Bryson DeChambeau didn't hold back in his assessment of the pace of play at the Open Championship, calling it "out of control". His comments came after he was put on the clock during the third round at Royal Portrush. DeChambeau, who has faced scrutiny regarding his own pace of play in the past, suggested a straightforward solution to combat the issue: timing every player for their entire round.

The slow pace of play was a significant talking point throughout the Open, with many rounds, especially in the first two days, stretching close to six hours. Players like Marc Leishman expressed their frustration, stating that it "felt like we were on the golf course for about 12 hours". The challenging conditions at Royal Portrush, including wind, rain, and thick rough, contributed to the delays.

DeChambeau believes the current system isn't fair to the entire field and could be improved by implementing a timing system. "It's very simple. It's not difficult at all," DeChambeau said. He added, "You eventually time everybody for their whole entire round. Very simple. Nobody wants to do it, because people are too scared to get exposed, which I am an advocate for".

DeChambeau clarified that he would have no problem being timed himself. He believes a player should be told by an official if they are "over par with your time". He proposes timing "them for every single shot. He gets there and puts the bag down, and how long it takes him to hit that shot and how long it takes him to walk to the green. It's not rocket science".

While DeChambeau admits his putting routine can be deliberate, he maintains that he's generally quick with iron shots and off the tee. He even compared himself to Dustin Johnson, noting that Johnson is "really slow on the putting greens, and then he's incredibly fast on his full swing shots".

Other players also voiced their concerns about the slow play. Matt Fitzpatrick said, "I do think it's ridiculous; the pace of play has been a combination of the way the golf course is, reachable par-5s and all that normal stuff. But it starts with the players as well and starts with the rules officials". Jon Rahm pointed out that the large field size at major championships contributes to the problem.

The R&A has been urged to ensure fair and consistent enforcement of pace-of-play rules. During the third round, both DeChambeau and Henrik Stenson received warnings, leading them to question the consistency of the timing procedures. Stenson noted the inconsistency, saying that after the first two rounds took about an hour over the allotted time, warnings were suddenly issued during the third round.

Despite his frustration, DeChambeau managed to post a solid third-round score of 68. He explained that he and his playing partner, Nathan Kimsey, struggled with pace throughout the day, and he was "moving my butt as fast as I could". He attributed some of the delays to the tricky greens.

DeChambeau's call for a more stringent pace-of-play policy has sparked debate within the golfing community. While his ideas may be controversial, they have undoubtedly brought attention to a long-standing issue in the sport.