the week will lead to a two-stroke penalty. If a player picks up three “bad time” transgressions in one tournament, they will be disqualified.
Bryson Nimmer poses with the Tulum Championship trophy
(Image credit: Getty Images)
This policy is live on the Korn Ferry Tour and PGA Tour Americas, but it is yet to be introduced on the PGA Tour – which started publishing pace-of-play statistics at the Rocket Classic in June.
Nimmer went on to bogey the par-4 second before making par at each of the remaining holes to sign for a two-over 73. That left him 11 strokes behind first-round leader, John VanDerLaan and two shots outside of the projected cut line.
The 28-year-old is hoping to graduate onto the PGA Tour via the Korn Ferry Tour standings, on which he sat 36th before the action began in Ohio this week.
The top-20 on the Korn Ferry Tour’s points list will move up to the historic US circuit next season, with several names having already earned their card, including Neal Shipley, Johnny Keefer and Austin Smotherman.