Patrick Cantlay’s pace of play once again came under heavy criticism during the PGA Tour’s season finale at East Lake.
The American, who started the final round of the Tour Championship tied with Tommy Fleetwood, made a shaky start with a bogey at the first and a four-putt double bogey at the second. He bounced back with birdies at the third and sixth, but his deliberate routine quickly became the talking point.
On the drivable par-four eighth, Cantlay took 38 seconds to hit his tee shot after addressing the ball, prompting NBC’s commentary team to remark that he was “taking his time again.” Former Ryder Cup captain Paul McGinley added, “It’s certainly not Tommy that is the slow one.”
Fans on social media were equally frustrated, with one calling the pace “unwatchable” and another demanding, “Put them on the clock!”
Cantlay has faced similar accusations before, notably at the 2023 Masters when Brooks Koepka complained about being forced to wait on every shot. Cantlay has admitted he is slower than average, explaining: “I definitely take my time… I want to make the right decision.”
Not everyone sees him as a problem, however. PGA Tour pro Michael Kim recently defended Cantlay, arguing: “He takes a bit extra over the ball which is when TV shows him, but overall he’s nowhere close to being the slowest guy out here.”
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