Sunday, 11 August 2019:
 | | BRYSON DECHAMBEAU | |
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An emotional Bryson DeChambeau has hit back at critics of his chronic slow play after copping a social media blasting that included being called a "single-minded twit".
In Friday's second round at the Northern Trust event in New Jersey, the world No.8 took several minutes to pace off a 70-yard wedge shot on the 16th hole rather than using the distance his caddie had calculated.
On the eighth hole in the same round at Liberty National, he took two minutes and 50 seconds to hit an eight-foot birdie putt while frustrated playing partners Justin Thomas and Tommy Fleetwood looked on.
A shot is not supposed to take more than 40 seconds, per US PGA Tour rules but penalties are never applied without a group first being out of position and then a warning system.
Video clips of the two incidents went viral on social media.
Australian former pro-turned commentator Ewan Porter, who was assigned to DeChambeau's group, said on the PGA Tour's live broadcast, "This is tough for his playing partners, waiting around while all this is going on."
"I observed him interacting with fans and he was absolutely sensational with them," Porter told AAP on Saturday.
"But that gets overlooked with his slow play and complete ignorance of what's going on around him.
"I think he is so in his own world that he does not see how off-putting that is for fans to watch.
"DeChambeau is not the only slow player but he is probably the worst offender."
On Friday night, DeChambeau was lambasted by fellow PGA Tour players including Eddie Pepperell, Ian Poulter and Ryder Cup captain Thomas Bjorn.
"Slow players do this to their playing partners making the game less enjoyable. Problem is, the unaffected single minded twit in this instance, doesn't care much for others," Pepperell posted on Twitter.
Added Poulter: "There are a few players that continually disrespect their fellow pro's and continue to break the rules without a conscience."
After DeChambeau shot an even-par 71 to finish the third round at six-under-par on Saturday, he addressed media to refute his reputation as a slow player.
"People say things behind people's back all the time and if they want to talk about it to my face, I'll gladly explain the whole situation," he said.
"(On) social media, sometimes you can really hurt people in a very, very bad way.
"There's a deeper issue here and I'm somehow being singled out."
