PGA Tour: Notes from the Ballwasher: PGA Championship

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1).Great Scott! If Adam Scott is as genuine (and dryly funny) a guy as he seems with his interaction with galleries following him, then his wonderful win at Firestone couldn't have happened to a better man. Pity his sherpa violated one of the cardinal rules of caddying: Turn up, Keep up, Shut up. And let that be a lesson to CBS!

2).Is that the first important golf tournament in which FIVE of the leading eight finishers were 25 years old or less? I certainly can't think of any Tour event with such great performances by the young ones. Ryo Ishikawa has now earned enough money in PGA Tour events this year to qualify for 2012 PGA Tour Membership; signs are he'll take up his option, and good for him; I'd pretty much written him off!

3).And on that subject, sort of, Tim Rosaforte (leading American Golf Writer much infatuated with himself) reported in my just-received September Golf Digest a recent radio call-in conversation in which Rory McIlroy had said he's sticking with the European Tour:
"It's tough to play both Tours. I'd like to play a little more in the States, but it's just tough with everything else that's going on around the world." He's a fickle lad, that Rory; I think we're going to have to get used to it.

4).The other side of the coin is Dustin Johnson's suggestion that he's thinking about European Tour membership as his arithmetic tells him he just has thre more events to play to qualify. Not sure he's got that quite right, but interesting nevertheless.

5).Tiger Woods played at Firestone, finished 37th looking good with some aspects of his game (decent irons, putting not too bad compared to his recent-ish efforts) but dead last in driving accuracy and close to last in sand saves (one up and down out of six). He needs to improve both if he's to make the cut at the PGA Championship, let alone contend.
Tiger probably needs to finish inside the Top 20 to qualify for the 125-strong field for the first FedEx Play-Offs event, Ernie Els too, as they've both said they won't be playing Greensboro, the final tournament for earning points towards Play-Off eligibility. (Harrington, Casey, Cabrera, Oosthuizen and others also currently outside the top 125.)

6).Fair to say, I think, that Adam Scott is now clearly the leading Australian despite Jason Day's promise. And watching Steve Elkington playing at Reno makes one think of the other Aussies. The post-Elk generation of Allenby, Appleby, Green, Hensby, O'Hern, Pampling, Senden seems to have peaked and it wouldn't be surprising if none won again on Tour.
Adam Scott and Aaron Baddeley are both having fine seasons, Jason Day seems to contend in every big tournament and Geoff Ogilvy continues to be an uber-talented wildcard. Goggin will be back on Tour next year (as in all likelihood Nathan Green is relegated to the Nationwide), Leishman plugs along but Michael Sim has disappeared. And what of any young Aussies coming up behind Jason Day? Not seen nuffink yet, guv.

7).On to Hotlanta, and the second leg of the Georgia Majors, another Bobby Jones inspired venue, Atlanta Athletic Club's Highland Course. The original design was nine holes by Robert Trent Jones and nine by Joe Finger. Then Rees Jones was called in to upgrade it. And then Rees Jones was called in to upgrade it again. "Longer is better" is the Jones mantra, so we have a par 70, 7,467 yard course with a 260 yard par three and two 500+ yard par 4's. That includes the 507 yard 18th, scene of one of the more famous lay-ups in PGA Championship history when David Toms laid up from the rough and got up and down from 120 yards to beat Phil in 2001.

8).It's going to be hot and probably steamy in Atlanta with temps around 90F and a good chance of thundershowers during the week. Bermuda greens were introduced by Jones and they're expected to be receptive to shots from the fairway, but certainly not the rough (we'll see about that). And they're advertised as fast, but not especially grainy which will be good news to those from Europe.

9).One would think guys from the south-east will prosper here, Kuchar, 2xJohnsons, Love, Simpson, Snedeker, Toms, Cink, Bubba, Haas, Glover, HowellIII etc, but it looks wide open to me. Home-course advantage will not help 1981 Champion Larry Nelson or, indeed, 1976 US Open Champion, Jerry Pate.

10).And while all this is going on, our Nationwide friends will be in Missouri, Russell Knox easing closer by the week to a 2012 Tour card.

10A).In the interests of a well-balanced sporting life, I shall be hoping to watch Andy Murray on Thursday at the Montreal Masters so will be awol for a couple of days.

10B).What's that? Murray beaten already?? He must have thought tennis was like WGC Golf where the likes of Stuart Appleby can sleepwalk to $35K just for coming last. Regardless, I'm sure Plan B will be enjoyable.

Wow, great knowledge ralph.

I missed his round so does anyone know what went wrong for him, was he ever on the fairway?

Didn't know the exact numbers without a quick check but remembered woods had a 'mare there so thought it likely that someone had beaten him comfortably on 1 of the rounds!

