Patrick Cantlay hits back in Masters slow play controversy
Golf fans weren’t shy in their criticism of the American’s pace of play at Augusta, but he has insisted he wasn’t at fault for the back-up
Patrick Cantlay has leaped to his own defense concerning the pace of play in the final round at the Masters.
Cantlay received widespread criticism – particularly on social media – for appearing to adopt a deliberately slow manner at Augusta National.
Some clips emerged online of his round-four playing partner Viktor Hovland walking several yards ahead of Cantlay, and even playing shots around the green while the American was still making his way down the fairway.
Brooks Koepka, who finished tied-2nd after a tense final-round battle with eventual champion Jon Rahm, described Cantlay and Hovland’s group as “brutally slow”, comments that Cantlay was asked about ahead of this week’s RBC Heritage.
“We finished the first hole, and the group in front of us was on the second tee when we walked up to the second tee, and we waited all day on pretty much every shot,” he explained.
“We waited in 15 fairway, we waited in 18 fairway. I imagine it was slow for everyone.
“One thing that’s interesting sitting on the PAC (Player Advisory Council) is you get all the numbers and the data, and rounds have taken about the same length of time for the last 10 or 20 years that they currently take.
“When you play a golf course like Augusta National, where all the hole locations are on lots of slope and the greens are really fast, it’s just going to take longer and longer to hole out.
“I think that may have been what attributed to some of the slow play on Sunday, and then also when the wind is gusting and the wind is blowing maybe inconsistently, that’s when guys will take a long time, too.
“That’s just the nature of playing professional golf, where every shot matters so much.”
It became another major championship that passed Cantlay by. By finishing in a tie for 14th, he recorded his seventh top-20 in majors having cracked the top 10 three times.
Koepka joked on Sunday evening that “Jon went to the bathroom like seven times” about playing partner Rahm on his way to winning the Green Jacket.
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Social media on Patrick Cantlay Masters slow play
Golf pundits and fans were far from impressed with Cantlay’s demeanour and they made their feelings clear on Twitter…
Matt Chivers
Now on the wrong side of 25, Matt has been playing golf since the age of 13 and was largely inspired to take up the game by countless family members who played golf during his childhood.
Matt is a member at Royal Cinque Ports in Deal playing off a 5 handicap, just a pitching wedge away from his hometown of Dover where he went to school and grew up. He has previously been a member at Etchinghill and Walmer and Kingsdown in Kent.
Having studied history at the University of Liverpool, Matt went on to pass his NCTJ Exams in Manchester a year later to fulfil his lifelong ambition of becoming a journalist. He picked up work experience along the way at places such as the Racing Post, the Independent, Sportsbeat and the Lancashire Evening Post.
Matt joined NCG in February 2023 and is the website’s main source of tour news, features and opinion. He has reported live from events such as The Open, the Ryder Cup and The Players Championship, having also interviewed and spent time with some of the biggest names in the sport.
Consuming tour golf on what is a 24/7 basis, you can come to Matt for informed views on the game and the latest updates on the PGA Tour, DP World Tour, LPGA Tour, Ladies European Tour and LIV Golf.
What’s in Matt’s bag: Cobra LTDx LS driver, Cobra LTDx 3-wood, TaylorMade P7MC irons, Ping Glide 4.0 wedges, Odyssey putter.
