J.B Holmes didn’t get into a playoff at the Farmers Insurance Open, but he sill gained a lot of attention for his actions on the 72nd hole of regulation.
Playing the par-5 18th at Torrey Pines Sunday, Holmes took 4 minutes, 10 seconds (tracked by Golf Channel) to play his second shot to the green, and Alex Noren, who was tied for the tournament lead, had to wait for Holmes to play before he could hit his second shot. But both the CBS telecast and players and writers on social media pointed out that Holmes could inadvertently be “icing” Noren.
Holmes, after deciding between clubs and accounting for the wind, eventually laid up and made birdie when he needed eagle to tie clubhouse leader Jason Day (who later won in a Monday playoff). Holmes later told Golf Channel’s Ryan Lavner that he was “still trying to win,” and that he ended up deciding he had a better chance to hole a wedge.
RELATED: Our experts discuss Tiger’s return and Holmes’ 72nd hole
While some thought Holmes made a major mistake, others defended him.
Last group was over a hole behind, we can all blame JB…and yes the player should take responsibility for their pace of play, but if they don’t that’s why we have Tour officials – they needed to step in a while ago IMO.
— Luke Donald (@LukeDonald) January 28, 2018
Golf needs a shot clock. Case closed
— max homa (@maxhoma23) January 28, 2018
Most tour players aren’t slow but because of a handful of slow ones we all get a bad rep
— Daniel Berger (@DanielBerger59) January 28, 2018
1. JB needs to be fined or better yet given 2 shots
2 Needs eagle to tie. After all that lays up? Really???
3 Horrendous sportsmanship to Noren and Palmer
4 wow— Mark Calcavecchia (@MarkCalc) January 28, 2018
Anytime today JB…
— Luke Donald (@LukeDonald) January 28, 2018
Ha I took 30 seconds to hit and made 0 so I would rather take 5 and make bank. https://t.co/RnQMWcCfZT
— Harold Varner III (@HV3_Golf) January 29, 2018
i’ve seen some stuff on twitter about pace of play. when it’s gusting 25, the pins are tucked, it’s hard to hold greens with wedges and the greens are poa where you mark from 2 feet every time. it’s going to take a sec
— Bud Cauley (@BudCauley) January 29, 2018
I guess rules only apply for some players. That was ridiculous how long it took him to play that shot. The rules officials need to change your policy on slow play and be more active on slow players and you won’t have these 5 1/2 six hour round. @PGATOURmedia @GolfChannel #fines
— Ken Duke (@DukePGA) January 29, 2018
Just to make everyone complaining about how long JB took to hit that shot on 18, 4 min and 10 sec to be exact, he could have taken 6 minutes and nothing would have been done. Last hole, last group. Something should have been said way earlier.
— InTheFlesch (@Steve_Flesch) January 29, 2018
Not altogether lost in this Monday playoff finish is the fact that it took 6 hrs for the final group to play. This is also on the other 74 guys playing today. The 40 second rule is never enforced as long as you keep up with group ahead. Well, the group ahead needs to get moving!!
— InTheFlesch (@Steve_Flesch) January 29, 2018
