[Garland Bayley]

...

I hope Pat Burke will see this and chime in on how this might have played out and whether there's pressure from the PGA to finish.

Why does the PGA care? They already have the money. Not finishing is a big TV downer. The players know it, so they play on.

[Mark Bourgeois]

Could Fowler or Mickelson stop playing b/c of darkness?

I believe the answer is yes--the decision to continue or stop is solely the player's.

But McIlroy would've had the same option and presumably could have finished.

I hope Pat Burke will see this and chime in on how this might have played out and whether there's pressure from the PGA to finish.

It seemed pretty clear from the on-course coverage and commentary as well as from post-round interviews that the officials pushed Mickelson and Fowler. Fowler said he wished his group could have gotten the chance to make their putts and put pressure on Rory's second shot.

[Garland Bayley]

Pretty slipshod toonamint management by the PGA, starting with too-late starting times on Sunday. The finish was a fiasco.

John K: flog tournaments do not use the Rules of Golf you and I adhere to nor does our etiquette apply.

Methinks you have to appeal to a higher authority than the PGA.

[jeffwarne]

Based on how well Rory hit his putt, it's clear he was comfortable finishing in the darkness.(Lord knows we've all done it)
Or at least more comfortable than sleeping on a need to two putt

My assistant came to the 9th hole(par 3) of a sudden death playoff in  match play event when officials tried to call it due to darkness.
Both players agreed to play on.
Both hit seemingly good shots.
My assistant was very nervous when they walked up and only saw one ball on the green, but then breathed a huge sigh of relief when he saw it was his.......
You can guess the outcome of this story

[Bill_Yates]

John.
Regarding your two points:
First, my work does not force people to play faster, it allows people to play smoothly with little or no waiting. As a result, play is "faster" and the players have both the perception and the reality of having experienced a high-quality, high-value round of golf.

Secondly, I'm not sure of your matches on the weekend, but I'll bet they are not with the world's elite players, for $$$$$ and a historic legacy.
 
At this highest level of the game, it is particularly important to present the game in a way that provides the same level of quality and consistency to every player in the field.  My feeling was that while the decisions made may have been well meaning and in response to the conditions of weather and darkness, by interrupting the concentration of the players in the final two groups these players were denied consistent playing conditions on the final hole of the championship.  

[Josh Tarble]

The finish was no worse than 2 groups waiting on a tee multiple times.

[Jason Thurman]

It seemed pretty clear from the on-course coverage and commentary as well as from post-round interviews that the officials pushed Mickelson and Fowler. Fowler said he wished his group could have gotten the chance to make their putts and put pressure on Rory's second shot.

Fowler is thinking wishfully. McIlroy was two strokes clear with one hole to play, and it's hard to reasonably see how he could've hit a worse second shot given how he was playing. Fowler and Mickelson had a chance to put pressure on him with their second shots. They also could have put pressure on him by playing better on the previous few holes. They just failed.

The other side of Fowler's side is that Rory very nearly hit a hastily played tee shot into the water on 18, and if he had seen them hit their pedestrian second shots he likely would've played a more conservative hole and sealed a less nerve-racking victory.

[jeffwarne]

It seemed pretty clear from the on-course coverage and commentary as well as from post-round interviews that the officials pushed Mickelson and Fowler. Fowler said he wished his group could have gotten the chance to make their putts and put pressure on Rory's second shot.

Fowler is thinking wishfully. McIlroy was two strokes clear with one hole to play, and it's hard to reasonably see how he could've hit a worse second shot given how he was playing. Fowler and Mickelson had a chance to put pressure on him with their second shots. They also could have put pressure on him by playing better on the previous few holes. They just failed.

The other side of Fowler's side is that Rory very nearly hit a hastily played tee shot into the water on 18, and if he had seen them hit their pedestrian second shots he likely would've played a more conservative hole and sealed a less nerve-racking victory.

very good points

[Mark Bourgeois]

The point has nothing to do with Rory's lead or his play. His comments appear to reflect that the conclusion unfolded against his [EDIT: Fowler's] wishes.

