Poll: PGA Tour players reveal their favorite (and least-favorite!) playing partners

The results are in for this year’s edition of GOLF.com’s Anonymous Pro Survey, which features the unfettered takes of 52 players on the hottest topics of the day, including Tiger, Trump, driver testing, backstopping, Tour venues and much more.

Polling was conducted at the Safeway Open, in September. Over two days, each player was asked 46 questions. Among the respondents: 30 Tour winners, three major winners and 15 players who have made a Ryder Cup or Presidents Cup team.

One of the spiciest topics on this year’s survey regarded playing partners: Who’s the most and least enjoyable guy to get paired with?

Among the preferred partners, Kevin Kisner, Charles Howell III and Harold Varner III received the most votes, earning 9%, 7% and 7% of the total tally, respectively. Another common response was “Anyone who plays quickly,” which also received 7% of the vote.

When it comes to least-favorite playing partners, the pros were much more decisive. “Anyone who plays slowly” received the majority of the votes, with 26 percent. Close behind were Bryson DeChambeau and South African Rory Sabbatini with 21 percent, and Scotsman Martin Laird with eight percent.

DeChambeau is perhaps an unsurprising target for players who bemoan slow play. The 26-year-old American has weathered much criticism for his methodical and uber-analytical playing style — especially in recent months. Things came to a head at the Northern Trust, in August, when DeChambeau’s glacial pace was roundly criticized by both the tournament broadcasters and observers and fellow pros on social media.

DeChambeau has repeatedly defended himself against slow-play allegations, though after the Northern Trust, he did say he’s “committed to being a part of the solution, not the problem.” He has five career victories on the PGA Tour, and is currently the 10th-ranked player in the world.

Curious about how the pros answered the other 40-odd questions we grilled them on? Check out the entire survey here.

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