Aronimink Golf Club, [15/05/2026] – Players at the PGA Championship have voiced dissent regarding the ongoing scrutiny of game speed, alongside sharp criticism of the course's pin placements.
Justin Thomas, along with his playing partners, faced a temporary warning for slow play during the second round, a decision Thomas found questionable given the difficult conditions. The group, which included Cameron Young, was briefly placed "on the clock" before the observation was removed. Thomas himself shot a 69 in that round.
Meanwhile, defending champion Scottie Scheffler has focused his ire on the course design itself. Scheffler described certain pin positions at Aronimink as "absurd." He finished his second round at one-over-par 71, heading into the weekend at one-under for the tournament. Scheffler has previously questioned the impact of minor time savings on spectator interest.
"If you hit it 40 feet left, you have a very hard two-putt." - attributed sentiment from within the tournament commentary regarding course challenges.
Debates on Speed and Strategy
The current situation at the PGA Championship underscores a persistent tension within professional golf. The PGA Tour has indicated efforts to address pace-of-play issues, with commissioner Jay Monahan previously outlining plans that reportedly include publicly identifying offenders. These measures follow months of discussion and were discussed in the context of potentially publishing speed-of-play statistics.
Read More: Warren Buffett and Steph Curry lunch sells for $9 million charity auction
Scheffler's comments on slow play have been varied. While acknowledging it as an issue "worth tackling" in March 2025, he has also posited that saving mere minutes from a round might not significantly alter viewer engagement.
"Will players be more open to interviews? It’s time the PGA Tour takes drastic steps to speed up the pace — or else risk losing out on even more eyeballs." - a sentiment from assistant editor Zephyr Melton, published in January 2025.
Historical Context of Pace-of-Play Concerns
Concerns surrounding slow play are not new to the professional golf circuit. Reports from June 2025 indicated Scottie Scheffler addressing slow-play accusations at Oakmont, and Lexi Thompson also faced criticism for her pace of play around the same period. These incidents highlight a recurring debate about player conduct and its perception by fans and officials alike.
The PGA Championship continues, with live coverage scheduled for Saturday afternoon.
