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.

Maverick wrote:

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.

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.

I havent really called McIlroy stupid on the back of that shot but I will maintain his decision to play that shot was stupid. Nothing ever good was going to come from playing a risky shot like that on his 3rd hole of 72. You say a bad call, I say stupid call. Tomato, tomato.

Anyway, lets hope he is ok for today and keeps going.

PS I knew I should have took Stricker this week! We'll see how he gets on but I've been banging on to anyone who will listen how fast these greens were meant to be this week and how the top top putters will previal.

Kwini, yes Dyson at it again! Must love being under the radar! If he keeps this up I don't know how long that will last.

Phil doesn't like it, spouted on about it reflecting everything that's wrong with modern architecture, OK for the Touring Pros, but impossible for amateurs. But then Phil hates all Rees Jones' handiwork.

Stricker approves though.

Mav

I think the course looks great, I'd love to play it. I might change my tune afterwards though.

Can anyone recall a tougher finish at a major? So many players blew up between 14 and 18 yesterday, guys that were going well... Woods, Day, Watson and Noren spring to mind immediately.

Lairdy to clear things up, I'm not saying you called rory stupid just seems to be a word i've seen banded about for his decision. I like a tomato though...

i think Phils decription that the course is impossible for Am's would be about right.

Stricker approves in deed, good to see my man (not in those terms) performing well. Lets hope he keeps it up as next week would be even better for me then

No fears your meet might be cancelled if he wins, Mav?

What's with the holes collapsing as the day goes on? Is it the type of grass they use combined with the intense heat? They were saying one of them looked like it had been damaged by a ball slamming into it at force but this wasn't the case.

Davie wrote:No fears your meet might be cancelled if he wins, Mav?

There's always that chance Davie, but I don't think Stricker is the sort of guy that would change his schedule too much as he's not one for the limelight. I can imahine his celebrations being somewhat subdued to a Darren Clarke type but who knows I just hope he wins and the meet goes ahead that'd be one very happy Mav

Fingers crossed for you mate.

Looks like they've possibly toughened up 10-14 today. No real hot starts from the 10th tee starters as there there was yesterday

If tiger wins will it be the best comeback ever?

If Tiger wins I'll show my erse in Woolie's Window

McLaren wrote:If tiger wins will it be the best comeback ever?

Actaully if the beetles reformed you'd have to say that was a better comeback.........

I do hope people realise that was a joke and not a deluded tiger fan. But on a serious not does anyone have any thoughts on something that actually affects the tigger, the cut mark?

I will go for +4, meaning tiger needs a 67 and rory at least a 74.

I'll indulge that one Mac. Based on my own thoughts if I were the PGA of America. I'd think scoring yesterday morning was a little to good for how we wanted the course setup and to play, so it'd be toughened up to prevent another 63.

Low score of the day around a 65/66 at best, cut mark based on the current T60 and ties i'd say tiger needs at least a 66 to make +3

What does Ishikawa need????

Who says you need two hands to play golf...?
Good starts by Charl, Sergio and Jason, but looks like another poor major performance from Kaymer. His win a year ago feels more and more like a distant memory...

BAAAAAAAAAANG!!!!

MustPuttBetter wrote:What does Ishikawa need????

The ability to walk on water

princedracula wrote:BAAAAAAAAAANG!!!!

SPLAAASH!!!

princedracula wrote:Who says you need two hands to play golf...?
Good starts by Charl, Sergio and Jason, but looks like another poor major performance from Kaymer. His win a year ago feels more and more like a distant memory...

It's bizarre how quickly the focus has gone off Kaymer after a bit of poor form. He won at the start of the year and did well at the Matchplay, so his bad run hasn't been going on as long as McDowell's, yet Graeme gets much more air time, here and in the States. I was astonished how little Kaymer was shown yesterday, usually they show the reigning champ loads on the first day, and they'd normally give plenty of airtime to the world No 3 too. Kaymer's both, yet we barely saw him.

Having said all that, he is clearly well below what he's capable of. There was an interview with him where he was talking about his year, explaining that he decided to change his swing because he saw it on TV and didn't like how it looked, and changed his caddie just, well, because. Looking worse decisions every week, both.

Anyway... good stuff from Hansen and Dyson, and a 59-watch on the Nationwide, Sweden's Blixt -8 thru 10.

Make that -9 thru 11...

Shaun Micheel's interview after his round yesterday will haunt him now. He was telling us that he loves the big tournaments and that's basically the reason why he doesn't do well in any regular events!! Well Shaun, turns out you don't do too well in the big tournaments either.....

[quote="NedB-H"]

princedracula wrote:I was astonished how little Kaymer was shown yesterday, usually they show the reigning champ loads on the first day, and they'd normally give plenty of airtime to the world No 3 too. Kaymer's both, yet we barely saw him.

Ned, sadly, I think the tv networks are secretly running their own 'owgr' ranks based on charisma, star-quality, and that sort of thing. And in such a league, they probably rank our current top 3 somewhere well into the bottom half....

Good effort by Edfors today as well, but pitty about Pablo's triple at the 15th... he was also going well to that point.
Blixt seems to be on a bit of a mini-roll, runner up last week...

hmmm... that quote came out odd, as if it was from my post... must've done something wrong there...

Preliminary "not up to expectations" list:
Glover, Oosty, Donaldson, Badds, Freddy Jac, GMac, Dustin, Kaymer, Zach and Y.E.

"Good show so far" list:
D.A. Points, Anders, Jhonny Vegas and Edfors

"Not bad" list:
Ricky Barnes, Immelman, Sergio and Allenby

venice1 wrote:"Good show so far" list:
D.A. Points, Anders, Jhonny Vegas and Edfors

...and Lee!!!!!

