Tiger Woods has had plenty of issues over the past couple of years. Many of them have been mental and some have been physical. After another forgettable finish at the Players Championship over the weekend, something else was bothering Woods: rate of play.
“Last week, we were playing 4:40 (on Thursday and Friday at Quail Hollow) and there’s no wind,” Tiger explained according to the Golf Channel. “That’s hard to believe.”
Warnings, he says, aren’t cutting it. For starters, every player gets a warning if they falter on the clock and then a penalty stroke the second time it happens. The tour can also fine players between $5,000 and $20,000 for violations. Tiger’s resolution? Skip the warning and make the fines more hefty.
“Strokes is money. I would take the five grand (fine) over the 800K,” Woods said referring to the relationship between the amount players are fined and the amount they can win for finishing among the leaders. “That’s one shot. That’s the difference. That’s what people don’t realize – that one shot is so valuable out here.”
The issue was particularly relevant over the weekend, where seventh-place finisher Kevin Na — who was the leader after Saturday — has developed an annoying habit of waggling and taking forever to get comfortable with certain shots (video of his annoying habit here).
In this case, Woods has a point. It’s one thing to waggle, but it’s another to take that long before a swing and put on that type of show. Whether it directly affects Tiger’s game or not, the last thing he needs is something else that bothers him on the course.
Photo credit: Allan Henry-US PRESSWIRE
