“Unbearable”: Patrick Cantlay’s Slow Play Sparks Fan Outrage at TOUR Championship

If you watched the final round of the Tour Championship at East Lake, you probably noticed: Patrick Cantlay’s pace of play felt, well, glacial.

The absolutely insane waggle routine of Patrick Cantlay. This is not slow motion lol.

You saying something if your golfing buddy did this with every swing?

I’ve played with guys close to this. I’d look away and try to ignore when they are up to hit. pic.twitter.com/1ijcS05uYn

— Rick Golfs (@Top100Rick) August 24, 2025

Fans, commentators, and even fellow players didn’t hold back. Let’s unpack what went down—and why it’s igniting one of the biggest slow-play debates golf has seen in years.

When Fans Said His Pace Was “Unbearable”

On the final day, Cantlay drew sharp criticism for his extended routines—especially on the tee box. One viral clip showed him waggling endlessly with the driver before finally pulling the trigger. It spread quickly, with fans calling his pace “unbearable.”

Okay @patrick_cantlay speed it up. Brutally slow. Sorry, not sorry. #PGA pic.twitter.com/WJVFSbxhyd

— Grok Memes (@tacomancheng) August 24, 2025

Cantlay’s Rebuttal—and the Divided Opinions

Cantlay himself has admitted his pace is slower than average—claiming he’s just “being careful” rather than trying to stall.

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A fellow Tour pro even defended him, saying, “He takes a bit extra over the ball… but he takes no practice swings,” calling it a case of good judgment over procedural delay.

How Slow Is Too Slow? And What Happens Now?

Officially, the PGA Tour hasn’t penalized a player for slow play since 2017. That’s despite dramatic delays and growing broadcast frustration—some rounds even stretching out to six hours.

At the BMW Championship earlier this year, Cantlay and Shane Lowry were actually put “on the clock,” meaning they had to speed up. But again, no penalties were handed out.

Why This Matters (Especially Now)

In an age when viewers can tweet, clip, and replay what they see, slow play has gone from a minor annoyance to a full-blown reputational issue—for both player and Tour.

Patrick Cantlay is a great player and probably a good dude, but damn, he is painfully slow and awful to watch.

— Peter Jennings (@CSURAM88) August 24, 2025

With new scrutiny and fan backlash a constant online threat, Cantlay’s routine might just force the PGA Tour’s hand to finally enforce pace rules more strictly.

Could We See Changes Soon?

Fan reaction isn’t just noise—it’s a catalyst. Bryson DeChambeau recently called for the PGA Tour to time every shot, every round, to crack down on habitual slow play.

“People are too scared to be exposed.”

Bryson DeChambeau’s pairing was put on the clock on the 17th hole today.

After the round, he was asked if he had any ideas to speed up pace of play in pro golf, and he did not hesitate with his answer. pic.twitter.com/VcIbI87Zq4

— GOLF.com (@GOLF_com) July 19, 2025

Meanwhile, the Tour’s Future Competition Committee (which Cantlay himself sits on) has been tasked with making golf more viewer-friendly. Stricter time limits, shot clocks, and penalties could be next.

Bottom Line

Cantlay’s pace at the Tour Championship wasn’t just slow—it was symbolic of golf’s growing clash between tradition and entertainment. With fans, media, and even fellow players pushing back harder than ever, change could finally be coming.

Until then, the waggle debate isn’t going away anytime soon.