PGA Tour: The Cadillac Ranch and Puerto Rico: Notes from the Ballwasher

First topic message reminder :

1).Last week's Ballwasher Notes: "Rory? Tiger? Top Twenty? Maybe."

Yes, well, Rory would be knackered from the MatchPlay, just playing "Honda" as a fill-in to fit in his 15 events.
And Tiger only entered because PGA National was only a two bob return bus ride from his mansion in Jupiter.
Europeans resident in Europe have a tough time on Bermuda.
Woods is less favoured by par-70 courses than par-72's.

They showed in no uncertain fashion why they're there, and I'm here.
Can't imagine I've ever been happier to have been proved wrong.

2).Fabulous week by Rory - he and Tiger attracted bumper crowds and a TV audience 78% up on last year. What looked as if it could have become a walk in the park for Rory became more complicated Roar by Roar. He had told the media why he was a more consistent player, why he was better able to withstand pressure: he'd learned how to eliminate the horror shot and was more consistent on the greens. That was exactly the recipe on Sunday and he certainly put it to the test. And passed with flying colours.

3).And what about Tiger? With his career best final round of 62?? I'd often cited Tiger's 200+ yards iron from a bunker over water to a shallow Glen Abbey green in 2000 as the best shot I'd ever seen him hit under pressure. Interesting that he compared his 72nd hole iron at PGA National to that. Bitter pill perhaps that it didn't reward him with the "w" that he snatched from Grant Waite in Canada. Difficult to believe he won't be back for more though at Doral this week, a course one would imagine would suit him better than PGA National.

4).Lots of other items worth noting:
~Lee Westwood's final round 63. (Totally eclipsed twenty minutes later.)
~The performances of the stars in the field, the owgr cream of McIlroy, Westwood, Schwartzel, McDowell, Bradley, Woods and Rose rising to the top.
~Anthony Kim leading the field in birdies yet finishing 42nd.
~A number of fading stars making the weekend: Overton (18th), Appleby (21st), Els (21st), Stenson (21st), Love (21st), etc, etc. Would be good to see each of them return to their best.
~Coming out party for Harris English. Disappointing Sunday for him, but he'll be back.

5).Tiger had a poor week with the press, unwittingly giving Hank Haney publicity by behaving churlishly towards Miceli when asked innocuous questions at his press conference, and then being somewhat less than effusive about Rory's success, both in anticipation and in the aftermath.
In reflecting on this in the light of the expectations being heaped on McIlroy, that frosty barrier between Woods and his public could quite easily be the firewall that protects him and sustains his playing excellence. How will Rory deal with such the expectations, the voyeurism into his private life?
Maybe Tiger had the answer all along.
But it was refreshing to see him signing autographs while he waited for his bus on Sunday evening.

6).And so down the Florida Turnpike, to Miami and Dick Wilson's Doral Blue Monster design, though Mr.Wilson would likely not recognize his work now. It's gone through tweaks and redesigns every few years since the 80's, and now it's under new ownership as Donald Trump has snapped up the resort for a cool $150M. To quote GolfWorld: A "total, complete renovation" will commence in a year's time, following the 2013 "Cadillac", when highly regarded architect Gil Hanse is due to get his hands on it. The course will be lengthened to 7,600 yds, "remaking all the greens and building six or seven new holes," though the famous 18th is expected to be left unchanged.

7).If that doesn't Trump this week's entertainment, the "opposite field" Puerto Rico Open will be played at Trump International Golf Club. Poor field but $630K to the winner and we'll keep track of the European interest.

8).Sorry to see the news from Augusta National this afternoon that Ishikawa, not playing well enough to qualify so far, will receive his second invitation to April's Masters. "Ishikawa will help increase interest in Japan and throughout Asia," said Billy Payne.
Yes, quite, and such corporate expediency offers fodder for those critics who complain annually that The Masters does not deserve to be labelled a Major.
Don't necessarily agree with that, but there are many golfers from other countries who are far more deserving than Ryo, let alone those who have given far more to the game.

9).Good to see Paul Casey back for this week's WGC "Cadillac Championship" and, at the time of writing, all 74 qualifiers are expected to play, sniffles, pneumonia and new baby permitting. No comment on the chances of McIlroy or Woods.

