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PGA Tour veteran Charley Hoffman has penned an impassioned letter to players, calling them out on several concerns.

In the message shared by Sean Zak on X, Hoffman wrote to members of the Tour asking for a stronger effort to tackle slow play, as well as a reminder of media responsibilities.

But Hoffman has got tongues wagging with his final comments, appearing to hit out at several players over a perceived lack of commitment towards the PGA Tour.

“Many of you keep saying you want to play fewer events, yet you still find time for TGL, Race to Dubai, and other non-PGA Tour events, and that’s going to continue regardless of field size,” he wrote.

“The best competition happens when the best players go head-to-head in a deep, competitive field — not in small, limited-entry events that leave deserving players on the outside looking in.

“This Tour was built on open competition, where anyone with the game to compete has a chance to prove it against the best.

“That’s what has made our Tour special for generations, and we need to keep pushing for that.

“At the end of the year, only 100 of us will keep our cards. We all start the season at zero in the FedEx Cup Point standings, and every single one of us has the chance to be the FedEx Cup champion.

“Let’s come together, put on a great show for our fans by giving them the strongest competitions, and keep the PGA Tour moving in the right direction.”

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Hoffman, 48, earned his first PGA Tour card ahead of the 2006 season and, now a four-time winner, lifted his first title one year later.

While the professional game has changed markedly since then, Hoffman started the letter by noting that slow play has been an issue throughout his time on Tour.

“We’ve taken a lot of heat over the past few weeks about slow play,” he wrote. “And yeah, it’s an issue – for our fans, for us as players – cutting down field sizes will help, but only by a few minutes a day.

“As players, we still need to make a concerted effort to speed up. Pace of play has been a challenge my entire 20 years on Tour, and it was an issue 20 years before that.”

Meanwhile, he also sounded off on the Aon Swing 5 – an initiative designed to award players spots in Signature Events as the season progresses.

Hoffman admitted that the idea is “great” but playing opportunities for members are still limited.

“Like anything new, we need to make sure it’s working as intended,” Hoffman said.

“This year, at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, only two players got into the field from this category before the deadline, and three of the alternates also qualified via the Aon Swing 5.

“So, in my mind, we only got two new unique playing opportunities for our members.

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The letter comes only two weeks after fellow PGA Tour pro and two-time major champion Justin Thomas wrote to members.

At the heart of the American’s concerns was players reluctancy to fulfil broadcast responsibilities.

And Hoffman agrees, adding that “we have a responsibility to work with our broadcast partners.”

“We’re the best golfers in the world competing on the best Tour in the world,” he said.

“That should always be the focus – showcasing the thought, skill, passion and competition that makes our game great.”


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John Turnbull A graduate of the University of Stirling, John joined the bunkered team in 2023 as a Content Producer, with a responsibility for covering all breaking news, tour news, grassroots content and much more besides. A keen golfer, he plays the majority of his golf at Falkirk Golf Club. Top of his 'bucket list' is a round of Pebble Beach... ideally in the company of Gareth Bale.

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