If Robert Garrigus wins the Valspar Championship in Palm Harbor, Florida this weekend, all will be forgotten between him and fellow player, Kevin Na. However, if Garrigus happens to lose the tournament by one or two strokes, he (or his caddie) will likely explode over the slow play of his playing partner. Sunday is shaping up for a dramatic finish with Garrigus taking a one stroke lead into the final round, over Na.
Faltering down the stretch Saturday afternoon, Garrigus missed two short putts on the back nine and had to settle for a 1-under 70 and a one-shot lead. The fireworks really started after the round though. Garrigus’ caddie, Brent Henley, went off on Na for his slow play. After the 13th hole, when Na and Garrigus both were told they had bad times, which was the first time in Garrigus’ career he was assessed a bad time, the caddie unloaded:
“It ain’t fair playing with Kevin Na. It ain’t fair. Na’s slow pace got him (Garrigus) out of his rhythm to the point we felt like we were running.”
Golf is known as a gentleman’s game, and it is out of the ordinary for players to call each other out. Here, we have Garrigus’ caddie calling out an opposing golfer. It’s almost unheard of, as caddies tend to stay in the background, in case they find themselves looking to hook on with a new pro.
This is the fourth time in his career that Garrigus has held at least a share of the lead heading into the final round of a tournament. Each time Garrigus has failed to convert, eventually finishing second. Garrigus tried to downplay the comments made by his caddy:
“I had fun. I’m in a good position. If I play well (Sunday) and shoot under par, they’re going to have to come get me. That’s what I plan on doing. I can’t sit there and make pars and expect to win the golf tournament.”
For his part, Na tried to defend himself from the criticism that he was playing too slowly. Also, he was defensive about the pace and his reputation. “I know how to play,” he said. “I don’t know what people have said, but I don’t think I should be criticized.” The funny part is that Robert Garrigus is known on the Tour as one of the fastest players around. For him to receive a bad time warning, his pace was severely off kilter.
You can watch the final round today on NBC. Will Robert Garrigus be able to hold off Kevin Na and win his first tournament where he held the lead going into the final round? If Garrigus does not, expect the main story to be about how he lost focus due to the slow play this weekend. Tell us what you think: Does Robert Garrigus have a legitimate excuse (Na’s slow play) if he cannot hold on to the lead and win the championship this afternoon?
[Image via Chris O’Meara/AP]
