Matt Fitzpatrick slams 'truly appalling' slow play in golf - 'Like hitting your head against a brick wall'
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ByEurosport
Published 19/04/2023 at 09:17 GMT
Matt Fitzpatrick has criticised slow play in golf. He says it is "truly appalling" that it can take up to five-and-a-half hours to complete a three-ball match. This year's RBC Heritage winner also thinks it is a "waste of time" debating the topic further as he believes "no one's going to do anything about it". Fitzpatrick is set to play with his brother Alex at the Zurich Classic this weekend.
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Matt Fitzpatrick has called for more action to be taken against slow play in golf which he says is "truly appalling".
The Yorkshireman's criticism comes after playing alongside Patrick Cantlay on his way to his first regular PGA Tour title at the RBC Heritage last weekend.
Cantlay was criticised by Viktor Hovland and Brooks Koepka for slow play during the Masters at Augusta.
Fitzpatrick says the length of time to get through certain rounds is a "disgrace", but does not believe any player will get penalised for it.
"If you're in a three-ball, in my opinion, you should be round in four hours, four-and-a-half absolute maximum - it's a disgrace to get anywhere near that. You're talking five hours and 15 minutes, five-and-a-half hours at some venues and it's truly appalling.
"The problem is this conversation has gone on for years and years and years, and no one has ever done anything so I feel it's almost a waste of time talking about it.
"I have strong opinions, but no one's going to do anything about it."
The PGA Tour introduced a 'Pace of Play' policy in 2020 that would see players who take 45 seconds or longer to hit a shot across a 10-tournament rolling period added to an 'observation list'.
The 45-second threshold was set when a sample of 14 million shots found that the slowest 10 per cent of players on the tour averaged 45 seconds or more to make their shot.
However, Fitzpatrick says it is very rare that a player is penalised.
"It's like hitting your head against a brick wall," he continued.
"No one ever gets penalised. I think the last person to get penalised was the young lad [Guan Tianlang] at The Masters in 2013. I think that tells you enough about where people are at with this. It's ridiculous really.
"I think it's a real issue, way more needs to be done. The thing is I really like referees over here [in the USA], they are great people, but I did not see a single ref all day.
"There were a few shots we were waiting, and I don't understand where they are all hiding. It does become frustrating when you are waiting so long."
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