Over the past week, many viewers have called out Patrick Cantlay over slow play, with Masters runner-up, Brooks Koepka, stating at Augusta National: “The group in front of us was brutally slow. Jon went to the bathroom like seven times during the round, and we were still waiting.”
Now though, at the RBC Heritage, Cantlay has responded, with the American making a hole-in-one at the par 3 seventh, his 16th hole of the day, as the 31-year-old vaulted up the leaderboard on Friday afternoon.
Playing faster! @RBC_Heritage @PGATOUR pic.twitter.com/mDxo2yarABApril 14, 2023
Cantlay, who isn't the biggest social media user in the world, couldn't resist a dig at the recent controversy surrounding pace of play either, with the eight-time PGA Tour winner taking to Twitter to simply comment: "Playing faster!" as he shot a six-under-par round of 65.
Speaking after his ace, the American stated: "It was just a perfect 6-iron number, a little into the wind, high 190s to the hole. A one-yard cut that just came off perfect. They (the crowd) went nuts. There's a bunch of fans around that 7th green, so it was nice to show off for them a little bit."
Making his third ace on the PGA Tour, Cantlay had been going along nicely during his second round, with five birdies and two bogeys on his front nine rounding of a three-under-par 32.
From there, he made yet another birdie at the par 5 fifth, his 14th hole of the day, as he then approached the par 3 seventh and the hole he would make an ace on. Striking his six-iron, the ball never really left the flag as it landed softly on the green and rolled towards the flag like a putt.
Celebrating with his fellow playing partners, Cantlay then parred in for a six-under round of 65, with the 31-year-old currently four back of round two leader, Jimmy Walker.
