'You're a disgrace': Why this golfer's win has caused outrage

Controversy has erupted in the golf world over JB Holmes’ win at the Genesis Open.

Holmes was widely criticised during tournament coverage and on social media for the glacial pace of his play during the final round, with some of his fellow players even voicing their disapproval.

It was particularly evident on the 4th hole when he sat back and waited for playing partner Justin Thomas to putt before even considering looking at his own putt.

Fellow playing partner Adam Scott described him as “generally a slow player” after Sunday’s final round, while Web.com player Tee-k Kelly called Holmes a “disgrace”.

“JB Holmes is a disgrace,” he tweeted.

“The way the rules are currently enforced fast players have no choice but to slow down and become slower players. If they don’t they are at a huge disadvantage.”

“It’s the JB’s of the world that make everyone around them play slow because JB isn’t getting penalised and it’s their only option,” he said in a separate tweet.

‘I was never on the clock’

Holmes later defended his play, saying conditions required extra care and time to be taken.

“I’m not the fastest player, but it was really windy today [Sunday] and we waited a lot,” he said.

“I took a little bit longer at the end, but you’re talking about getting down to the tournament, you’re talking about the last nine holes of the tournament.

“Correct me if I’m wrong, but I think a lot of times the last group of the tournament gets a little bit behind. When I first got out here [on the PGA Tour] I was really slow, but I’ve sped up quite a bit.

“Like I said, the conditions made it tougher. There’s times when I’m probably too slow, but it is what it is.

“I was never on the clock. TV wants everything to be real fast all the time.”

Thomas was also grouped with Holmes and Scott, and pointed out they were forced to do a lot of waiting on the day.

“It was slow,” he said. “Nothing against our group, it was slow. I mean, we were waiting the whole first round [of the day], we were waiting a lot of the second round [final round].

“Then we got behind there a little bit I think because we were all playing poorly.

“There’s a difference between slow golf and bad golf, and Adam and I just weren’t playing good golf so that’s hard to keep the pace up.

“But yeah, it was definitely kind of hard to keep going when you felt like you were waiting a lot.”

with agencies