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LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Golf’s television broadcasts might finally be coming out of their shell, just don’t tell British Open champ Brian Harman.
During Thursday afternoon’s ESPN broadcast of the PGA Championship, Harman was shown taking his time over a putt during the first round. Aside from triumphing last year at Royal Liverpool, the 37-year-old is also known for a frustrating number of waggle, waggle, waggles before pulling the trigger on any shot. The glacial pace of golfers has been a constant topic among fans over the years, or decades, or maybe even centuries.
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On Thursday, after Harman stepped off a putt and had a look around (it wasn’t clear what, if anything, had distracted him), the ESPN broadcast then cuts away beautifully to a nearby turtle taking in the action at the season’s second major at Valhalla.
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Was it intentional commentary on Harman’s pace of play, or just a perfectly timed coincidence? Either way, we need more of it. Much, much more.
Harman is far from the only culprit on tour, and until penalties are routinely handed out for slow play nothing will change. Unless, perhaps, the networks all agree to bring out the Valhalla Turtle every time they see an egregious example as something of a public shaming campaign.
Unfortunately for the turtle, Harman is a noted crossbow hunter and outdoorsman so that little guy might end up in some Harman family soup this weekend.
Harman has three career wins in 356 starts, highlighted by a dominant performance last July at the Open Championship where he blitzed the field by six strokes in England. The Savannah, Georgia native has earned more than $36 million on the PGA Tour.
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