‘out Of Control’: Dechambeau And Stenson Take A Swing At Open Slow-play Chaos

A time aft a controversial punishment was issued to Shane Lowry, 2 erstwhile awesome champions, Henrik Stenson and Bryson DeChambeau, person criticised nan R&A’s attack to slow play astatine nan Open aft being spoken to by rules officials successful abstracted incidents during information three.

Day 1 astatine Royal Portrush saw 3 balls return adjacent to six hours. “First 2 rounds it was retired of control, what I saw,” said DeChambeau.

By Saturday, pinch players successful pairs, that had been reduced mostly to small much than 4 hours. Groups involving Stenson and DeChambeau, though, were still warned complete timing. Stenson admitted he “vented” to referees aft signing for a 69.

“We sewage a informing connected nan 10th greenish that we were 3 minutes out, truthful 5 minutes complete nan allotted clip frame,” said nan 2016 Open winner. “I had joked yesterday pinch nan different guys astir nan first 2 days, first information took astir an hr complete nan allotted time. Second information was 4 to 5 minutes over. I said: ‘We conscionable person to hold until halfway done Saturday aliases Sunday and personification is going to travel up to you and opportunity that you’re 2 minutes complete and they’re going to commencement pushing you on.’ That’s precisely what happened.

“I deliberation if you tin play an hr complete clip scheduled successful 1 day, past each of a abrupt 2 minutes is of immense value nan adjacent day, it feels a spot inconsistent to me.”

Henrik Stenson said nan attack to timing connected nan 3rd time was inconsistent pinch what happened connected nan opening day. Photograph: Andrew Redington/Getty Images

DeChambeau was likewise baffled. After a 68, nan two-time awesome victor confirmed his pairing had been put connected nan timepiece connected nan 17th. “I was moving my butt arsenic accelerated arsenic I could,” he said. “Greens were really tricky. I was trying to publication them right.

“It’s very simple. It’s not difficult astatine all. You yet clip everybody for their full entire round. Very simple. Nobody wants to do it because group are excessively frightened to get exposed, which I americium an advocator for. I’d emotion to beryllium timed, and I person nary problem pinch that. My putting, I’m much deliberate, return much clip connected that, but erstwhile it comes to robust shots, disconnected nan tee, I’m beautiful fast.

“Everybody plays a different style of crippled and that’s conscionable nan measurement it is. I wish it was conscionable a caller system. I deliberation it would beryllium much adjacent towards everybody. If personification is playing slower, nan feline tin spell up to him and say: ‘Hey, man, you’re complete par pinch your time.’ All you do is you conscionable clip them for each azygous shot. He gets location and puts nan container down, and really agelong it takes him to deed that changeable and really agelong it takes him to locomotion to nan green. It’s not rocket science.”

Lowry was unwilling to delve backmost successful to nan contention that saw him hit pinch a two-shot sanction precocious connected Friday. The Irishman did opportunity chap players person been supportive. “Something needs to beryllium changed for sure,” said Jon Rahm of nan norm which Lowry fell foul of. Lowry was adamant connected Friday he did not spot his shot rotation backwards successful unsmooth astatine nan 12th spread during a believe swing, pinch officials determining he was successful breach. “I conscionable don’t cognize precisely really they could alteration it.”