Frustration could be set to grow among the world’s best players as the season-ending Tour Championship progresses at East Lake.
A much-changed course will test the FedEx Cup top 30, and several players were taken by surprise upon arriving in Atlanta. Viktor Hovland was shocked at the changes, and Xander Schauffele suggested a switch to another venue.
The new greens have yet to settle, which has increased their firmness. As a result, several players have had issues holding the greens with their approach shots.
In time, this problem will subside, but the putting surfaces promise to be a talking point throughout the week.
Rex Hoggard predicts PGA Tour player frustration at the Tour Championship
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Golf Channel pundit Rex Hoggard is the latest name to discuss the changes, and the American believes frustration could grow as the tournament progresses.
“I don’t know if they’re going to love it,” Hoggard remarked. “I think we will let time decide that. They’re saying all the right things right now.
“I will give the players credit. I think Xander touched on the fact that what they should have done is rotate this event out of Atlanta for a year or two. Let it grow in and let the product be its best possible self before presenting it to the world and the best players.”
He added: “I will say as we get further into the week, we will start hearing a little bit more frustration from the players. Whether that be the bad bounces or the 18th fairway is too extreme. I’ve heard a couple of the greens are too extreme.”
East Lake should have been given more time to settle in
Schauffele and Hoggard’s suggestion of rotating East Lake out of the Tour Championship circuit for one or two years feels justified.
Clearly, the course isn’t ready to host a tournament of this magnitude, and it’s not a good look for the PGA Tour.
The top 30 players are battling for an obscene amount of money, and they should be playing on a track that matches the importance of the event.
America, and Georgia in particular, is littered with several world-class venues that would’ve housed the Tour Championship until East Lake returned to its former glory.
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