Missed a lot of fairways mac, he seemed to lose the plot after putting it in the water at the 15th (his 6th). Also didn't hole many putts from what I saw.

Maybe Jay Townsend was right... Struggling to say anything other than that was absolute stupidity.

Lairdy wrote:Maybe Jay Townsend was right... Struggling to say anything other than that was absolute stupidity.

Yep, he will ruin my fantasy golf scores if he pulls out too.

What are the broadcasters relating about Rory's wrist? Not allowed to put on audio at work but can see he's cringing on every swing.

The commentators feel he should retire from this event, he is young and has plenty more ahead of him. They are pointing to the problems Luke Donald and Scott Verplank have gone through with wrist injuries as good reasons not to leave it to chance.

Thanks for the update, RR. I can see someone examining his wrist right now. Hopefully nothing serious.

Hard to say, looks like just a stinger. The physio seems ok with letting him continue, he was comfortable in lots of ranges of movement.

I think the commentators were over egging it a little. It was twinge, nothing more.

Rory should retire - stupid to carry on and he must also be affecting his playing partners. If I understand rightly what the PGA official was just saying, he can't take any more time and slow the others down.

If he thinks he can play another 60-odd holes with that sort of problem he is more stupid than I thought

wow! I want one of those wrist injuries... what a putt!

... and another brilliant tee shot! what's going on...?

Back to back birdies for Rors. Not to shabby.

Someone should tell Mark Roe the difference between left and right

As Rory is walking up the fairway nursing his right wrist, he tells us it's his left!

I find it easier to listen to Mark Roe when the TV is on mute.

Davie wrote:Rory should retire - stupid to carry on and he must also be affecting his playing partners. If I understand rightly what the PGA official was just saying, he can't take any more time and slow the others down.

If he thinks he can play another 60-odd holes with that sort of problem he is more stupid than I thought

We have all questioned rory but this is taking it too far. There is no need to rip him for every decision he makes. He will know his own body and seems to be doing ok. We all want rory to do well so maybe you should tone it down before you disrupt the board.

2010 Quail Hollow tournie

2nd round

JP Hayes 64
T Woods 79

McLaren wrote:We all want rory to do well so maybe you should tone it down before you disrupt the board.

Grow up

ryan86 wrote:2010 Quail Hollow tournie

2nd round

JP Hayes 64
T Woods 79

Wow, amazing. You guys are good.

Probably a bit quick to question his decision to play on. The initial decision to play that shot however... I was speechless. I just don't know what he thought he was going to do!?! Only third hole into a major as well. Nothing good was going to happen.

Pretty bizarre scenes there with Charl and Darren playing their second shots from the right fairway but with virtually no one wtching them, as everyone else moved to the adjacent golf course to watch Rory hiting his shot from the wrong fairway... And he gets his par!

It seems the americans have finally gotten sick of missing out at the majors. They are swamping the top of the leaderboard.

There are some euro notables so far with matteo and the recently rejuvinated dyson going ok. I wonder what dyson is doing differently this summer, whatever it is its working.

Is anyone else getting sick of the McIlroy circus?

Davie wrote:Is anyone else getting sick of the McIlroy circus?

Not really, given Tigers plight golf badly needs a superstar. We just need to look at the LPGA tour to see what happens when a sport loses its blockbuster players.

I am also glad to see him fight on despite is injury and grind out a good score.

The 'circus' continues with the Amazing Rory and the Disappearing Ball Trick: A Fine Display of Smoke and Mirrors.

I'll be honest I think good on Rory for trying to play on. He's still playing some great shots which is ridiculous as he does seem in some pain.

If he called it a day those criticising now would be the same saying 'unfair on his fans etc'

Top effort

Exotic sort of hole for Kuchar, I know there's meant to be double bogeys all over this course but not normally like this...


I'd be getting bored of McIlroy's exploits if he was struggling, but he's right up there, playing even more excitingly than normal thanks to having a series of great escapes. Great viewing at the moment really.

Funny but he seems intent on testing the wrist by visiting the sand every other hole. Like MPB said, "Top effort" with that last shot.

McLaren wrote:

Davie wrote:Is anyone else getting sick of the McIlroy circus?

Not really, given Tigers plight golf badly needs a superstar. We just need to look at the LPGA tour to see what happens when a sport loses its blockbuster players.

I am also glad to see him fight on despite is injury and grind out a good score.

The women's game wouldn't be much more popular even if it did have superstars. It wasn't much more popular in the days of Ocheo and Sorenstam. They just garnished the game with a thin veneer of interest. A sprig of parsely on a dog turd if you will.
I see merit in the women's game in terms of technical ability, but most people just aren't interested, in the same way that other female sports aren't followed by the sports watching public.