10).Personal note to end with as the designer of my favourite golf course died last month. Geoffrey Cornish was born in Winnipeg 97 years ago and learnt architecture from Canada's great Stanley Thompson. Cornish not only designed dozens of courses, primarily in Eastern Canada and the North-Eastern States of the US, but co-wrote with Ron Whitten "The Golf Course", one of the seminal works on gca.
As Whitten's remembrance puts it, Cornish "was a great golf course architect because he was more interested in spreading the game than in making a name for himself". Not good for the Doak Scale perhaps, but millions of golfers within 500 miles of this keyboard have reason to be grateful to Geoffrey Cornish.

princedracula wrote:It's Branden in Miami (-8 after 12) and Brendon in Puerto Rico (-7 after 10)!!
Lovemark and Sergio waking up as well...

Hi pd. The Jamie Lovemark story is still waiting to be told, officially still a rookie, but Southern California golf fans have been waiting for sometime now for his game to take off. At 26, still young and loads of talent but a broken finger and back surgery and re-formating one's career hasn't brought Lovemark's early Nationwide Tour success to the next level yet. I think if he stays healthy for a couple of years he'll become top 10 material for the U.S. side.

kwinigolfer wrote:Just got my tickets for the Montreal Impact's first game - hope they're successful, at le box office even more so than sur le pitch.

Morning kwini,

Great that you got those tickets and did check up on your new 'soccer' team in the MLS. Wish the both of you luck and think the MLS has done a remarkable job in terms of stabilizing and evolving the league towards realistically becoming a world class league. In 20 years time, the MLS will be competing for the best players in the world and incorporating Canada as a working partner is a bold and intelligent move. Your Montreal Impact team won't visit L.A. this year but the Galaxy are up there in May. Is that the original Olympic Stadium where they'll be playing their home games?

The only question is: how do you explain to your friends back home that you support a 'soccer' team?
Here's tonight's preview for the Impact's inaugural MLS game for those who want to follow the perils of kwini's 'soccer' team: http://www.mlssoccer.com/matchcenter/2012-03-10-van-v-mtl/preview

Hi venice, have to admit Lovemark is a bit of an unknown quantity. But I heard all the buzz and as they say, there's no smoke without fire...

Talking about fire, just look at Lairdy! Glad to see Darren having a great day for a change...

wind must be down, and the greens still perfect for holing out! 32 players out of the 48 players on the course are under par!!

C'mooon Roory! C'moon Ireland!!

Ooops! Scotland just got a try of their own...

Rory's on Fire! Damn telecast hasn't started yet.

Yep, and a par 5 coming up!
Not sure what's the situation there venice, but here I can see Rory, etc. on Sky for a while...

Thanks. I'm currently at work and have to wait for one of the servers to clear content before it'll allow online streaming. Hopefully soon.

Great start for Tiger, 3 birdies out of 3 holes !!!
And a super birdie from Rory at the 9th, now tied with Tiger at -8.
Would be nice to have these two playing together tomorrow

Rory still hasn't made a four today after 10 holes. What is he playing at!

BAAANG!!! Eagle at the 10th!!!
Now 8-under after 10 holes for Rory!

The top of the leaderboard is starting to look impressive to say the least. Something for everyone.

wow cream rising to the top hey

The Spanish Armada that was cruising early Thursday is now sitting dead in the water with no wind in sight.

8 under thru 10 without a birdie at 2 of the par 5s... One of them easiest hole on the course. Crazy rors!!

Apparently the taylormade players have 17 on their caps because the new 3 wood gives you an extra 17 yards.

Anyone else heard this?

Must admit the golf season doesn't really excite me until the majors come around but watching this Cadillac Event is getting excited. Another Woods/McIlroy showdown in the offering!

Very impressive from Coco, Tigeresque really from when he was at his best... not that Woods is too shabby today.

Interesting that even in his dotage Woods still gets it out there as far as anyone, when it goes straight anyway.

McLaren wrote:Apparently the taylormade players have 17 on their caps because the new 3 wood gives you an extra 17 yards.

Anyone else heard this?

My mate told me thats why today so presume thats correct.

You would think the only player to be bogey free through 39 holes would be in the lead or at least close to it.

Not true. Thomas Bjorn is 7 shots behind Bubba.

Great par for tiger chipping in after hitting it in water at 9.

so far this is one of the best events i have witnessed for a long time. the course is getting ripped apart- but its teeth are never to far from biting back!

i have no idea how thomas has been bogey free- that is so impressive out there

rose is looking impressive out there in a big way- just playing his natural game, swingly beautifully- in complete control, bubba is playing aggresively and it isnt swaying rose at all.

It seems Thomas is missing a lot of shortish putts... Otherwise we would see him further atop.

Bubba is playing some pretty incredible golf. Game is easy when you hit it 350 yds consistently and hit wedges to 5 ft all day.

