Horschel triumphs amid complaints of slow play
BILLY Horschel defeated Scottie Scheffler to win the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play on Sunday – but former European Ryder Cup captain Colin Montgomerie was among those to criticise what he saw as the “ridiculous” pace of play at the Austin Country Club.
In the third all-American final in a row, Horschel recovered from an early deficit to beat Scheffler 2&1 in the final to secure the first prize of £1.3 million.
The 34-year-old had earlier beaten France’s Victor Perez 3&2 in the semi-finals before Scheffler beat Matt Kuchar by one hole in a match which took four hours eight minutes to complete in windy conditions.
The glacial pace was criticised by commentator Ewen Murray, and eight-time European number one Montgomerie wrote on Twitter: “100 percent agree. The pace of play is ridiculous.
“No one in front of them. Green reading books, lining up the lines on the ball. Really annoying me. And Matchplay is the fastest form of golf.
Something has to be done #slowplay.”
In response to an image of both players and their caddies consulting their yardage books, Montgomerie added: “All four have their yardage books out. They’ve played the hole with practice nine times this week. Stood there for two minutes doing nothing! Slow play needs to be penalised.”
Scheffler had to keep the match alive on the 17th, but missed from ten feet for birdie and Horschel could celebrate winning a first World Golf Championships title.
“It was one of those days where I didn’t play very good, I didn’t feel very good with my swing, so I just ground it out,” Horschel said.
In the third and fourth place playoff, Kuchar held off a fightback from Perez to win 2&1.
Meanwhile, another American, Joel Dahmen, won his first PGA Tour title in the Corales Puntacana Resort & Club Championship as former winner Graeme McDowell was left to rue a poor finish.
And on the women’s tour, Inbee Park carded a two-under 70 on the final day to secure victory by five strokes at the Kia Classic in California.