I don't think the mens game needs a superstar either. The Woods lickspittles and advertising/TV executives would no doubt like to see Woods return, but there's an increasing percentage which are sick of the sight of him ruining the coverage of virtually every tournament he is in. Fortunately it looks like he won't be there for the weekend so we might be spared the ghastly sycophantic fawning and gushing of embarassing grown men who should know better.
The nonsense surrounding McIlroy is becoming increasingly intolerable. Let's hope they get a sense of realism and let him get on with it before putting him on the same level of deity as the unlikeable and dreary Woods.

The womens game does still have a superstar she's 22 years old won 5 majors already Yani Tseng. It just so happens she doesn't look like anna kournikova so doesn't get any press and the ladies game is not and never has been as popular nor will it be. Whether thats right or wrong is another storey it's just the way it seems to be much like Womans football doesn't matter how good they are they don't get the support or following.

As for golf needing a superstar WHY? Golf is far more exciting now with the top 10 OGWR having changes everyweek, we have had a fantastic amount of playoffs this year to give excitement. We have more tournaments being won by a variety of different players with more personality. Golf is far more interesting knowing it's no longer a procession of the same old faces day in day out. Long may it continue.

Nice to see the top of the leaderboard looking the way it does this week, seems the americans are trying to show they still have the hunger for the big ones and few guys in there 40's at the tope showing the young guns what fairways and greens do over power. Stricker fabulous play and i'd love to see him go wire to wire, lot of golf to go yet. Jerry Kelly nice to see him up there to after some good play and putting.

No suprises seeing a lot of water balls at 15. You do have to wonder what the point is in a 260yard par 3 where pro's are hitting hynrid just to hit ata front flag and the tees not right back yet!

Sheesh what was Rory thinking off in taking that shot on !!! Mr Townsend must have been apoplectic

Heard this morning that Ryo Ishikawa was feeling unwell on the wednesday and made a late decision to play anyway. I'm glad there is something behind that horror round because I'd hate to think after last weeks good showing, when he finally showed his promise, he'd somehow let nerves get the better of him this week.

Tremendous round by Rory considering.... considering he's a very lucky boy!

SR

Golf does not need a superstar but we have to remember its current standing in world sport is due to tiger. So yes we could have a healthy game without a true world superstar but it always helps to have a player who fans love and the media loves to talk about. I do not just mean the sporting media.

Mavs example of Tseng is a case in point, great player but just not capturing enough interest to elevate the status of her sport. It is not like sponsors are queuing up to fund events right now so any further media coverage can only be a good thing. Again the LPGA tour shows just how quickly fortunes can change.





I have been critical of some of McIlroys comments but have no issue with his decision to play that shot yesterday. He made a par and only suffered a slight twinge in his wrist. He is young and flexible and I bet he couldn’t even feel it after the second bottle of bear he had with dinner.

McLaren wrote:
I have been critical of some of McIlroys comments but have no issue with his decision to play that shot yesterday. He made a par and only suffered a slight twinge in his wrist. He is young and flexible and I bet he couldn’t even feel it after the second bottle of bear he had with dinner.

Really? He could have chipped it out sideways and still made the same score without the hassle of a broken club and the risk of injury. And the risk of his ball flying pretty much anywhere, which it did. Even if you take the risk of injury etc. out it was still a risky shot that could easily have led to a bogey or worse. Unbelievable decision making IMO. BUT from there on credit to him.

Thought it was a bogey !

Lairdy wrote:

McLaren wrote:
I have been critical of some of McIlroys comments but have no issue with his decision to play that shot yesterday. He made a par and only suffered a slight twinge in his wrist. He is young and flexible and I bet he couldn’t even feel it after the second bottle of bear he had with dinner.

Really? He could have chipped it out sideways and still made the same score without the hassle of a broken club and the risk of injury. And the risk of his ball flying pretty much anywhere, which it did. Even if you take the risk of injury etc. out it was still a risky shot that could easily have led to a bogey or worse. Unbelievable decision making IMO. BUT from there on credit to him.

Have to say i'm with Mac on this one, I cannot see the need to be critical or Rory over playing the shot he did. It was his decision to make and his alone, Winners take risks and he felt it a risk worth taking. He said himself he thought the root would not impact on his swing the way it did so felt it was worth the risk. He still had a decent first round and is in the pack after round 1 so it did not really damage his chances. Afterall you can't win an event in round 1 but you can play yourself out of contention, and fro his position he is clearly in contention.

