Slowpokes Need Not Apply for the US Women's Open Crown

Coming into the US Women's Open, Mike Davis of the USGA said that his target time for groups to complete a trip around Oakmont is four hours & thirty minutes.  Round length, though, has never been even close to Davis' target.  Under the pressure of the Open and the difficulty of Oakmont, the ladies are easily taking over five hours to complete play.

Yesterday, Christina Kim said that there was a range in playing times that varied on when the rounds started.  She said that the morning wave played slightly faster than the afternoon wave, which moved closer to the six hour mark to play all 18.  At the six hour mark, players are averaging a solid five minutes more per hole than would be prescribed by Davis' target.

Kim also acknowledged that the Open creates conditions for slow play.  "You're going to see round times like these on this Open or any Open course.  That's just the nature of it," she said.

Anecdotally, stories have been shared about players taking in upwards of ten minutes simply to putt out on Oakmont's tricky greens.  For amateur twosomes, that is enough time to complete most non-par 5 holes.

Among the players slotted in the final four groups, though, only one player has a reputation for playing slow.  Co-leader Sakura Yokomine is considered slow, especially compared to the American players that flank her on in the top five.  Her post-round interview was about the only part of the two rounds that has been brief.

Brittany Lang talked about the frustration of slow play in completing her second round.

"We got put on the clock on hole 7.  They put us on the clock for 7, 8, and 9.  And we needed to be.  We were playing so slow," she lamented.

The pace of play is actually causing Cristie Kerr to have health problems out on the course.  " I've always focused so hard that I get headaches," she said.  She joked that she was so tired from the combination of slow play and focus that she could only have one glass of wine in the evening.  A lot of the field was stumbling around Oakmont as though they were lit before the round even started.

The USGA may threaten players with enforcement of Rule 6-7 of the Rules of Golf, but it does not appear that they are prepared to levy penalties from stroke play.  Fortunately, it appears that the players themselves have proven that slow play does not work at Oakmont.  The course is taxing mentally as is the heat physically.  Every shot requires concentration and focus, but not overthinking.

Late this afternoon, the final four groups will have an opportunity to play golf quickly - at least relative to this course.  With the threat of extra holes tomorrow though, it may improve pace of play for all groups.  It is amazing how much sunset can motivate.