PGA Tour: Greensboro: Notes from the Ballwasher

First topic message reminder :

1).Congratulations to the seventh straight non-American to win a Major Championship: Keegan Bradley.
His nationality may read USA in the record books, but close observers of the species are well aware that Vermont has so little in common with most of the other 49 States that it might just as well be a whole other country.
The only State without a McDonalds in its Capital City for instance, and not one in its biggest city either. The first State to declare for Obama in 2008 and the only State to elect a self-styled "Socialist" US Senator, a bombastic bastion of common sense. Where maple syrup is the State crop, same-sex marriage legalised, and well on track to the closest thing to universal health care you're likely to find in this country. Not surprisingly the only State not visited by a US President this century!

2).Vermonters by and large don't do golf and it is a sad irony that the last Vermont pro to make it to the PGA Tour, Jeff Julian, was diagnosed almost immediately with ALS and died way too early. But LPGA Hall Of Famer Patty Sheehan grew up here, a ski-racer just like Keegs.

3).I followed Bradley for most of 36 holes earlier this year and he seems a very grounded young man. Auntie Pat Bradley (LPGA Hall Of Famer) told him the Byron Nelson win would change his life, "but don't let it change you", and there's no reason to expect that it will. A lot like Martin Laird, Bradley hits it far and high, sometimes has a shaky short game, but is a much improved putter. And they both take their time, sometimes too slow!

4).Keegan Bradley will join Clan Chubby at the PGA Grand Slam of Golf, in Bermuda this October. $600K will go to Charl, Rory, Darren or Keegan with every participant guaranteed at least $200K. 50% of the field wearing Oakley shirts.

5).Part 2 of this year's Bobby Jones trifecta (the Tour Championship will take place next month at East Lake, just down the road) offered up a thrilling finish despite all the opinions (many of them critical) about the course design. When bombers like Bradley and Scott can co-exist at the top of the same leaderboard as Verplank and Toms, you know the course has something which suits everyone.

6).Charl Schwartzel led the eleven pros who made the cut in all this year's Majors with a total of 1,118 strokes, ten ahead of Garcia and Stricker tied in second place. McIlroy, Yang, Ryan Palmer, Mickelson, Woodland, Bill Haas, Bubba Watson and Eddie Molinari were the others. That's indicative of the quality of Schwartzel's play this year and Sergio's resurgence among other things.

7).This week sees the Tour players drive a couple of hundred miles east to steamy Greensboro, North Carolina, and the Wyndham Championship, the last qualifying tournament for entry into the lucrative FedEx Play-Off season. Ernie Els and Padraig Harrington are two distinguished participants who certainly hadn't planned on spending this week in "Carolina", but they are outside the 125 qualifiers, Casey and Cabrera too. So is Louis Oosthuizen but he won't be here and his PGA Tour season will be on hiatus for six weeks, perhaps longer if he doesn't play the Fall Series. This has been a forgettable debut season for King Louis and he's two tournaments short of the required minimum of 15. That'll likely cost him PGA Tour membership unless he plays at least twice later this "fall". (Casey is in even worse shape as has been documented several times before.)

8).After Atlanta Athletic Club's hybrid course, redone as it was two or three times and looking like it, Greensboro's Sedgefield CC is a Donald Ross original, brought up to date four years ago, a par 70 playing now to 7,100 yards. Birdies will be flying however, and last year's tournament was won by Arjun Atwal at twenty under par. As well as Casey and Harrington, Europe is represented by Poulter, Carl Pettersson (a recent winner here and local resident), Richard Johnson and Stenson.

9).Yet another Senior "Major" awaits the Champions Tour players, the "Constellation Energy Senior Players Championship", held this year at the old PGA Tour site at Westchester CC in the greater New York area. Bernhard Langer is the only European in the field and, just as with the US Senior Open, the title of "Major" for this otherwise excellent Champions Tour event is a nonsense.

10).The Nationwide Tour is in Kansas with the usual quartet of Britons led by Russell Knox who has just about sewn up his Card for the 2012 PGA Tour. Make hay while you can, Nationwiders, as your fields (and hopefully one or two in Europe) will shortly be infiltrated by PGA Tour players not qualified for the FedEx package.

