Matthew Fitzpatrick Becomes the Latest Golf Player to Criticize the PGA Tour’s Sluggish Play

Last week, Matthew Fitzpatrick left the Harbor Town course in the first place. He is tired of it because the final round seems to go forever.

The PGA Tour’s tempo of play has come under increasing fire in recent weeks, notably when Brooks Koepka implicitly called out Patrick Cantlay at the Masters earlier this month. Fitzpatrick is the newest professional golfer to criticize the pace of play.

In the RBC Heritage final round on Sunday, Fitzpatrick shared the course alongside Cantlay and Jordan Spieth. Fitzpatrick voiced similar reservations.

“I think they give us way too much leeway to get round.” “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 fifteen, five and a half [hours] at some venues, and it’s truly appalling.” 

Matthew Fitzpatrick

After his round at Augusta National, Koepka, who placed second at the Masters despite having a four-shot lead at one stage, made an indirect reference to Cantlay.

“The group in front of us was brutally slow.” “Jon [Rahm] went to the bathroom like seven times during the round, and we were still waiting.”

Koepka

Before the RBC Heritage, Cantlay said that he had been waiting “all day on pretty much every shot” and that he had the impression that “it was slow for everyone.” He doesn’t think he is to blame.

Cantlay was playing with Viktor Hovland in the group ahead of Koepka and Rahm, and Hovland appeared to be annoyed with Cantlay as well.

But when Cantlay was placed under pressure by Harbor Town golf fans during the RBC Heritage, the outcome, well, wasn’t ideal.

Fitzpatrick doesn’t hold his breath, even though it is a problem. It is not the first time that this issue has been made in the golf community, nor will it be the last.

“The problem is though that this conversation has gone on for years and years and years, and no one’s ever done anything. I feel like it’s almost a waste of time talking about it every time.

“I’ve got my opinions, they’re probably strong opinions but you know, PGA Tour, DP World Tour, no one’s going to do anything about it. It’s just the way it’s going to be.”

Cantlay

It’s not fair to blame Cantlay alone for sluggish play, though. Golfers all around the world take their time, especially on difficult shots like the one he was facing when he had time to spare. The focus, though, is undoubtedly on Cantlay.

Who is Mathew Fitzpatrick?

Matthew Fitzpatrick is a professional golfer from England who currently plays on the European Tour and the PGA Tour.

He turned professional in 2014 and has since won six times on the European Tour. He has also represented Europe in the Ryder Cup twice.

Fitzpatrick was born on September 1, 1994, in Sheffield, England. He started playing golf at the age of 7 and became a scratch golfer by the age of 15.

He had a successful amateur career, winning the U.S. Amateur in 2013 and representing Great Britain and Ireland in the Walker Cup.

His first professional win came in 2015 at the British Masters, which made him the youngest Englishman to win a European Tour event in 40 years.

In addition to his six European Tour wins, he has also won once on the PGA Tour at the 2020 WGC-FedEx St. Jude Invitational.

Matthew Fitzpatrick is also known for his accuracy and consistency on the golf course, as well as his mental toughness and ability to stay calm under pressure.

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