PGA Tour: BMW Championship: Notes from the Ballwasher

First topic message reminder :

1).No golf last weekend to review so let's all jump in to our courtesy Beemers and drive to Cog Hill #4, "Dubsdread", in Chicago for the 2011 BMW Championship, Round 3 of the FedEx Cup Play Offs. Cog Hill is a Dick Wilson / Joe Finger design, built in 1964, but re-done (some say vandalised) a couple of years ago by Rees Jones in a way that would make Dick Wilson drink himself to death. What, he's already done that once? OK, but let's see what one-time Cog Hill winner (at the old, and much mourned Western Open) Steve Stricker has to say:

2).Stricker is quoted in last week's GolfWorld as follows: "The players just don't like it. They liked it before to some extent, (but) the re-do is just not good, sorry to say . . . I can't imagine a 10-, 12-, 14-handicapper trying to play that place." Certainly rules me out in that case. On top of all that, last summer's weather left Cog Hill in pretty bad shape for the BMW, so much so that the PGA Tour has still to commit to return.

3).Next year's BMW will be played at Crooked Stick, site of John Daly's PGA Championship, and will go in 2014 to Denver's Cherry Hills. Normally the 2013 event would return to Cog Hill or St.Louis's Bellerive (where Villegas won the 2008 edition) but no venue has yet been confirmed.

4).While on the subject of course conditioning, several classic courses are suffering from extreme conditions, Winged Foot, Oakmont among them. Most significant in the short term, Medinah, site of next year's Ryder Cup, had 11 greens rebuilt and regrassed two years ago. This year they are reported to be "severely stressed" and approach areas and fairways are also suffering or dead. Of course, Medinah claim it will be "alright on the night" but Ryder Cup followers and players should beware. Watch this space.

5).Ryder Cup "World points" will be on offer this week with Luke Donald leading the chase after Messrs Bjorn and Dyson have leapt to the top of the European Points list. Very early days but the US Points list is led by the following:
Keegan Bradley, Dufner, Mickelson, Dustin Johnson, Stricker, Palmer, Toms, Van Pelt.

6).Fred Couples' and Greg Norman's Presidents Cup Teams' top ten automatic qualifiers will be determined this week.
Most of the usual suspects are already in, but the US Team has Mahan, Furyk and Toms grouped closely together in 8th, 9th, and 10th place, with Snedeker and Bill Haas breathing down their necks. A dozen others could scrape in but would have to finish in the first two or three places this week. Players who Ryder Cupped at Celtic Manor who would need a Captain's Choice as things currently stand are: Cink, Fowler, Zach Johnson, Overton and, oh yes, Woods who holds 29th position but has been guaranteed a pick by Fred.

Greg Norman has nine almost dead certs, but Melbourne boys Ogilvy, Baddeley and Allenby, plus Vijay and Roary Sabbatini will be battling for one automatic place in Chicago. If they all stink up the Cog Hill joint, Oosthuizen could fill the last place but I'm betting one of the above actually comes to play this week. Captain's picks will be made in two weeks' time.

7).That Tiger Woods fellow will be playing in California, at the Fry's.com in early October, either as a sop to Freddie, or because "I always enjoy competing in my home state, and this tournament fits my schedule perfectly". In other words, Elin has the kids for the week, and when the Tour is in Palm Springs, Pebble Beach and Los Angeles I'm off making the big bucks elsewhere.

8).Back to the Beemer. Seventy players tee it up on Thursday morning, thirty progress to the Tour Championship in Atlanta. According to pgatour.com, 21 players already are assured of an East Lake tee time. Among those still on the hook are last year's winner Furyk, PGA Tour great hope for the future Rickie Fowler, Baddeley, Schwartzel, Villegas, Els and seven Europeans hoping to join Chicago resident St.Luke. These, with the projected necessary finishes for qualification, are:
Jacobson; 62nd
Laird: 14th
Rose: 12th
Davis: 12th
Karlsson: 7th
Pettersson: 4th
Garcia: 4th.

9).Before the cynics say it's just money they're playing for, the benefits for reaching the Tour Championship may include, depending upon entry criteria, admission to WGC Cadillac, and some Majors, not to mention all the PGA Tour "Invitationals".

10).Meanwhile, the Champions Tour is back in business just where you'd expect, Korea, and the Nationwide resumes in Boise, Idaho, popular hiding place for "white surpremacists". Gary Christian and Russell Knox will be looking to consolidate their money list position as they prepare for the PGA Tour, while Greg Owen is also playing, but he's in "reverse" as his compatriots move to "fast forward". Ooh, and John Daly's there too.

Smithers! How could you!!

Jimmy Young set music back about fifty years!

As for the Tour Championship, we were tossing around the idea last night of continuing the elimination, knock out five golfers Thursday, five more on Friday, ten on Saturday and have the ten still standing fight it out on Sunday. Even better, have some Match Play but they'd never go for that.

Great win by Justin Rose. Seemed to be driving it home with one headlight there for a while, but what a chip in on 17.

It's a compromise to be sure -- but I think it's a good way to reward players who had a great year, and a crummy final weekend. The fact that it's being discussed here is positive. This was, IMO, dead time in a non Ryder Cup year. Good job by the PGA and Fed Ex.