Blimey, could have done without the "lord and saviour" bit.

Fine win though and a force on the PGA Tour for many years to come.

Redrage wrote:FFS not another North American Bible Basher? I have been cheering him on all night too. Oh well, thanks for getting one over the bookies for me, Mr. Simpson or should I thank your lord and saviour J.C?

Don't thank me it was nothing!!

I really despise that "in your face" religious stuff................................

John Cregan wrote:

Redrage wrote:FFS not another North American Bible Basher? I have been cheering him on all night too. Oh well, thanks for getting one over the bookies for me, Mr. Simpson or should I thank your lord and saviour J.C?

Don't thank me it was nothing!!

I really despise that "in your face" religious stuff................................

I've no time for it either but despise is a bit strong haha. I just can't relate to it at all and find it quite cliched to be honest. I also find it a bit arrogant of him to say he could feel his presence all around, how important does he think he is? You are just a golfer, was it him that moved your ball in New Orleans?

Wow. The guy finishes off a golf tournament in fine form, and you guys cringe at his stated religious convictions. They shove the microphone in his face, he'll express what he wants. Can't imagine why it would bother anyone?

Tommy Gainey is one interesting golfer to watch. I'm guessing he'll need shoulder surgery at some point. Digs more than many undertakers.

So, the "long" putter strikes again. I suspect more than a few blue suited men are getting ready to float some new rules.

Sr,
Come on, it's nauseating. If everyone kept their religious dogma to themselves the world would surely be a more peaceful place. And religion wouldn't be used as a political shovel with which to beat opponents over the head.

Let's just be proud of our values and let our god stay out of it. Paraphrasing the great 9 1/2 finger Dave Allen there.

The only bible in my house is Dave Peltz, seems like I went for the wrong one.

Hi D4S,

Turned the channel just after he won so I missed his post-round interview and after reading your reply, thankfully so. But I can't say I'm surprised because probably a certain percentage of the PGA Tour members fall under the same umbrella. Still, can never understand why athletes or anyone else insists on responding in such a manner. Let's hear about them espousing the Lord's presence when there is death and destruction in their lives and it would be a little easier to stomach. i.e. "Thank the Lord the tornado came through town and my entire family was wiped off the face of the earth and my property which was not insured for such coverage is completely decimated. Hallelujah."

Normally I wouldn't much mind about the religious stuff... I still quite like Zacher, for one. But the "thank the Lords" don't sit quite right when I come home 6-7 pints to the good.... oh well. Well done Mr Simpson. Shame Pettersson couldn't find anything today, bit of a summary of his season really. And thinking Casey will need not just to show up at the Fall Season, but to feature on the leaderboards too, shocker from him today.

Nice T2 for Blixt on the Nationwide though, any idea how close that moves him to the 25 Kwini? And surely Knox must be a cert now...?

Ned,
Blixt up to 11th, Russell Knox stays at 6th and is a dead cert for a 2012 Tour card. Big thing now is to maintain or improve his "standing". Christian hangs on in 25th place, Owen made such a horlicks of his last hole he's down to 43rd. What a mess!

Kwin - Not my cup of tea to be sure, but I suppose I'm pretty immune to it by now. Full disclosure: Webb's primary sponsor is also a client of mine and I was in an outing with him 1 week before Congressional. Nice kid, who played some very fine golf this weekend -- so perhaps I'm not entirely objective about things.

Shotrock wrote:

Kwin - Not my cup of tea to be sure, but I suppose I'm pretty immune to it by now. Full disclosure: Webb's primary sponsor is also a client of mine and I was in an outing with him 1 week before Congressional. Nice kid, who played some very fine golf this weekend -- so perhaps I'm not entirely objective about things.

They usually are to be fair, Zach, Ben Crane, Badds, etc couldn't come across any nicer and are big time holy rollers. Simpson conducts himself really well too, I have followed him with interest all season and really pleased he won yesterday. He is going to be a very good player for years to come.

