2011 Northern Trust Open: These Guys Are Getting Slower!

Five hours and twenty minutes for the leading threesomes to play their NoTrust Open rounds in cool, sometimes showery conditions?

What I found striking Saturday was just how many people brought up the wretched pace without my usual bitching prompting. Funny how much more painful the plodding, standing, fidgeting and general malaise becomes when it's under 60 degrees.

The causes during a week when there is no rough: faster greens than players are used to here, difficult weather conditions, and worst of all, the consistent inability of players to play "ready golf." Some of the faster players will tell you they don't play ready golf because it won't help, and now it appears that it's a rare moment when players commence their pre-shot preparation and information collation prior to the moment it becomes their turn to hit. I know some suggest this is an etiquette issue, but I say it's good manners gone awry.

While the leaderboard was littered with some of the tour's slowest pokes,  I'm not sure you can blame this one on the J.B. Holmes's of the world (2 minutes, 10 seconds on the 6th green for one putt!). But the boys would be wise not to pull a similar stunt Sunday when a decent crowd (hopefully) is watching.

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As for the finale, almost nothing happened Saturday, which bodes well for a lively Sunday where the leaderboard suggests any number of characters could win. Doug Ferguson reminds us that leader Aaron Baddeley played 22 holes Sunday to grab the lead by one, while Larry Dorman explains that this is Baddeley's most serious run at a title since returning to Dale Lynch.

Bob Harig explains how Vijay, who turns 48 Tuesday, is threatening a rally kill by closing to within 2 of the lead. And John Strege on local boy Kevin Na trying to win for his ailing dad. The PGA Tour wrap up and highlights try to make the best out of a pretty blah Saturday. And here are the tee times. Leaders tee off at 10:30 with a 3:30 ET sign off. Let's hope they can finish on time though this one is just screaming playoff.

Ryan Moore looking sharp Saturday (click to enlarge NoTrust CEO is telling Golf Channel that attendance is up 50%. (click to enlarge)