Patrick Cantlay has responded to Brooks Koepeka, after the American star was criticised for his speed of play in the final round of last weekend's Masters Tournament.
Koepka - who was flying the flag for LIV Golf at Augusta - headed into Sunday's final round with the 54-hole lead, two shots ahead of playing partner Jon Rahm. Despite his lead, it was not to be for the LIV man as a three-over-par 75 saw saw him slip into a tie for second, letting Rahm swoop in and take the green jacket.
The four-time major champion looked a shadow of the player that lit up Augusta National across the opening three rounds, having struggled when it mattered on Sunday afternoon.
Whilst Koepka was not making excuses, one aspect that did not help his fourth round efforts was the slow pace of play across the Georgia course. Many were quick to point the finger at Cantlay, who was playing alongside Viktor Hovland in the group ahead of Koepka and Rahm.
Hitting out at the slow play, the 54-hole leader said: "Yeah, the group in front of us was brutally slow. Jon [Rahm] went to the bathroom like seven times during the round, and we were still waiting.”
Amid the criticism, Cantlay has since responded to his former Ryder Cup teammate. Defending his own speed of play, and claiming he was not the man to blame, he said: "We finished the first hole, and the group in front of us was on the second tee when we walked up to the second tee.
"We waited all day on pretty much every shot. We waited on 15 fairway, we waited on 18 fairway. I imagine it was slow for everyone.” Offering an answer to the slow speed of play, the 31-year-old believes it has something to do with the challenge Augusta National poses.
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"When you play a golf course like Augusta National where all the hole locations are on lots of slope and the greens are really fast, it’s just going to take longer and longer to hole out. I think that may have been what attributed to some of the slow play on Sunday.
"And then also when the wins is gusting and the wind is blowing inconsistently, that’s when guys will take a long time, too. I think that’s just the nature of playing professional golf, where every shot matters so much.”
