Rory McIlroy comments on slow play at the PGA Championship as his round takes over five hours to complete
TL;DR
Rory McIlroy addressed slow play issues during the PGA Championship, where his round exceeded five hours. Factors like difficult conditions and high stakes contributed to the delays.
Key points
- Rory McIlroy commented on slow play at the PGA Championship
- Rounds exceeded five hours due to various factors
- Difficult conditions included wind and thick rough
Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images
Friday at the PGA Championship was a captivating day of golf, but it felt like it took an age to complete.
It was clear we were in for a long afternoon when Scottie Schefflerâs group took three hours to complete their front nine. There were bottlenecks throughout the golf course, and several factors were to blame.
Conditions were difficult for the players, who faced howling wind, long, thick, rough, and impossible pin positions at Aronimink. All of that, plus the high stakes of major golf, led to slow play throughout the event.
Rory McIlroy even sat down on the 10th tee as he waited for the fairway to clear, taking a much-needed moment of meditation at the halfway juncture of his round. After shooting a three-under 67, McIlroy commented on the pace of play.
Photo by Andrew Redington/Getty Images
Rory McIlroy says slow play is to be expected at PGA Championship
McIlroy was asked about the slow play at Aronimink after his second round, and while he acknowledged that his round took a long time to complete, the Northern Irishman said it was to be expected at majors.
He said, âIt was, it was slow. I think there were a couple of groups ahead of us â did Sahith maybe lose a ball on 10? We were on the 8th green when they were having a look for the ball, so I think thatâs what definitely delayed us in the middle of that round.
âBut it seemed like once we got through that little bottleneck â and there is a few bottlenecks on this course anyway, with the 8th green, the 10th green beside each other, youâve got like 16 green and 9 tee and 17 tee right there. So thereâs a few little parts of the course that you can sort of get jammed on.
âBut itâs fine. It seems like thatâs the first two days of major championship golf are always going to be like that. You get that afternoon tee time on Friday at Augusta, and itâs one of the slowest rounds of the year.
âYou donât mind being out there because itâs Augusta, but at the same time, it is very, very slow. But it will, obviously over the weekend it will speed up. Hopefully, we can play in two balls and things will flow a bit better.â
With the field cut in half going into the weekend, hopefully the players will pick up the pace in round three.
Q&A
What did Rory McIlroy say about slow play at the PGA Championship?
Rory McIlroy commented on the slow play during the PGA Championship, highlighting the challenging conditions that contributed to the delays.
How long did it take to complete rounds at the PGA Championship?
Rounds at the PGA Championship took over five hours to complete, with some groups experiencing significant delays.
What factors caused slow play at the PGA Championship?
Factors such as difficult weather conditions, thick rough, and challenging pin positions contributed to the slow play at the PGA Championship.
