Patrick Cantley Strikes Back at Slow Game Critics

Patrick Cantley responded to criticism 'cruel' slow play during last week's Masters final round. Photo: Patrick Smith/Getty Images.

Patrick Cantley, world No. 4, responded to accusations of «brutal slowness». to play in the final round of the Masters, insisting that he and his playing partner Viktor Hovland also «waited all day for almost every hit». Cantley also argued that slow play is inevitable in professional golf, «where every shot counts.»

The American's comments are likely to piss off golfers who have been complaining en masse. on how long it took the pros to finish their round on Sunday.

Cantley was a particular target, not only because of his notorious ticks before every punch, especially his punches, but also because he was noticed afterwards professional colleague.

Brooks Koepka, who lost a 54-hole lead to finish second, and eventual winner John Rahm were constantly portrayed as unhappy on the tee boxes or on the fairway so Cantley and Hovland's group could clear them. Kopka is one of the most vocal critics of slow golf. "Yeah, the group ahead of us was awfully slow" Kopka said later. «John went to the toilet seven times a round and we were still waiting.»

It was Kantley who was blamed, not Hovland, not least because the Norwegian was very defiant in trying to rush things at various points in their round. In a Twitter clip that went viral, Hovland played his chip on the 13 green before Cantley crossed Race Creek.

Hovland was so fed up with playing Patrick Cantley yesterday pic.twitter.com/MG5i43OYWM

— PointsBet Sportsbook (@PointsBetUSA) April 10, 2023

Kantley, however, did not repent. «We finished the first hole and the group in front of us was on tee two when we got to tee two and we waited almost every day for almost every shot,» Cantley said ahead of RBC Heritage this week. "We waited on the 15th fairway, we waited on the 18th fairway. I think it was slow for everyone"

It's hard to tell from the report how slow the band was playing before Kantley — Hideki Matsuyama and Russell Henley, but in general the pace of the game was slow. It took Cantley and Hovland about 4 hours and 45 minutes to complete the round.

This was partly due to delays due to weather conditions from Friday to Saturday, which caused the tournament to be halted to the point where the final round was played in pairs at the 1st and 10th venues -ti.

Cantley, who was oblivious to his tics, added that playing slowly was «just nature»; professional golf, especially in tournaments like the Masters where there's a lot of pressure, and the Augusta National where the greens are so fast and sloping.

"Yes, there is one thing. interesting, sitting in the PAC [Players Advisory Council], you get all the numbers and data.» He said. "And rounds have taken about the same amount of time over the past 10 or 20 years as they do now.

"When you play a golf course like Augusta National, where all the holes are on a steep slope and the green is very fast, it will take you longer and longer to get the hole.

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"I think it might have had to do with some slow play on Sunday and then also gusts of wind and the wind was blowing perhaps intermittently which&#39 ;s when the guys would take a lot too time. I think it's the nature of professional golf that every shot counts.