Didn't count Lee as I expect him to maybe win it. Charl was very careless those last 2 holes. Rory about where he should be. Wouldn't be surprised if either are right in the mix Sunday afternoon.

JB, Goose and Rocco W/D...
Jason not having a good Day

Quick score study for today as of now:

Under par: 16
Level par: 19 (About half with just a few holes)
Over par: 61

Maybe the cut line jumps to +5 by the end of the day.

It could well end up at +5...................great round from Westwood.......can he win though?? Very unlikely, but i hope im wrong...................

Jonas Blixt hit the Nationwide skids, -7 for a 65.
Knox, Owen and Richardson all doing well this afternoon.

Cut-line in Atlanta now +4; the +5's are now 82nd, but looks as if they'll just be disappointed, Jaspon Day, Ksaymer and Rose sitting with their fingers crossed.
I've seldom seem such a disparity in the scoring at a Major, from Stricker's sublime efforts to the really ridiculous stuff.

Currently there are 26 guys on the course from even par to +4 which is the current cut line. +5 is now at position 83T. That would mean that 13 of the 26 have to fall to at least +5 for the line to move. That does not include nine players at +6 or +7 that may move up a stroke or two. I not sure that bodes well for those who have already finished at +5. (A. Kim, Gay, Kaymer, Rose, Day and Byrd.)

Hi kwini,

You beat me to the punch. Wonder why they are still showing TW's group on both the pga.com site and also the TNT broadcast. Unbelievable.

Here comes Adam Scott.
If last week's win was the biggest of Steve Williams' career, I wonder how he would (hypothetically of course) rate this one?

Some of the PGA Tour rookie class faring well, Steele, Keegan Bradley, Woodland. Plus last week's winner Piercy in with a nice round.

Don't see much chance for the +5's.

TNT's coverage during the hour we caught yesterday was really desperate, putt, commercials, putt, commercial's, Jim Huber snafu, commercials. Terrible stuff, almost as much of an insult as Ben Dirs doing the BBC Live Text.

Looks like none of the 10 PGA Club Pros will be making it through.............
Why are they there??.................pointless...........

Always the same story at majors, it's not about getting into the lead, it's about staying there. Looks like Verplank could be two clear any minute now, who'd have thought that? Not me, I had him as my fantasy reserve

One guy in the Woods group is justifying his coverage. Unfortunately it's not the one who's getting wall to wall coverage.

Sorry, my mistake there is 20 of them................and 1 has a chance, maybe 2..............

Wow, this is car crash golf

Tiger neck and neck with Jerry Pate.

(But there are plenty of other people he'd rather be neck and neck with.)

Who woke Furyk up?

Terrible from McDowell; Casey really needs to get going.

Sign of the times; loads of guys in terrible positions as next week's Wyndham Champo at Greensboro' looms.
And they'll get their best field "in twenty years", Goosen and Els the latest to commit. Full field details shortly.

Surely Woods will play Greeensboro??

What's he going to do otherwise ??...............Johnnie Walker in Gleneagles? Dutch Open??.......................

John,
I think he has to go and play crazy golf in Myrtle Beach with his children. Erin's command.

I'm not sure it's healthy for his admittedly HUGE self-esteem to be playing competitive golf right now . . . . Will Foley survive this humiliation?

Casey, Badds and Laird all have their destiny in their hands... clubs... bag...
Let's see what they do with it to make up one lousy stroke to make the cut.

It's a stellar leaderboard and no mistake.

I hope foley is binned and that tiger has the sense to go grovelling back to butch. However much people dislike butch on sky he knows how to build a golf swing.

I really dont think anyone could take pleasure from watching this happen to tiger.

Besides this sad sideshow it seems like a good leaderboard, and lee westwood just looks better as the day goes on.

OK, Appleby, Cabrera, Casey, Els, Furyk, Glover, Goosen, Poulter, Stenson, Villegas all among those struggling for FedEx position all playing Greensboro'.
No Tiger and no Padraig.

You'd think Lee Westwood would be quite content with his first two days' work. Looks like he's got 'em just where he wants 'em.

Mac,
Feherty just came very close to suggesting exactly that, Foley in the Poopie-can anyway. No speculation on Butch. All I'd like to know is, if Woods was wiping it with Hank, what's he doing with Foley?

No Padraig Kwini? Has he made a mess of the 16th then, I thought he was in line for a weekend paycheck for once.

Foley must be living on borrowed time you'd think, the question was put to Butch yesterday but he ruled out any reunion somewhat emphatically. Not sure where else Tiger has to turn. Stack and tilt...?

Ned,
No, Padraig is doing fine this week, so far. But he needs a pretty good finish still to make the Play-Offs - just making the cut and treading water at 40th won't get it done. Would think he'd need a top 15-ish.

But CBS are saying that pros have the option of declaring for Greensboro within thirty minutes of completing their rounds today. Hadn't been aware of that, but it's a loophople for both if they want to use it.

Cheers Kwini, didn't realise he was quite so far down proceedings. Seems a little harsh making them commit today rather than Sunday, but I guess they can always put in then WD if needs be.

Don't think we'll be seeing Woods there though, come what may.

Ned,
Harrington's at 130th coming in with his current position projecting him to 122nd. Not good enough with another event to go.

Nice comeback for Eddie Molinari, Team Italia 100% for the weekend.

Luke Donald was just on TV, Number One. American's jingoism at its most egregious. It's nice that Number One and Number two can laugh about it. Sure NIKE wouldn't if the boot was on Tiger's foot.