Angry at PGA Tour’s Inaction, Major Champ Makes Feelings Clear on Tiger Woods’s ‘Slow-Play’ Rules With 6-Word Verdict

“Fighting a Never-Ending Battle: Major Champ’s Fiery Take on PGA Tour’s Slow-Play Policies”

 

In 2019, Tiger Woods, a 15-time major champion, expressed his deep frustration with the age-old issue of slow play in golf. “We’ve been fighting that [slow play] for, God, ever since I grew up watching the game,” Woods remarked, highlighting the stagnant approach to addressing the problem. This wasn’t a new stance for Woods, who, in 2012, proposed a radical solution: strict penalties not in money, but in strokes. “Strokes [are] money,” he had asserted, emphasizing the seriousness of pace-of-play violations.

 

Yet, as a player, even Woods couldn’t impose his vision on the broader PGA Tour. Now, at 48, with his own TGL league, Woods has taken decisive action alongside his partner and fellow golfing icon, Rory McIlroy. The duo has introduced a groundbreaking solution: a shot clock. Players now have a strict 40-second window to take their shots. Failure to comply results in an immediate one-stroke penalty. While the rule may seem harsh, it has already garnered support from prominent figures, including 2022 US Open champion Matt Fitzpatrick.

 

Matt Fitzpatrick Backs the Shot Clock

 

Fitzpatrick, a staunch critic of slow play, wasted no time in endorsing the TGL’s bold move. The English golfer, known for his precision and rapid pace on the course, is part of the TGL’s New York Golf Club. During a promotional event, the team’s investor, former NFL quarterback Eli Manning, posed a question about the shot clock: “What about [the] shot clock? Is that scary or exciting?” Fitzpatrick responded confidently, “I think that’s good for us,” while glancing at his teammates, which include Xander Schauffele, Rickie Fowler, and Cameron Young.

 

Unlike some of his peers, Fitzpatrick has always maintained a swift pace on the course, despite his meticulous preparation and detailed note-taking habits. His enthusiasm for the shot clock rule aligns with his consistent calls for reform in professional golf.

 

Fitzpatrick’s Frustration with PGA Tour Inaction

 

Fitzpatrick’s support for TGL’s approach comes against a backdrop of ongoing criticism toward the PGA Tour’s handling of slow play. The Tour recently announced controversial changes to its event structure starting in 2026, reducing field sizes from 156 to as few as 120 players. While the changes are intended to speed up play, many, including 2009 US Open champion Lucas Glover, view them as insufficient. “And then hiding behind [the] pace of play, I think challenges our intelligence. They think we’re stupid,” Glover told Golfweek. Fitzpatrick echoed these sentiments on Twitter, calling the lack of meaningful action “pathetic.”

 

Historically, the PGA Tour’s enforcement of pace-of-play rules has been negligible, with only two penalties issued for slow play since 1995. The last such penalty occurred in 2011 at the Zurich Classic. Fitzpatrick’s frustration boiled over last year after his victory at the RBC Heritage. “It’s a disgrace… it’s truly appalling… It’s like hitting your head against a brick wall,” he lamented. Despite years of debate, he observed, “No one has ever done anything, so I feel it’s almost a waste of time talking about it.”

 

A New Era with TGL

 

With TGL set to debut on January 7 in ESPN primetime, Fitzpatrick finally has reason to believe progress is being made. His New York Golf Club will face Bay Golf Club in the league’s inaugural match, marking the beginning of what could be a transformative era for professional golf.

 

For Fitzpatrick, the introduction of the shot clock is not just a welcome change—it’s a statement that slow play, long deemed the elephant in the room, is finally being addressed. While the PGA Tour hesitates, TGL’s proactive approach signals a bold step forward, ensuring that the sport evolves to meet modern expectations.