PGA Tour urged to introduce drastic punishment to | Golf News

Four-time main champion Dame Laura Davies has demanded the PGA Tour should start imposing shot penalties on gamers to handle the persistent slow-play drawback. In the final main, Scottie Scheffler has a spiky response to his group’s gradual play.

Slow play has plagued the PGA Tour for years, but it has emerged as a main dialogue level during the 2025 season. The Tour has already tried some modifications this yr, testing a trial period permitting vary finders to help with distance calculations.

However, LPGA Tour legend Davies argues that stronger measures are mandatory to deal with the problem, with penalties centered on penalizing gamers’ scores. “The only way you will ever speed them up is with shot penalties,” the Sky Sports analyst instructed reporters at The Open Championship this week. Before his triumph at the Masters, Rory McIlroy confronted criticism for floundering under gradual play.

“It is as simple as that,” Davies continued. “As a fast player I would say that as I was never in danger. If you want to speed them up it can only be shots… It has been terrible for a long time.

“The drawback is that it’s the pre-shot routines, the AimPoint business, and all these methods of studying greens. As a fast participant, I used to hate it on the LPGA Tour; it was horrible. I’ve been on tour for 38 years, and it has not modified since day one.

“Unless you give shot penalties, if you give someone two shots at The Open, it could cost them The Open. All of a sudden, they would be inclined to move, but they are scared of giving shots.

“It is just financial fines, these guys have more money than sense, so why would they fear about a wonderful?”

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This week’s Open at Royal Portrush has raised eyebrows over potential slow play issues, as the R&A has decided against employing dedicated marshals for bunker raking, a practice that hasn’t been skipped in over 20 years.

Injured golfer Billy Horschel, who won’t be competing this week, voiced his concerns about the change. On social media, Horschel expressed his disappointment.

“No designated bunker rakers this week is such a disappointment. I do know the caddies love them, as properly as the gamers. Very odd determination by the @TheOpen not to have them. @R&A.”

When asked about the no-raker rule, Davies shared her thoughts on how the unique challenges of the Portrush bunkers might indeed slow the game down.

Davies remarked, “It will gradual play down,” emphasizing the constant discussions around slow play.

“You can go away the individual behind you an absolute nightmare. They [the caddies] are all actually skilled, but they may have to rush the odd and that can have penalties for the group behind. I do not agree with that.”