S_R - What other sport of "yours" has America ruined? No one is forcing anyone to watch or compete. Free Country - curling season starts soon so I can watch that on the Canadian feed. We haven't touched Quoits yet, btw.

'Morning Shotrock,
Not the biggest Foley / Rose fan but just read the GolfWorld piece about Foley's little boy, and both just went up in my estimation.
Plus: Did you see the pics of En-Joie after the "Lee" floods? Looks like the Susquehanna is the primary water hazard - course closed for the year.

I don't think America ruins any sports, but the relentless drumbeat for a "Super Bowl"-type event to celebrate a one-off climax (involving those who get hot/lucky at the right/opportune time) rather than honour season-long achievement is anathema to most sports fans around the World.

The PGA Tour is lucky that its four FedEx Cup winners so far have been arguably the best player of the year; strong risk of that not happening this year but maybe the Tour Champo will define the best player? We'll soon know, but Kuchar could hit the jackpot this week on a course he must have played dozens of times after stumbling down the stretch of every event he's contended in.

Still don't see the point of MLB playing 162 "regular season" games if a team you beat in every normal game can win the World Series by being lucky at the right time. Same obviously applies to the other Major Sports, and while I understand it, it still doesn't make much meritorial (rather than commercial) sense. Is that how a Bonspiel works?!

Kwin -

Baseball's dangerous path, to me at least, will be when they expand the Wild Card. I don't like the best of 5 series either ... like you state, makes a bit of a mockery of regular season. And this home field advantage to the All-Star winner? Just silly IMO. Best of 7 series is great to me to determine ultimate champion, but make the divisional champs mean something more.

Bonspiels! (Season about to start.) Typically, 3 game guarantee, single knock out per event (A, B, C and sometimes D brackets). If you're in the C or D bracket, expect your opponent to be a tad hungover come Sunday morning finals.

Did see the En-Joie pics. Not pretty.

There's been a lot of talk about expanding the postseason to 10, as the two of you porbably know. I seriously hope not, 8 is about right for me. Would make the DSs best of 7 as well.

Having 1 wild card I can understand, as they may have a better record than a division winner. But 2? No.

Agree Dave - But to be sure we may be in the minority. It's hard not to make the playoffs in the NBA and NHL (or so it seems) and both leagues doing OK and no talk I hear about scaling back schedules.

FYI, Pics of course near Binghampton NY Kwini and I were discussing:

http://www.golfweek.com/news/2011/sep/17/en-joie-golf-course-faces-premature-end-season/

Six players have a chance to win 10 mill.

1 Webb Simpson LEADER
2 Dustin Johnson 1,420 behind
3 Justin Rose 1,513 behind
4 Luke Donald 1,636 behind
5 Matt Kuchar 1,912 behind
6 Brandt Snedeker 2,167 behind

Leff,
That's not quite right.
According to pgatour.com, and consistent with previous years, the "points re-set" allocates points as follows (first ten players only):
Simpson: 2,500
Johnson: 2,250
Rose: 2,000
Donald: 1,800
Kuchar: 1,600
Snedeker: 1,400
Watney: 1,200
Reavie: 1,00
Senden: 800
Day: 600

The significant point about the top five players is that they control their own destiny: Win and they win the FedEx Cup. If the Tour Championship winner comes from outside the top five, then they may not win the FedEx Cup subject to the results of those top five golfers, or perhaps one or two others.

Shotrock:
Did you read Rosaforte's piece about Foley's infant son?
(PS: Mariano is simply the best!)

Kwini, Thanks for clarifying the points system. I misread the format. This makes the finale interesting. I now recall they changed it last year or the year before after Singh went into the FedEx final with an unbeatable lead and killed interest.

I see what you are saying about the top 5. If Mat Kuchar wins, he will finish with 4100, and even if Webb Simpson lands #2, he can only total 4000. Very nice. There is reward for year-long accumulation, and yet leaving room for drama in the final event.

Kwin - Did not see the piece on Foley's son. If you have the link could you shoot it over?

Mariano. What can you say. Now he's the most accomplished, but I've thought he's been the best for some time. How's Sawx Nation up in New England feeling these days?

Sean Foley / Justin Rose.
A little touch of humanity:

http://www.golfworldmonday.com/golfworldmonday/20110919?sub_id=m6YFz2X7vbcH#PG25

Navigate to Page 25.

(Sawx Nation strangely silent . . . )

Kwin - That was a great story. And I did see the Rose interview, but just assumed it was one of his golf buddies.

Had the chance to spend a little bit of time with Rose at the AT&T last year. A consummate professional. Hope he makes the Ryder Cup team coming up.

Good read that Kwini, certainly helps put golf into perspective

Surprised to read today that Ernie Els is leaving Chubbers and ISM. Not clear who he's now on board with but his blog suggests it will be someone in the U.S.
He also says he's joining Tiger and playing the Fry's.com.

I could never quite see Els as one of the Chuuby Club Spice Boys

Saw Phil Mickelson on telly endorsing Enbrel. Never knew he was suffering from psoriatic arthritis.