Stenson Blames Slow Play Clocking For 3-Putts, API Loss

The notorious turtle on days ending in Y says the effort to speed up the Arnold Palmer Invitational's last group caused him to rush.

Rex Hoggard reports.

“On the green I didn’t really have much time to look at my putt and rushed that one,” said Stenson, who three-putted the 15th hole from 45 feet and needed three putts from the fringe at No. 16.

“That’s really what cost me the tournament.”

Alex Miceli notes that Stenson did keep the streak of 54-hole leaders not winning. Bill Haas at January's Humana Classic was the last to win after holding the third round lead.

Anyway, back to Stenson's gripe, where he does make this legitimate point. From Miceli's Golfweek story:

“I thought we were here to play golf and not to finish at 6,” said Stenson, after the leaders' tee times were pushed back five minutes from Saturday's start, to 2 p.m. Sunday, because of TV considerations. “I know we have times to take into consideration. If one, two minutes on the broadcast is going to make or break it, then I think we need to have some more leeway with it.”

Generally, the PGA Tour loves the golf to go long, but officials aren't thinking about that. As they should not. What they need to do more often is give Henrik the old cattle prod on Thursday, Friday and Saturdays.

Stephanie Wei has all of Stenson's post round remarks, including that the effort to speed up the last pairing started on the front nine.

“We got on the clock on 6 and had to rush it a bit there on 6, 7 and 8,” said Stenson, who shot a final-round, two-under 70. “Still, I had a good chance on 7, tricky putt, missed that one. Good save on 8 and hit a good shot into the green on 9 that just released up the back and Morgan was in some trouble down there on the right. We had to have a ruling and stuff, which normally happens when you’re on the clock."

The final round highlights of Matt Every's title-defending win at Bay Hill, covered here by Steve DiMeglio in the USA Today (For Rory McIlroy's pre-Masters assessment, check out Bob Harig's ESPN.com piece):