US Open champion JJ Spaun received a warning for slow play on the first day of the Open at Royal Portrush.
The American, who claimed victory at Oakmont last month in the first major tournament of his career, is now one caution away from a penalty.
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Spaun was with 2024 champion Xander Schauffele and Jon Rahm, and the entire group was put on the clock near the end of the first round.
It’s not a penalty, it’s simply a request for players to pick up the pace, but if things don’t improve then things may change.
When the trio arrived at the 18th hole, they had been on the course for five and a half hours and Spaun was informed that he had made a bad time on the 17th hole.
This is because he exceeded the 50 seconds allotted to him to shoot.
This warning continues in the second round, meaning that if Spaun is penalized one more time, he will receive a one-stroke penalty.
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But he wasn’t the only one who had difficulties.
Some players were seen playing on the 18th green approximately six hours after teeing off on the first hole.
The slow pace of the game could be attributed to a multitude of factors.
Although there are 156 golfers participating in the Open, no player starts on the first and 10th tees simultaneously, which is largely the case at major tournaments played in the United States.
Weather conditions were not favorable on Thursday, with gusty winds and rain disrupting play.
Tee shots regularly missed the target and landed in the rough, forcing players to spend a lot of time looking for their balls.
Those involved were less than impressed with how the day of play with the Masters champion went. Rory McIlroy only finishing his round at 9:04 p.m. after starting at 3:10 p.m.
“It felt like we were on the golf course for about 12 hours,” said Australian Marc Leishman, who plays on the golf course. LIVGolf tour.
“We’ve been on the course for three hours and have completed eight holes.
“It was difficult to deal with, especially coming from a place where we play less than four and a half hours every week.”
Scotland’s Robert MacIntyre added: “We couldn’t have gone any faster. I guess the golf courses are too long.”
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For his part, England’s Aaron Rai said: “It was a bit slow. But naturally, with the difficult course, the pace of the game is going to be a bit slower than normal.”
Golf podcast host Michael McEwan was particularly critical of how the day went.
He wrote on
Pace of play isn’t just an issue at the Open, with problems reported at last month’s U.S. Open at Oakmont.
A field of more than 150 players was grouped by three blanks facing the prospect of a difficult course with millions at stake.
And the same can be said of this week’s opening round at The Open with delays forming on the 5th hole due to players waiting on the tee for the green to be clear.
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And at one point, five groups lined up on the 7th hole according to an American golfer Keegan Bradley.
The field will be hoping the pace of play in the second round of the Open picks up, which you can keep up to date with via talkSPORT.
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