Speeding Things Up The McCain Way

The Northern Trust (née Los Angeles) Open was played at venerable Riviera last weekend, where an elite international field accomplished what I sincerely hope will remain a rare feat.  On Thursday, with strong winds blowing during the early afternoon, some 17 players were still on the golf course when darkness set in, mandating a few sunrise holes to get things finished the next morning.  Friday’s conditions were noticeably calmer, yet once again, the field was unable to complete play – and a Friday overrun is no small matter, as players hovering around the cut line must remain overnight to see if they’ll keep playing, and Saturday pairings are not formulated until minutes before play commences.  The third round was then contested in splendid Southern California weather – yet CBS was already off the air, with towers emptied, before the final pairing of Phil Mickelson, Robert Allenby and Jeff Quinney had reached the 17th green.  And just to round things out in style, this impressive gaffe of timing was very nearly equaled by the late-running field on Sunday. 

Mitigating circumstances?  Factor in whatever ones you can think of, but the bottom line is clear:

These Guys Are Slow!

Slow play on Tour, of course, is nothing new.  In many eyes, its modern genesis lies in the deliberate style of Jack Nicklaus...  (Continue)