Golf fans are all saying the same thing ahead of final day of WM Phoenix Open
Fans fuming as WM Phoenix Open set to finish after NFL's Super Bowl starts on Sunday night.
Golf fans are all saying the same thing ahead of today's final day of the WM Phoenix Open as the famous PGA Tour event will still be going on when the NFL's Super Bowl starts on Sunday night.
The third round of the WM Phoenix Open was suspended due to darkness at 6pm local time on Saturday night with the leaders having played just six holes.
The PGA Tour initially confirmed on Sunday morning the third round would not be able to start until 8am local time due to frost at TPC Scottsdale.
Then followed a series of announcements that pushed things back to an 8.45am start time.
That is 3.45pm for UK fans with a seven-hour time difference in Arizona.
Thankfully the rest of Sunday looks fine with sunny weather anticipated.
If all goes to plan the final round will start around 12pm with the leading groups not teeing off until around 1.30pm (8.30pm UK time).
The scheduled finish for the WM Phoenix Open will therefore occur bang in the middle of the NFL's Super Bowl, which of course is one of the world's most popular sporting events, especially for Americans.
Kansas City Chiefs lock horns with San Francisco 49ers in Las Vegas at 4.30pm local time in Arizona (11.30pm UK).
The final groups will likely have around six holes to complete by the time the Super Bowl has kicked off.
PGA Tour in a race against time to get WM Phoenix Open finished by Sunday night
As it stands heading into the final day of the WM Phoenix Open, Canada's Nick Taylor holds a narrow one-stroke lead over Sahith Theegala on 13-under par.
Taylor and Theegala will resume by putting out on the par-3 7th.
World No.1 Scottie Scheffler is bidding to win the tournament for a record third time in a row and he resumes his third round at five shots back thru seven holes.
If the tournament goes to a playoff, which could very well happen given the clustered leaderboard as things stand, then you have to believe it would go into a Monday finish.
Some golf fans believe a Monday finish is now inevitable no matter what happens on Sunday.
LIV Golf brought their 54-hole Las Vegas event forward a day to ensure there was no clash against the Super Bowl.
Their tournaments typically start on a Friday and end on Sunday, but due to the Super Bowl, the Saudi-bankrolled circuit decided to start on Wednesday and conclude on Saturday.
Former World No.1 Dustin Johnson won LIV Golf Las Vegas.
Golf fans react to Phoenix Open clashing with the Super Bowl
The unfortunate Sunday night clash between the WM Phoenix Open and the Super Bowl has infuriated plenty of golf fans.
Many ardent PGA Tour fans believe the circuit should have followed LIV Golf and started things on Wednesday to avoid a clash.
Here's a look a number of tweets:
"Absolute joke PGA Tour, two weeks in a row where you have messed up the schedule."
"Going from finishing a tournament thru a press release to playing during the Super Bowl. Real impressive stuff here."
"This thing is not finishing by kickoff that's a given."
"Brilliant planning PGA Tour, maybe take a leaf out of LIV Golf's book for weeks like this."
"Yeah didn't fancy watching the Super Bowl, cheers PGA Tour."
"Monday finish it is then, all of this could have been avoided once again."
"Why not start play on Wednesday when you knew the Super Bowl was on Sunday night?"
"Clown show again from the PGA Tour."
"Gonna be real tough for the Phoenix Open to end before the Super Bowl starts, but it'll be a fun Sunday regardless."
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— GolfMagic (@GolfMagic) February 11, 2024
