The 2025 Rocket Mortgage Classic kicked off under pristine summer skies at Detroit Golf Club, where players wasted no time going low. With soft greens and mild wind offering ideal scoring conditions, the leaderboard lit up early, highlighted by multiple rounds that flirted with course records. But tucked beneath the buzz of double-digit birdies and first-timers making noise was Keegan Bradley, who arrived in Michigan less than a week removed from his emotional win at the Travelers Championship. Still carrying that competitive edge, the 38-year-old opened with a quiet but composed 68, a round that kept him within range but largely under the radar—until one moment on Friday morning turned the spotlight squarely on him.

Bradley’s opening round didn’t command headlines for its flash but for its familiarity. His shotmaking was steady, his misses minimal, and his pace unmistakably measured. While Kevin Roy and Aldrich Potgieter rocketed to co-leads with matching 62s, Bradley’s methodical approach remained consistent with the identity he’s honed over a decade on Tour: deliberate, precise, and anchored in routine. Even as the broadcast shifted focus to the early scoring frenzy, those watching closely saw a player entirely committed to process—one whose every move, as the next day would prove, can still provoke reaction.

On Friday morning, golf commentator Alex Straunch posted a pointed clip on X (formerly Twitter), accompanied by the caption: “Imagine being paired with a bloke on a weekend that did this. A full minute to knock in a four footer. Truly embarrassing.”

The video showed Bradley standing over a straight four-foot putt, extending his signature “heads-up” visual routine by keeping his gaze fixed on the hole rather than the ball as he measured distance and line — a technique he’s been gradually adopting beyond just short clutch putts (originally under six feet) after finding success with it at the Travelers Championship. He appeared to take slow, deliberate breaths and align his shoulders through subtle toe-tapping, adjusting body position while mentally rehearsing the stroke gestures that mimic the Quiet Eye focus drills used by elite athletes to enhance precision. Though the putt dropped, Bradley’s extended pre-putt ritual — lasting nearly a minute — became a flashpoint for critics of slow play, who saw the drawn-out sequence as excessive given the simplicity of the attempt.

Though no penalty was assessed—PGA Tour rules allow up to 40 seconds per shot under most conditions—Straunch’s post reignited the long-simmering debate about pace of play on Tour, with Bradley now squarely in the spotlight. The incident occurred during a birdie attempt on the 11th hole, one of four birdies in his opening round.

Interestingly, this wasn’t Bradley’s first run-in with pace-of-play scrutiny. Back in 2023, he was quietly timed during multiple rounds, though no penalties were issued. At the time, he defended his pace, noting that “focus is a weapon” in a sport defined by inches.

While Bradley didn’t talk about his extensive routine, he’s not leaving any gaps in his armor, as per his comments from just a day ago. He had explained, “I think that what’s important with a golf swing for a player but especially a PGA TOUR player is to not try to make it something that isn’t you. I’ve owned my swing. I know what to do, I know the mistakes that I make when things are bad. I think over the years I’ve really learned to accept how my swing looks. I’ve got a weird setup, like my hands are really low, everyone thinks my clubs are super short. I’ve done a good job of owning that and that’s the best way to have me play well.”

Bradley has long used an unusual eye-tracking method—watching the hole rather than the ball through his putting stroke—citing enhanced depth perception as his rationale. This technique, often compared to basketball free-throw focus drills, has drawn both curiosity and critique from fellow pros.

But what should’ve been a routine highlight was instantly reframed by the virality of the clip.

Fans react: ‘So frustrating’

Straunch’s post didn’t just stir the pot, it exploded across golf social media, gathering thousands of likes and replies within hours. The tone of the reactions? Swift and unforgiving. While some acknowledged that Bradley is fresh off a resurgent win at the 2025 Travelers Championship just five days ago, few were willing to give him a pass when it came to pace of play.

The frustration was immediate. One user bluntly wrote, “I would either walk off or snap his putter.” It was an extreme take, no doubt, but it underscored the growing impatience many fans feel toward what they perceive as performative deliberation. “Would have been funny if he lipped it,” another fan noted, tapping into the sense that the drama Bradley injected into such a routine moment bordered on unnecessary.

And then there was humor, albeit with an edge: “Cmon mate happy hour starts at 5🤩” Even casual viewers seemed to reach a boiling point. “So frustrating,” one comment read—short, direct, and representative of a broader sentiment. The backlash wasn’t isolated. Pace of play has become one of the PGA Tour’s most persistent controversies in recent years. Tour officials have introduced timing protocols and even levied penalties in egregious cases, but enforcement remains inconsistent. And although, as per PGA Tour’s rules, players are expected to take no more than 40 seconds per shot, that’s loosely enforced and often waived for first-to-play scenarios or “complex situations”—none of which applied in Bradley’s case.

Notably, earlier this season, the PGA Tour implemented ShotLink timing systems on more holes, allowing referees to monitor player pacing in near real-time. However, critics argue the system still lacks teeth, as actual fines or penalties are rarely announced publicly, reducing the deterrent effect.

The criticisms weren’t just about time; they were about optics and practicality. “It didn’t deviate a millimetre, dead straight putt,” one comment read, pointing out that the putt offered no discernible break, slope, or difficulty. Others questioned his putting process entirely: “All that bullshit and he’s watching the cup through the stroke? Weirdo.” That referred to Bradley’s signature style of visually tracking the hole throughout his stroke, something he’s done for years. While legal, it continues to divide opinion among purists and modern fans alike.

With 129 of 156 players under par on Thursday, and with scoring conditions at Detroit Golf Club being described as “ideal” by multiple analysts, viewers weren’t expecting traffic jams on the greens. But thanks to one four-footer, the conversation has shifted. And for Keegan Bradley, just days removed from one of the best wins of his career, Detroit may now be remembered less for his scorecard and more for the stopwatch. While Bradley’s score of –4 puts him tied 44th heading into Round 2, his pace of play is now the talk of the tournament. For now, he’s not near the top of the leaderboard, but in the public eye, he’s very much at the center.