Slow play has long been a talking point in professional golf, but during Friday’s second round of the 2025 PGA Championship, the scrutiny turned unexpectedly toward two major champions: Justin Thomas and Collin Morikawa. According to a post by PA golf correspondent Phil Casey, “Thomas/Morikawa warned for slow play according to on-course reporter – and not happy about it.” The duo was reportedly cautioned after the 12th hole, visibly frustrated by the timing and implication.
The warning came after Patrick Cantlay—often the poster child for slow play—was again under fire earlier in the 1st round for a bizarre delay on the 14th hole. A group of turtles caused an extended pause when they wandered into a bunker, prompting social media to erupt in jokes tying Cantlay to the slow-moving creatures. The “turtle damage” incident only deepened fan frustration about the pace of play, with critics once again labeling Cantlay “The Human Rain Delay.” Yet while Cantlay drew predictable ire, it was Thomas and Morikawa who found themselves under official scrutiny. The irony wasn’t lost on fans or commentators. Both players have recently supported calls for more transparency around pace-of-play data. “I’m on the slow side of players,” Thomas admitted earlier this year. “I want to know why I’m slow.” Morikawa added, “If you’re slow, you know you’re slow. If you don’t know, then there’s an issue.” Still, getting flagged during a major was not what they had in mind.
Thomas/Morikawa warned for slow play according to on-course reporter – and not happy about it @PGAChampionship
— Phil Casey (@pcaseysafc) May 16, 2025
Thomas had already endured a chaotic first round, finishing with his sock and shoe off as he tried to play a ball from a creekside lie. His round included five birdies, five bogeys, and a double bogey — the definition of rollercoaster golf. He carded a 2-over 73 and sits at T73 midway through the 2nd round. Morikawa, meanwhile, played solidly but drew attention for a costly misjudgment on the 18th hole Thursday, slicing his ball into the water from a difficult lie. Sky Sports commentators called it “extraordinary” and “one of the sillier decisions” they’d seen. Despite the error, he sits at T24 after the 1st round.
With muddy conditions and long waits already testing player patience, the warning adds yet another twist to a week where slow play has dominated the headlines, just not in the way anyone expected. The timing of the warning couldn’t be more relevant, as it comes amid the Tour’s broader effort to curb delays and modernize pace-of-play policies across all levels of competition.
PGA Tour cracks down on slow play in 2025
In response to mounting criticism from fans and players, the PGA Tour has rolled out a series of new measures in 2025 to address slow play. The most significant change is a revised penalty structure being trialed on the Korn Ferry Tour and PGA Tour Americas, where players now receive a one-stroke penalty for their first “bad time,” eliminating the traditional warning system. To further reduce delays, distance-measuring devices (DMDs) have been approved for limited use in select tournaments like the RBC Heritage and PGA Championship. Though rangefinders can’t account for slope, they are expected to speed up shot calculations significantly.
Transparency is also a major focus. The PGA Tour will begin publishing individual pace-of-play statistics later this season—a move that players like Justin Thomas and Collin Morikawa have endorsed. Additionally, starting in 2026, some tournament field sizes will be reduced to help shorten round durations. A newly formed “Speed of Play Working Group,” which includes players such as Sam Burns and Adam Schenk, has been tasked with overseeing these efforts.
Together, these initiatives mark the Tour’s most aggressive stance yet on slow play, a long-standing issue that continues to spark debate at the game’s highest levels.
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