Yesterday I wrote about my feelings on the new layout at Wentworth and mentioned like Augusta much of the roar has been taken out of the finish at the great west course. Today starting with Ian Poulter, some of the players have voiced their displeasure.
Here is the article from the Telegraph..
Ian Poulter's hopes of following his World Match Play victory last Sunday with the BMW PGA Championship title nosedived when he finished his second round today with a double bogey seven.
But it was not just the 539-yard 18th and its controversial new stream in front of the green that led the Ryder Cup star to giving vent to his feelings.
On whether he will be back in 12 months' time Poulter said: ''Who knows? I don't know what I'm going to do. I've got no idea. ''I'll speak freely - many others may not. I don't like this golf course. Period. End of story.
''I don't have a problem with tough golf courses and level par (his halfway total after a 74) is hanging in there. ''But I'm walking off the golf course and I'm absolutely headless. Absolutely fuming. It's not fun golf. You're watching, you tell me. Is it fun?''
Poulter stayed away in 2008 and 2009 because of his poor record and the state of the West Course greens, but millions were then spent on improving the conditions and toughening it up.
''I've loved this golf course from a kid. You could be five shots back and had a chance, but you can't finish eagle-eagle (now). ''That's the re-design. They got what they want.''
Poulter's pitch to the par five last spun into the hazard and he then failed to get up and down with his next attempt.
Twenty minutes later Korean Noh Seung-yul had an 11 on the same hole, while two groups ahead of Poulter his 2008 Ryder Cup partner Justin Rose ran up a quadruple bogey nine on the 17th.
That did not even involve going out of bounds. He drove right into a bush, had to go back to the tee because he thought it was his best option, clipped a tree with his next drive and once down near the new-look green thinned one chip and duffed another.
Paul Casey, who played with Poulter the first two days and is one over after a 71, said: ''I used to really enjoy playing this golf course and now it's a grind. ''I think Richard Csring (the billionaire owner), from what I've heard, was perhaps wanting something like level par to win.
''Well he might get that, but does that make it entertaining?
''One of the beautiful things about Wentworth (he too attended as a child) is always the great finish and the fact that guys could finish with maybe four threes (two birdies, two eagles) and shoot up that leaderboard. ''It's very, very difficult now.''
Ernie Els, the man called in by Wentworth to make the changes, responded to the comments by saying: "Wentworth is now a fair and honest test of golf.
"I can understand people saying things in the heat of the moment. A guy comes off the 18th when he's just made double and he's going to be hot. "What they say two minutes after finishing might not be indicative of what they think two hours later. Players who do not have a good time on the 18th will have a go.
"But you have to look at the overall picture. I believe you will not find better surfaces to putt on anywhere in the world at the moment, but unfortunately you only hear the negative comments and very little positive.
"It's two weeks before the US Open, it's the Tour's flagship event and should be played on a major championship style lay-out. "This course is by no means unfair. It was last year, but it is not this. It is a true test of the game."
Bryan Angus also on twitter@mummmbles
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