Torrey Pines, California …

The PGA Tour is under fire for the farcial scenario where Hazeltine Ryder Cup star, J B Holmes took over four minutes to play a shot down the final hole on the last day of the Farmers Insurance Open.

As well, golf’s most lucrative Tour is also fighting calls why the final grouping of Holmes, fellow American Ryan Palmer and Sweden’s Alex Noren took over six-hours to play their round.

Tiger Woods, who played the last round alongside Francesco Molinari and Hideki Matsyama, was second out on the last day and took over five hours to complete their round.

The situation involving Holmes began after Aussie Jason Day had competed his round at 10-under par to hold the clubhose lead and tied with Noren still on the golf course.

J B Holmes under fire in taking four minutes and 10 seconds to play a shot down the last hole at Torrey Pines.

Holmes found the fairway down the par-5 last, some 230-yards from the hole but knowing he needed an eagle ‘3’ if he was to tie Day.

Holmes second shot needed to clear the water hazard guarding the green to give himself the chance of then putting for the eagle

However much to the annoyance of fans gathered around the 18^th and those watching on TV, Holmes took four minutes and 10 seconds deliberating over his second shot before electing to lay-up short of the hazard.

All the time both Noren and Palmer could do nothing but look on in total disbelief.

At no time was Holmes approached by an official to speed-up play nor was he affored a time warning.

Holmes decision after waiting so long drew widespread condemnation.

The PGA Player Handbook and Tournament Regulations states that “a player is permitted 40 seconds to play a stroke.” It allows an additional 10 seconds for a variety of situations, none of them applicable here.  That means it would have had to allow for an additional 3½ minutes to accommodate Holmes.

A number of players went onto Twitter, including past Open Champion Mark Calcavecchi and former England-born World No. 1 Luke Donald.

Donald wrote:

“Last group was over a hole behind, we can all blame JB…and yes the player should take responsibility for their pace of play, but if they don’t that’s why we have Tour officials – they needed to step in a while ago IMO.”

Calcavecchia said:

1.   JB needs to be fined or better yet given 2 shots
   2. Needs eagle to tie. After all that lays up? Really???
   3. Horrendous sportsmanship to Noren and Palmer
   4 wow

The incident, of course, was also a main topic of conversation on the Golf Channel.

Holmes eventually made a birdie ‘4’ to miss the play-off by a shot and finish in fourth place on nine-under par.

The 35-year old Kentucky-born Holmes was afterwards quizzed about his actons.

“No I don’t reget my actions as I was still trying to win,” he said. “So that’s part of it,” Holmes said.

Noren, seeking to win a first time on the PGA, was extremely diplomatic about Holmes’ action. Asked whether it affected him, he said, “Well, not necessarily, not necessarily. It’s just, you know, probably made me switch clubs.”

But then the longer Noren stood waiting for Holmes to decide on his shot the more indecision it put into the mind of the Swede who has won nine times on the European Tour including shooting a final round 62 last May to capture the prestigious BMW PGA Championship crown.

Then when Noren finally got around hitting his second shot the ball flew through the green and actually ended-up at the entrance to a tunnel under the spectator grandstand from where Noren was afforded a ‘free drop’.

He chipped and then two-putted for a par to force the play-off with Day and American Ryan Palmer.

“I was considerting hitting a hybrid for my second shot, but I was in a downhill lie and the grain of the fairway was into me,” he said.

“I thought I was going to thin it a bit and I didn’t really fancy being in the water short. I hit the 3-wood. I don’t know where it bounced, but it went past the green.”

“In hindsight, he said he probably should have laid up, then hit a wedge into the green in an attempt make birdie and win.”

It could well be argued Holmes’ indecision cost Noren the title outright  before any play-off as he and Day could not be separated after five extra play-off holes and with poor light forcing officials to resume the encounter at 8am local time Monday.

A bogey from Palmer at the first extra hole saw him eliminated.