Mickelson and Fowler are too savvy to make public the full extent of their displeasure but, in addition to Fowler's comments, there was Mickelson ignoring entreaties from 18 tee as he hustled down to the fairway.

[BHoover]

Imagine the uproar if Rory had opted to putt out in the morning after playing up on 18.

[Jason Thurman]

... there was Mickelson ignoring entreaties from 18 tee as he hustled down to the fairway.

Yep, and he did the same when Rory asked about playing up right after he hit. We've all met that guy on the course right? The one who puts his head down and refuses to look in your direction when your group catches his on the tee after putting out on the hole before.

That's why I loved the whole 18th so much. It was a scene made up of experiences that all of us have had: trying to finish before dark, trying to play through a group with an inconsiderate asshole, trying to avoid water while closing out a victory, trying to hole a pitch and coming oh-so-close, and needing to two-putt for a victory and lagging it to a few inches. We've all been on both sides of all those coins, however small the stakes in our own weekend games, and it was pretty cool to see three of the very best in the world follow the same steps.

[Mark Bourgeois]

Jason,

Mickelson was "an inconsiderate asshole"?

Regarding your experiences of one group playing through, were you playing in a medal competition involving both groups as well as others not present (aka "the field")?

[Jason Thurman]

[Ben Sims]

Good point Ben.  Weather should play no part in the game of golf. 

Oh come off it. I'm not talking about wind, drizzle, or even heat. I'm taking about suspension of play due to convective activity (hard rain, lightening) on quite a few majors of late. We have lots of places in the US during the weeks of the US Open and PGA that would rule out extreme weather.

[Bill_McBride]

I for one thought it was bullshit that Ricky and Phil were rushed into playing their seconds so the round could be finished in semi darkness.  If I had been those guys I would have done more than grumble.   It was almost like the poobahs had decided Rory was going to win, let's get those other clowns out of the way.   

This reinforces my opinion that the PGA is not really a major on the same level as the other three.

Nonetheless, great playing by Rory to win yet again. 

[Carl Johnson]

... there was Mickelson ignoring entreaties from 18 tee as he hustled down to the fairway.

Yep, and he did the same when Rory asked about playing up right after he hit. We've all met that guy on the course right? The one who puts his head down and refuses to look in your direction when your group catches his on the tee after putting out on the hole before.

That's why I loved the whole 18th so much. It was a scene made up of experiences that all of us have had: trying to finish before dark . . . trying to hole a pitch and coming oh-so-close, and needing to two-putt for a victory and lagging it to a few inches. We've all been on both sides of all those coins, however small the stakes in our own weekend games, and it was pretty cool to see three of the very best in the world follow the same steps.

Yep.  My sentiments expressed above, fleshed out in more vivid language here.

[John Kavanaugh]

John.
Regarding your two points:
First, my work does not force people to play faster, it allows people to play smoothly with little or no waiting. As a result, play is "faster" and the players have both the perception and the reality of having experienced a high-quality, high-value round of golf.

Secondly, I'm not sure of your matches on the weekend, but I'll bet they are not with the world's elite players, for $$$$$ and a historic legacy.
 
At this highest level of the game, it is particularly important to present the game in a way that provides the same level of quality and consistency to every player in the field.  My feeling was that while the decisions made may have been well meaning and in response to the conditions of weather and darkness, by interrupting the concentration of the players in the final two groups these players were denied consistent playing conditions on the final hole of the championship.  

Bill,

Thank you for your response. I was not aware that the game had become bifurcated from those who care to those who do not. My regular game consists of four acquaintances who play for a weeks pay and in my case a measure of pride worth much more. When I lose I can't sleep for days but consider winning priceless. We just put a price on it to keep score. I understand that I have no right to play this way at the expense of other members who just want to get home or meet other obligations. I do however respect that fault in my character and let them both rush our games and disrupt our rhythm. It is a sad state of affairs. The days of four guys getting together on the weekend and competing at the highest levels of self inflicted stress and satisfaction are as antiquated as the two martini lunch. I will miss it but will always cherish the memories of the past 46 years. Those guys you saw tonight were me and my friends. They being hurried by the constraints of an audience and their own busy schedules where Monday is already booked. It was simply a reaction to a modern world. I can only hope to learn from the class and grace shown by the losers. But secretly I hope I never will. Who wants to be a loser.

