Lightning fast greens called "borderline unfair" as scores soar at Players Championship

PGA Tour Players Championship leaderboard http://www.pgatour.com/competition/2016/the-players-championship/leaderboard.html

" A mockery....out of control...no friction.. very difficult...a carnage...putting on a dance floor..shameful  "are just some of the descriptions the players used to describe the speed of the greens they faced on Saturday on at TPC Sawgrass Champions course.

After a slew of 63's 64's 65's and 66's on Thursday and Friday fuelled in part by receptive greens, a combination of tough pins placements, and putting surfaces that sped up dramatically as they dried out and firmed  up in the Florida sun and breezes took the players completely by surprise.

Rory called the  greens borderline unfair in places, Graeme McDowell said players should be advised on the first tee when officials have dramatically sped up the greens.

Officials said they hadn't set up the greens any differently, although the pins sheet does show that they cut the holes 5 feet closer to the edges than they did on the first two days.

In the end Jason Day summed it up by saying it was the "toughest day he'd ever had on a golf course" as he gutted out a +1 73 to go into today's final round with a 4 shot lead at -14.

There were 149 three-putts or worse, Rory McIlroy 3 putted five times, Sergio Garcia had a 5 putt, Day a 4 putt, as scores soared from a field average of 71 on the first two days, to 75.59. Players watched in amazement time after time as their approach putts rolled 3,4, 5 feet past the hole.

There were only 6 scores under par, more scores in the 80's than the 60's.

Two exceptions to the rule shot up the leaderboard, Japanese star Hideki Matsuyama shot a -5 67, and 47 year old veteran, Ken Duke had what Johnny Miller called the round of the tournament, an improbable -7 65 to T2 at -10 along with German Alex Cjeka who managed an E 72.

Duke is playing with a steel plate in his wrist and was sidelined until February after he stood on a volleyball and fell awkwardly, and is now playing on a medical extension. Since he returned he has missed five cuts and his only had one top-50 finish.

Jordan Spieth, Phil Mickleson and Rickie Fowler missed the cut. Rory McIIlroy hit 16 greens in regulation but those five 3 putts led to a 75 -5.

Canadian scores : Adam Hadwin 70 70 74 -2 T34, David Hearn 71 71 72 -2 T34... Nick Taylor, Graham DeLaet MC.

In my opinion the players did have absolutely ideal scoring conditions on Thursday and Friday, and the locals say the wind shift from off shore to on shore is much drier and led to the dramatic acceleration in the green speed so the players for their part should have known that. Today the wind is back to off shore and has more humidity in it.

I think the guys were embarrassed yesterday, and I also think they will be better prepared mentally today. I also think the tournament officials, stung by all the criticism, will be placing the pins in more accessible locations.

All in all, the field will have to catch Jason Day who has won the last 4 times he has led after 54 holes and I say here he will make that 5.

Note : The Stadium course will be closed right after play today for what they are calling enhancement, It will re open for play in mid November.

Bryan Angus