‘BRUTAL’ WINDS SPARKED SLOW SOLHEIM PLAY

FORMER Ladies European Tour player Alison Whitaker has urged fed-up golf fans to cut the under-fire Solheim Cup slow coaches some slack.

With matches at Gleneagles lasting close to six hours to complete and the opening afternoon foursomes yesterday taking three minutes short of three hours for nine holes, the knives are out.

But Australian Whitaker insisted that there are extenuating circumstances after winds gusted up to 40mph yesterday.

She said: ‘The conditions out there are absolutely brutal and the majority of club members wouldn’t play in that.

‘In terms of slow play, I think it has to be addressed across the board with some kind of blanket rule. But the conditions are probably exacerbating things a little bit. Slow play in fourballs is also almost unavoidable.

‘There are times when you can’t get ready for your shot in advance. If you’re watching your partner’s shot and you’re helping them, you’re invested in that side of things.

‘And with regards to the Solheim Cup, there are a couple of extra factors at play. There are things going on, in terms of teamwork and the camaraderie, going over and giving your partner a high five.

‘If they hit a great shot, enjoy the moment. It’s a different kettle of fish at the Solheim.’

SERGIO GARCIA and Callum Shinkwin share the lead going into today’s final round of the KLM Open in Holland.

Both players carded rounds of 66 yesterday and are two strokes clear of Denmark’s Nicolai Hojgaard. England’s Shinkwin, ranked 446 in the world, will duel with Spaniard Garcia, who won the Masters in 2017. ‘I need to take it one step at a time in the final round,’ said Shinkwin.