The 2025 Sentry is over! Hideki Matsuyama claimed his 11th Tour win, grabbing a hefty share of $20M purse. He did in style too. He broke the all-time PGA Tour record of the lowest under-par score, having scored 35 under. Most successful Japanese pro on the PGA Tour, indeed! It seems that this year has started on a good note. Much needed after the constant backlash Tour faced in 2024. Moreover, fans have been raving about the Tour’s new crisp and clear leaderboard graphics, thanks to the broadcasters. A small win, perhaps a consolation prize! PGA Tour once again found himself under the scrutiny of the fans. 

Taylor Pendrith pulled off something extraordinary: the first albatross in the 27-year history of The Sentry. Big news, right? Yet somehow, this incredible moment didn’t get the coverage it deserved. The frustration was loud and clear. The golf community quickly called out the PGA Tour’s lackluster production, with Flushing It summing it up perfectly in a tweet:

“First we missed Hideki’s hole-out eagle to extend his lead. Now the first ever albatross at The Sentry looks like it was filmed on a camera phone. Do better PGA Tour. This coverage is killing the sport.” The Japanese pro carded a beautiful eagle at the par-4 3rd, and fans at home were not able to watch it, the way they would have wanted. Pendrith’s astonishing eagle came at par-5 5th. 

Pendrith naturally was very happy about this shot. “Had a really good number, and was just trying to hit a hard 6-iron and land it kind of front third and let it chase back,” he said after finishing at 22 under. “As soon as I hit it I knew it was going to be really good. Didn’t expect it to go in, didn’t see it go in, but the fans that were up by the green went crazy, so, yeah, it was a really good bonus.”

“That’s actually number eight,” he said after a final-round 67. “Which is weird. I’ve got three hole-in-ones and that’s number eight albatross. First one in a tournament. It’s been like four years probably since I last made one, but they’re obviously super rare and, yeah, it was awesome to see it go in,” he continued.

This wasn’t the only hiccup. Davis Riley withdrew during the final round. He was in last place at the time after a rough stretch—five bogeys and four birdies in nine holes—so he packed it in. And if at all there was something good to cheer for like Matsuyama’s insane eagle on the par-4 third hole or Pendrith’s historic albatross—it felt overshadowed or, worse, completely mishandled. Fans have had enough, and they’re making their frustrations loud and clear.

Fans express disappointment with the PGA Tour’s latest havoc

One fan sarcastically quipped, “As someone who takes 1000’s of videos on a camera phone each year.  this phone must have been made 20 years ago.” Another chimed in with a brutal takedown of the Tour’s broader coverage: “Exactly…PGAT coverage is terrible at best. At least they have 2 hour pregame shows with Brandel Chamblee who is by far the worst commentator in all of sports. Wonder why nobody watches this shit anymore? Just air golf….” Fans can hear in the commentary that Penderith reached the hole before Tour’s crew did. Good management, we are guessing! 

It didn’t stop there. Another fan vented about the Tour’s inability to compete with other sports, saying, “People talk about golf va prime time NFL, this broadcast issue is what drives real golf fans away.” And for those keeping it short and sharp, one word summed it all up: “Atrocious.” 

Now, to be fair, the PGA Tour is trying to make improvements. They’ve rolled out a new “big data” measurement system with Nielsen to better capture viewership across streaming and TV platforms. It’s estimated that this could bump weekend coverage numbers by 20%. But seems like even Nielsen won’t help if the coverage isn’t done properly.

To make matters worse for the Tour, fans are drawing comparisons to LIV Golf. While LIV might not have the same viewer numbers as the PGA Tour, their broadcast style has been a hit. LIV shows significantly more shots per hour, cutting down on dead air and filler commentary. One fan didn’t hold back: “They are being left behind. In 5 years the LIV tour will be miles ahead of these guys.”

The frustration is palpable. Fans want better. They want the magic of golf’s biggest moments captured properly—not with shaky footage or missed opportunities. It’s a wake-up call for the PGA Tour to step up its game because moments like Pendrith’s albatross deserve to shine.