Rory McIlroy Calls For Slow Play Shot Penalties

The four-time Major winner wants shot penalties for players who record bad times after being put on the clock

Rory McIlroy Calls For Slow Play Shot Penalties
(Image credit: Getty Images)

The four-time Major winner wants shot penalties for players who record bad times after being put on the clock

Rory McIlroy Calls For Slow Play Shot Penalties

Rory McIlroy is one of golf's quickest players but says that slow play is "genuinely a problem" in the game.

The four-time Major winner wants shot penalties for golfers with bad times after getting put on the clock instead of the usual small fines.

Related: Edoardo Molinari reveals European Tour slow play penalties

"I don't think it's fine to do nothing because it's genuinely a problem in our game," he said ahead of this week's Northern Trust.

"It starts at our level because people try to emulate us.

"I've heard stories of college events and how long they take.

Related: US Girls Junior video erupts slow play debate

"There's no reason why it should take that long. I don't know what -- I've sat up here numerous times and said that, you know, it has to be addressed some way.

"For me, I think the guys that are slow are the guys that they get too many chances before they are penalised.

WATCH: 9 Tips To Beat Slow Play

"So it should be a warning and then a shot. It should be you're put on the clock and that is your warning, and then if you get a bad time while on the clock, it's a shot.

"That will stamp it out right away.

"I don't understand why we can't just implement that.

"Like we are not children that need to being told five or six times what to do. Okay, you're on the clock, okay, I know if I play slowly here, I'm going to get penalised and I think that's the way forward."

McIlroy is 2nd in the FedEx Cup heading into the Playoffs and tees off with FedEx Cup #1 Brooks Koepka and #3 Matt Kuchar at 1.16pm UK time for round one.

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Elliott Heath
News Editor

Elliott Heath is our News Editor and has been with Golf Monthly since early 2016 after graduating with a degree in Sports Journalism. He manages the Golf Monthly news team as well as our large Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages. He covered the 2022 Masters from Augusta National as well as five Open Championships on-site including the 150th at St Andrews. His first Open was in 2017 at Royal Birkdale, when he walked inside the ropes with Jordan Spieth during the Texan's memorable Claret Jug triumph. He has played 35 of our Top 100 golf courses, with his favourites being both Sunningdales, Woodhall Spa, Western Gailes, Old Head and Turnberry. He has been obsessed with the sport since the age of 8 and currently plays off of a six handicap. His golfing highlights are making albatross on the 9th hole on the Hotchkin Course at Woodhall Spa, shooting an under-par round, playing in the Aramco Team Series on the Ladies European Tour and making his one and only hole-in-one at the age of 15 - a long time ago now!


Elliott is currently playing:


Driver: Titleist TSR4

3 wood: Titleist TSi2

Hybrids: Titleist 816 H1

Irons: Mizuno MP5 5-PW

Wedges: Cleveland RTX ZipCore 50, 54, 58

Putter: Odyssey White Hot OG #5

Ball: Srixon Z Star XV