Saturday’s broadcast of the final round of the Farmers Insurance Open on CBS featured a tight finish that came down to the final hole. However, it was marred by an incredibly slow pace of play from the last group, which CBS on-course reporter Dottie Pepper openly criticized. With her extensive background as both a broadcaster and a player on the LPGA Tour from 1988 to 2004, Pepper acknowledges that some circumstances beyond players’ control can lead to a slower pace.
Nonetheless, the final group of Harris English, Andrew Novak, and Aldrich Potgieter took things to an entirely different level. By the time they reached hole No. 10, they were already three hours into their round. After they each hit their tee shots, Pepper voiced her frustrations, saying, “You know, Frank, I think we’re starting to need a new word to talk about this pace of play issue, and it’s respect. For your fellow competitors, for the fans, for broadcasts, for all of it. It’s just gotta get better.”
.@Dottie_pepper PREACH 🙌🏻🙌🏻🙌🏻 pic.twitter.com/BebcTDyHP7
— Joseph LaMagna (@JosephLaMagna) January 25, 2025
Frank Nobilo, who was speaking with Pepper on the CBS broadcast, agreed that action needs to be taken to speed up pace of play, responding, “Well said.” Pepper’s concerns extend beyond just the Farmers Insurance Open; the previous week’s tournament, The American Express, ran 40 minutes longer than scheduled on NBC. The tournament winner, Sepp Straka, concluded his final round in the final group in five hours and 39 minutes, nearly matching this week’s five hours and 45 minutes.
As Pepper pointed out, this slow pace reflects a lack of respect for fellow players and viewers at home. The impacted voices on this issue are often those of broadcasters like Pepper, who must endure colder and windier conditions while covering the event.
To address these pace of play concerns, PGA Tour officials mentioned back in November that future tournaments may feature smaller fields, which would reduce waiting time for players on the course. Ultimately, Dottie Pepper and many fans are eager to see improvements soon to enhance the competition.
