Nelly Korda, Lexi Thompson and Lydia Ko have offered their thoughts on the slow play issue in the women’s game days after Charley Hull said “I feel sorry for the fans” and suggested players should lose their tour card if they get three bad timings.
Korda, who held off the challenge of Hull to claim her seventh win of the season in the Annika Driven by Gainbridge at Pelican, agreed with the English star that it’s a problem that needs addressing.
Ahead of the season-closing CME Group Tour Championship, she said: “I personally think it’s a pretty big issue. I think it’s not good for the fans that come out and watch us.
Nelly Korda beat Charley Hull at the Annika Driven by Gainbridge at Pelican
(Image credit: Getty Images)
“If it was me personally, I would be very, very annoyed watching for five hours, over five hours, five hours and 40 minutes, close to six. I just think it really drags the game down. I think that it really, really needs to change.”
However, she wouldn’t go as far as Hull in an effort to solve the issue, and instead suggested more rules officials monitoring the pace of play could encourage an improvement.
She explained: “Players just need to be penalized. Rules officials need to watch from the first group.”
She went on: “I think people just need to be ready faster. People start their process a little too late and they stand over it too long. Again, I think we need more people on the ground to monitor pace of play. I don’t think we have enough people to monitor it.”
Thompson is preparing for her last outing as a full-time LPGA Tour pro at this week’s tournament, notwithstanding an appearance in the PGA Tour co-sanctioned Grant Thornton Invitational.
The vastly experienced American agreed that rounds are taking too long, and also thinks the problem is getting worse rather than better.
She said: “Yes, I definitely think it’s an issue. Rounds shouldn’t be taking more than four and a half hours, especially in threesomes. Four and a half should be the max.
Lexi Thompson thinks the issue has become worse
(Image credit: Getty Images)
“Look, you’re going to hit a good shot or bad shot. Might as well not take that much time over it. It’s just a game. Just do your routine, commit, and hit it. It’s definitely a problem out here right now. So I don’t…
..
Click Here to Read the Full Original Article at Golf Monthly…