[Tim Bert]

The only thing worse than the play through is the awkward play alongside. I understand letting them hit their tee shots so they have the option to play the hole before dark. The approach was odd. I though they should have either had Phil and Rickie finish the hole or had The final group hit their approaches while they were all still in the fairway. Having Phil and Rickie walk ahead and then pull over to the side seemed like the slowest of the options.

The public course play alongside is a true sight to behold.  The best one I was ever involved with was the group of guys trying their hardest to play through us only to realize it wasn't going to take and they were actually slower than us when they weren't rushing to get through. They had us play back through the next hole. Happens on the interstate all the time.

[Nigel Islam]

I for one thought it was bullshit that Ricky and Phil were rushed into playing their seconds so the round could be finished in semi darkness.  If I had been those guys I would have done more than grumble.   It was almost like the poobahs had decided Rory was going to win, let's get those other clowns out of the way.   

This reinforces my opinion that the PGA is not really a major on the same level as the other three.

Nonetheless, great playing by Rory to win yet again. 

Bill:  I have zero problem with ANY tour player being hustled for their 17th and 18th holes after 4:10 AS A TWOSOME that was, what, 9 under between them at the time?

Frankly, the PGA screwed up by not sending off 3somes at greater intervals and they screwed up again by not telling everybody that the pace of play would be STRICTLY enforced and that shot penalties would be given.   They could have avoided this entirely but they're too milquetoaste to do it.  

In all fairness to the PGA, I was checking the radar all day, and shocked to find out when I showed up to the course that a single small cell had flooded the course AFTER they had already started play. The fact they could not employ lift, clean and place did not go unnoticed by the spectators. Horschel hit a shot right by me at 7 and the ball 40 feet right of the green and pin high was in so much mud the ball was totally brown. He got a drop for casual water out of wet mud(I was not 100% sure on that one). Lucky the ball hit path then mud bc if it had buried it was not through the green. There was no way they could have gone to threesomes, bc play had started. Now starting earlier...........

[David Lott]

In my view, it was the best possible solution in a situation in which all alternatives were bad.

Now that's a wise comment. Always consider the alternatives.

[Ed Oden]

I have to wonder whether the same scenario would have played out if Rory hadn't made the putt on 17 and his lead was only 1 shot.  My guess is probably not.  If that is the case, then I think allowing the play up with a 2 stroke lead was the wrong decision.  Seems to me you have to deal with the situation consistently regardless of lead.

[John McCarthy]

They should have combined the last two groups into a foursome on 18 and kept a ball in the air at all times.  I kid, but that would be kinda cool.

Right guy won.  Pretty cool tournament. But can we do something about a ball that carries 325 and plugs?

[Tim Johnson]

Not a shot at Phil, the 2nd shot decision on 18 was wrong but it is the way of the world these days, sex sells, TV calls the shots, all men have paid for sex...it is all about the money.

While it was classy for Phil and Ricky to allow the guys to play up but I am pretty sure we would have gotten a different reaction from Phil if they got a hold of him as he walked off 18. He was saying something pretty to strong to a cameraman as he walked off the green and he seemed put off by the whole scene.  I think the time in the scoring tent gave him time to realize nothing good would come from bitching about.

Also, he was not pleased to be asked about how good Rory is, you could see it in his face. The reply was quick and not really committed. He just came through 17 years of being asked how great is Tiger, not sure he wants to spend the next 5 praising the next big thing.

[Paul Jones]

If Phil and Rickie decided not to finish.... Could Rory have decided to finish out of turn?

[Carl Johnson]

They should have combined the last two groups into a foursome on 18 and kept a ball in the air at all times.  I kid, but that would be kinda cool.

. . . .

Looking at it cooly, and not in the heat of the moment, might it not have been a better business decision for Phil and Ricky to have invited Rory and his fellow player to join them for the last hole (with permission from the officials)?  Had that happened, what would we and the press be saying about it today (assuming exactly the the same results outcome)?

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