Again for me the religious stuff is not my cup of tee but I see no difference in thanking the lord or the other drivel spouted in post win interviews. All this thanking the family and fawning over coaches, equal folly to the religious guff. Even worse would be to thank the so called psychologists players seem so keen on these days.

Really when was the last time your family had anything to do with your golf, unless you played with them? Whether making the clichéd speech or thanking the lord all post win interviews follow some sort of convention of unoriginal thought.

If it were not for the sponsors, can we blame you shotrock? , would there even be a need for these cringe worthy affairs?

Or are the sponsors looking from behind the sofa when someone plastered in their logo is given an open mike to a live, and rather large, TV audience.

From Donald Ross to Donald Ross for The Barclays.

I love the Ross quote on the club's web page:
"Plainfield Country Club, with gently flowing hills, where golf holes can roll across the landscape."

It looks a beauty:
http://www.plainfieldcc.com

Is it the second best New Jersey course, only pipped by Pine Valley?

The Hanse makover looks great.

Anyone played it?

Kwini, I'm afraid I never had a wager on him which is just typical. However, pleased he finally bagged one and well deserved but hate that long putter, I wish he'd have won with a normal putter. Think now he'll really motor up the rankings and be competitive on a regular basis.

To bad Noel, but Webbo exhibited all his customary under-pressure foibles until Gainey and others started folding, then it was as if the last seven or eight holes were some kind of cathartic experience, played flawlessly down the final couple of miles! Another couple of good results and he'll be very close to the owgr top twenty and he's in good shape for a huge Play-off bonus.

Always good to see a young guy one has followed finally win; was pleased to see Chris Kirk win a month or two ago, Kyle Stanley and Spencer Levin are two others who will hopefully win sometime soon.

Shot

I agree that Simpson played really well and seems a nice enough guy but the whole 'praise the lord' thing is a bit OTT. I know there are a lot of tour players that come from bible belt areas but those same areas have as much crime, muggings, stabbings etc etc as any other part of the States. How many people walk away from someone in distress then profess their faith to the rest of world at the next opportunity? I'm not saying that PGA golfers are responsible for the crimes ( ) but the whole thing just seems a bit hypocritical to me.

As someone stated earlier in the thread, by all means have your views and religion but don't try to ram it down everyone else's throats.

Apologies, not a thread hijack attempt but just wanted to get it off my chest

Mac - Our club used to have a home v home with Plainfield and it's a great course. Really a gem. I'm in agreement with you about it being the second best course in the Garden State. Others will shout Baltusrol, but not in my book.

Anytime your golfer makes it to the winner's circle, the sponsor's a happy camper -- virtually regardless of what he/she says.

This doesn't sound very good.
golfchannel.com is reporting that JB Holmes is scheduled to undergo "non-invasive", "non-life threatening" brain surgery next week at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore.
Apparently he has been suffering from a condition (Chiari Malformation) which causes dizziness, numbness, vision problems, headaches and problems with balance and coordination.

Not unlike me as I embark on a third bottle of plonk.

Apparently he should recover quickly enough to start hitting balls in a month and pgatour.com still has him in the field for The Barclays, but he hasn't finished higher than 47th in a tournament since The Players and w/d'd from the PGA after a first round 80.

Holmes now withdrawn, it only makes sense!
123 runners for The Barclays . . . . . . .

Kwini

According to wiki he faces anything from cognitive impairment to paralysis, not good.

Let's hope everything turns out OK; and we can then joke that the procedure might speed up his play.

Redrage wrote:

John Cregan wrote:

Redrage wrote:FFS not another North American Bible Basher? I have been cheering him on all night too. Oh well, thanks for getting one over the bookies for me, Mr. Simpson or should I thank your lord and saviour J.C?

Don't thank me it was nothing!!

I really despise that "in your face" religious stuff................................

I've no time for it either but despise is a bit strong haha. I just can't relate to it at all and find it quite cliched to be honest. I also find it a bit arrogant of him to say he could feel his presence all around, how important does he think he is? You are just a golfer, was it him that moved your ball in New Orleans?

