Overview
- A televised tee shot in the opening round at Champions Retreat showed Shoemaker standing over the ball for about 70–75 seconds before swinging, and the clip spread fast on social media.
- Officials issued no penalty because her group was not being timed under Rule 5.6b, which applies the 40-second limit only when a group is on the clock.
- After a second straight 73 that left her outside the cut, Shoemaker told reporters the pause is a form of the yips and said her longest hold over the ball Thursday was 11 seconds.
- She had cubital tunnel surgery on her right arm in October 2025 and says she is retraining her mind after months of pain and numbness, with her USC coach noting she was a fast player before the injury.
- The moment drew sharp criticism and some sympathy online and has renewed calls for clearer pace-of-play enforcement across events.