Look at it another way, Tiger wins US Open with a bad knee, everyone says how brave and what a performance to do so... If Tiger hadn't won that would people criticise his decision to even compete that week highly likely. Spin that round, If Rory goes onto win or finish top 3 think of the plaudits he will get for doing so with a wrist injury...

At end of the day Rory thought he could pull the shot off, it didn't work just makes him human doesn't make him stupid or wreckless just a bad call at the time which based on his score at the moment has not hurt his chances.

Maverick wrote:If Rory goes onto win or finish top 3 think of the plaudits he will get for doing so with a wrist injury...

If Rory goes on to win I dread to think of the media overload that will ensue. It will make any fawning over Tiger fade into insignificance

Thats the problem Davie we are not going to hear the end of it now. If he goes onto win it'll be tissue time for the media to mop up the mess they make. Or if he goes T5 it'll be how wonderful to overcome adversity. the other side of the coin if he pulls out they'll say how the eventual winner has pulled out and how the tournament is worse off without him.

they need to get over it, he made a decision didn't hurt himself that bad afterall he played on to a decent score didn't he, and focus on the wonderful golf played by some of the games what would be classed as older guys now they are in their 40's e.g Stricker, Kelly and Micheel

Davie you really seem to have some issues with McIlroy. Remember he just plays golf and its the media that creates the circus. Yes he has made some stupid comments lacking in much thought but that is hardly a reason to dislike the guy as much as you do. He may even be a bit of a plank but we watch him play golf and do not have to sit down and have an intimate conversation with the guy.

Mac - you seem to be reading things into my posts that aren't there. I have no issues with McIlroy - I have issues with the media portrayal of him.

If you were a true fan, like I am with tiger, then you would lap up the extra McIlroy attention.

Everyweek at an event there will be bigger stories that the coverage will tend to focus on. It just so happens the potential rise to greatness of McIlroy is currently the biggest story in golf. Do you really think they should only show the players based on their position on the leaderboard?

At any point someone can fall down the leaderboard, the likes of Tiger and Mclroy remain interesting in terms of golf no matter what.

I never said I was a "true fan" either (I'm a little old for the sort of fanboy adulation you seem so fond of)

And yes, I think the (majority of) coverage should be given based on a player's position on the leaderboard

McLaren wrote:If you were a true fan, like I am with tiger, then you would lap up the extra McIlroy attention.

Everyweek at an event there will be bigger stories that the coverage will tend to focus on. It just so happens the potential rise to greatness of McIlroy is currently the biggest story in golf. Do you really think they should only show the players based on their position on the leaderboard?

At any point someone can fall down the leaderboard, the likes of Tiger and Mclroy remain interesting in terms of golf no matter what.

Tiger is of no interest to most now he is just falling down the rankings. As for being a true fan doesn't mean he has to be fawned over his every move. Personally speaking can't stand McIlroy, but I will defend his decision to play that shot.

Mav,

I don't agree with you at all. Of course "most" want to see Tiger Woods whether he is -7 or +7. He has 14 major championships and is one of the greatest ever. Assuming the coverage will concentrate on the leaders primarally on Sat and Sun, but Thursday & Friday coverage is completely different.............

"Can't stand McIlroy"......that's a bit harsh. Why??

John Cregan wrote:Mav,

I don't agree with you at all. Of course "most" want to see Tiger Woods whether he is -7 or +7. He has 14 major championships and is one of the greatest ever. Assuming the coverage will concentrate on the leaders primarally on Sat and Sun, but Thursday & Friday coverage is completely different.............

"Can't stand McIlroy"......that's a bit harsh. Why??

Most people I know don't want to watch Tiger, they want to see the leaders making birdies, not some car crash attempts to hit fairways. Surely it's far more entertaining watching say stricker or kelly shoot 63/65 respectively than it is to see someone play so poorly. However that is just my opinion, everyone has their favourites and will want to watch them regardless of how they play.

Why is the fact i cannot stand rory harsh, it's my opinion... As for why, that'd be his attitude and the way he behaves. i could go into greater detail of those reasons but thats for another thread on another day.

Great course I really love it....Exceptional round from Stricker and Kudos to Mcilroy battling to that score.

To see Tigers attempts to play well again and to listen to him increasingly bizzare reasoning as to why it isin't happening is fascinating for me..........

Monty is at it again, constantly outlining his displeasure that there arent more Europeans near the top of the leader board. Monty HAS to turn every major into a Ryder Cup!!

Monty needs to learn it's a four day tournament, but it's good to see the GB&I man who's finished top 12 in his last two Majors is back at it.

Which is more than can be said of the mercurial JB Holmes who's the first Round 2 casualty.

Do people like the course?

I thought it looked a little like a regular tour stop, maybe something like a toughened bay hill. It is a step in course set up terms over some of the recent majors.