Funny how their precious "God" is nowhere to be seen when they are missing cuts and finishing dead last. I'd be happy to see suspensions for anyone who mentioned religion in winning speeches. There is no place for it in sport (personally I don't think there's a place for it anywhere and is merely a crutch for the weak willed and suggestible, but that's another argument for another day, please don't PM me Mac about that.)

super_realist wrote:

Redrage wrote:

John Cregan wrote:

Redrage wrote:FFS not another North American Bible Basher? I have been cheering him on all night too. Oh well, thanks for getting one over the bookies for me, Mr. Simpson or should I thank your lord and saviour J.C?

Don't thank me it was nothing!!

I really despise that "in your face" religious stuff................................

I've no time for it either but despise is a bit strong haha. I just can't relate to it at all and find it quite cliched to be honest. I also find it a bit arrogant of him to say he could feel his presence all around, how important does he think he is? You are just a golfer, was it him that moved your ball in New Orleans?

Funny how their precious "God" is nowhere to be seen when they are missing cuts and finishing dead last. I'd be happy to see suspensions for anyone who mentioned religion in winning speeches. There is no place for it in sport (personally I don't think there's a place for it anywhere and is merely a crutch for the weak willed and suggestible, but that's another argument for another day, please don't PM me Mac about that.)

What annoys me is the way it's simultaneously hugely arrogant and stupidly self effacing. On the one hand, they presume that their god has selected them to win above all others, and on the other, it's as though all the hours of practice and hard work they've inevitably put in were irrelevant and 'he' would have let them win regardless.

Exactly, to be so naive, gullible and ensconsed in the crutch that is religion probably means there is something deeply wrong with you. They're delighted to ram it down your throat so to speak, but dare to criticise it and they'll not be happy. Hypocritical oxygen thieves.

Well, let's hope their god has a few favours to spare for JB Holmes and wish him a speedy (sic) return.

Mac,
Phil Jones reminds me of the old black and white newsreels, and Arthur Hopcraft's descriptions, of Duncan Edwards. A mate of mine kept goal against him (Duncan) once in a Youth Cup game - says he's never seen anything like him before or since. Wonder what he thinks of Jones.

Kwini

As far as I can tell Phil Jones may have ended Ferdinand's career as he knew it. He cannot limp around the pitch for however long he happens to last with someone like Jones ready to step in and play so well.

It was a great game to watch tonight as all the players seemed so keen to prove they deserve a spot in the team. Even Anderson has awoken from his slumber. When someone comes in like Young has done all the players need to show they can match that energy.

PS

That may be one of the coolest stories ever that your mate played against Duncan Edwards. What level did your mate make it to in the game?

He played in a very good WBA Youth Cup team then went in the army where he played against Dave MacKay!
Then injured and played a lot of West Midlands non-league for Tamworth etc.

My closest claim to footballing fame is having played against a current Cowdenbeath player growing up.

Simpson eh? Good to see him get over the line this time. Didnt see much of the coverage, perhaps subconciously saving my tv tokens for the play offs....

Of those who took until last week to secure their place I would love Villegas to keep climbing the rankings and reach the TC.

Bit disappointed O'Hara didnt hang around the top of the leaderboard. I assume his putting let him down? Gagli getting the better of his practice buddy Del Moral, again.

Man U were quality last night. So refreshing to see youngsters coming in and stepping up to the plate. Been crying out for my Rangers team to do the same, which they did at the weekend and had their best result of the season so far. Far too much £ spent on journeymen foreign players to make up squads when I'm sure there are youth players at all levels of clubs who can do the same job, if not better, and cheaper.

Finally, the whole thanking the lord thing. Im not really religious and I find it cringeworthy when such players thank the lord but careful on accusing such players of arrogance and naivety. People choose religion(s) on how they morally wish to lead their lives. Not in the hope that they will be individually selected for greatness in return for their beliefs. They thank what they have learned and how it helped them achieve their goal. By all means make fun of people but to trying to justify it by accusing them of arrogance and naivety is a little hypocritical. If said in jest then fair enough.