Bryson DeChambeau had no time—literally—for the way pace of play is being handled at major championships. After a rollercoaster third round on Saturday, the big-hitting American wasn’t just grinding for a score. He was grinding his gears over what he sees as one of golf’s most broken systems: how slow play is policed.
And in typical DeChambeau fashion, he didn’t just complain—he came armed with a fix.
After carding a 68 that started hot and cooled off, DeChambeau found himself on the clock thanks to a slower stretch that included the notoriously tough 16th hole. But instead of brushing it off, he pulled back the curtain on what really frustrates him: inconsistency and a lack of accountability across the board.
A Simple Solution With a Sharp Edge
“Just time everyone. Every shot. Every step. All round long,” he declared. “It’s not rocket science.”
Those are bold words from a player who’s been on both sides of the pace-of-play debate. But this time, DeChambeau wasn’t just defending himself—he was challenging the status quo.
He argued that the current system unfairly penalizes groups for situations beyond their control, such as having to play through brutal pin positions or navigating a particularly slow hole like Calamity Corner. And when the group ahead rockets through a gettable par-4 like the 17th? Suddenly, you’re behind the pace—through no real fault of your own.
But what got people talking was his sharp jab at the broader Tour: “Nobody wants to [time everyone] because people are too scared to get exposed.”
DeChambeau wants full transparency—each player individually tracked from the first tee to the final putt. No hiding behind a quick partner. No dodging the clock. Just you, your ball, and the stopwatch.
A Call for Accountability on Tour
He pointed to Dustin Johnson as a prime example: lightning quick off the tee, but glacier-slow on the greens. In today’s Tour field, it’s rarely black and white—and Bryson wants to bring clarity to that gray area.
Despite acknowledging he’s “not the most knowledgeable” on every method out there, DeChambeau said it loud and clear: golf needs a better system. Because right now? Six-hour rounds and vague enforcement rules aren’t cutting it.
Pace of play might not be the most exciting storyline in golf—but with stars like Bryson DeChambeau pushing for change, it just got a whole lot harder to ignore.
