PGA Championship pace of play dispute angers Justin Thomas, Keegan Bradley
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After a slow first round at Aronimink Golf Club in Philadelphia on Thursday, pace of play was an emphasis at Friday’s PGA Championship.
But when an official approached Justin Thomas and Keegan Bradley, they became excited.
Thomas, a longtime Team USA Ryder Cup member, and last year’s United States captain Bradley were on the fourth hole when an official in the car approached them and the conversation quickly turned into finger-pointing.
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Justin Thomas and Keegan Bradley watch from the tenth green during the second round of the PGA Championship at Aronimink Golf Club on May 15, 2026 in Newtown, Pennsylvania. (Richard Heathcote/Getty Images)
Thomas said after the round that he, Bradley and U.S. Ryder Cupper Cameron Young, who won the Cadillac Championship earlier this month, were timed and the official told them to speed up. However, both Bradley and Thomas appeared to be pointing at the group in front of them.
“We actually couldn’t get into it,” Thomas said, citing the course conditions, high winds and challenging conditions. “We were behind. That wasn’t our problem… It was just that we couldn’t keep the group behind us up.”
Thomas said they caught up to the pace on the next hole.
Justin Thomas tees off the 15th tee during the second round of the PGA Championship on May 15, 2026 in Newtown Square, Pennsylvania. (Bill Streicher/Imagn Images)
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Thomas had a long conversation with the official, while Bradley appeared to put it short and sweet – but he was clearly not happy with the conversation.
It is a large PGA Championship venue with 156 golfers in the field and groups starting their rounds on the back nine. The scores were also quite high; At the time of publication, only 25 players were below average.
Aronimink also has a common tee box on Nos. 1 and 10, fairways on holes Nos. 9 and 17, and a long par-3 eighth hole that caused problems. Three par-3 courses are over 200 yards, and there is also a 457-yard par 4 on the fourth.
Keegan Bradley prepares to hit the 14th green during the first round of the PGA Championship at Aronimink Golf Club in Newtown Square, Pennsylvania, on May 14, 2026. (Bill Streicher/Imagn Images)
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As Chris Gotterup said Friday, “You’re not going to be able to go on a four-and-a-half-hour visit here.”
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