Bubba is -1.3 in the "strokes gain" putting stat. To be leading and that bad with the short stick usually adds up to incredible golf.

Bubba just putting a beat down on some of these holes.

Nice gap he's putting on the competition. Three rounds, however, does not a tournament make.

Wow, what a site...!

http://www.europeantour.com/challengetour/season=2012/tournamentid=2012714/leaderboard/index.html

... and there's another incredible one (at #2)

http://www.pgatour.com/leaderboards/current/r483/

I was surprised to see last week NW winner (and PGAT Member) Edward Lohr not in the field at Puerto Rico.

He is way down the QS/NW priority list, I would think he would want to play any PGAT event that he can.

I think Bubba Watson golf game is the Love Child of John Daly's and Lee Trevino's golf games.

Nice round Bubba! Good luck bringing it home.

That flutter of a final putt from Rose didn't help his cause much.

Now, beware Rory.

there is a 60 out there - and a few players are capable of shoting it- but i fear its betwen the top 3- bubs,rose and bradley.

the course gets alot tougher last 9.

Rose in the second group back courtesy of a 3 putt on the last

may not be a problem- its all about getting of to a quick start. But with bubbas length he is more likley to eagle the first than par it

I little dissapointing in the sense that despite some early excitment this event has come down to only three players. For a time yesterday I really thought this was going to become bunched with a group of the very best players in the world.

This of course does not mean it wont be a fun watch today just not as spectacular as it looked at one point.


Mysti

As for a 60, I am not sure, the back nine seems to be a good bit tougher than the front so maybe 62 is the best we will see.

a 60 is possible in my eyes, but i doubt we will see it unless rory tiger or lee get on a run. the wind is supposed to be the gentilest of the 4 days - aythings possible, will it happen- very much doubt it- personally love to see rose close it out, its been a great tourny so far, agree its abit of a shame that others didnt pull closer

Mysti

I guess it depends what they do with the pins, they have seemed pretty generous so far.

chaps,

surely its just a matter of time before Tiger wins one? Is it just bay hill he is playing before the masters?

Anyone care to call a winner on this tourno?... Brad Keegan all the way for me.

gonna go with rose.

Bubba got lucky 3 times back nine- which saved him 3 shots, however its all about making your luck count so good on him for that -however i have a feeling the change up in the groups will help out rose more.

McLaren wrote:Apparently the taylormade players have 17 on their caps because the new 3 wood gives you an extra 17 yards.

Anyone else heard this?

Was wondering about that alright, I thought maybe the R17 was around the corner! Apparently it's 17 yards for the average player and even that is a conservative figure. http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/12071/1215948-136.stm

Would love it if Sergio at least saves some pride today with a low round, and that great eagle start looks promissing...
Will be keeping a close eye on what's happening in Colombia and Puerto Rico today. Could turn out to be a magic week for great comebacks if both Dougherty and Stenson could finally end their winning droughts (both lasting since 2009)...

Watching Morning Drive, and the winds are up today at Doral. Looks like about 15 mph from the SE. 3 of the par 5's are downwind and 18 dead into the wind Probably not many low rounds today.

Jarrod Lyle wife's gave birth to a little girl, "Lucy Joy". Mother and child doing well. Word is that Jarrod has not stopped holding her. Once he starts treatments, he won't be able to touch her. Heartbreaking.

Now please tell me I'm wrong!!!! Is that a 12 (twelve) for Sergio at the par 4 3rd hole?????

If that's true then this was the mother of all jinxes!?!?

12 !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

please dont say anything about rose

princedracula wrote:Now please tell me I'm wrong!!!! Is that a 12 (twelve) for Sergio at the par 4 3rd hole?????

If that's true then this was the mother of all jinxes!?!?

The 3rd must be heading towards being the hardest hole then. Dyson took a 9 this morning too.

What happened there with Sergio?

He made the third hole (par 4) in 12 strokes!

Today is the one year anniversary of the horrendous earthquake and tsunami in Japan. Is it a sign that Ryo Ishikawa will win today?

GPB wrote:Today is the one year anniversary of the horrendous earthquake and tsunami in Japan.

Can't believe that was a year ago.

Thought of you yesterday GPB as it was my turn for stupid crap on the tv instead of golf. Had to wait for a paddies day parade to finish. Wouldn't have minded if it really was paddies day.

I think you commented on the wind direction in an earlier post, do you think that's causing the difficulties on the 3rd?

Grumpy:

I played Doral about 25 yrs ago. I know #1 heads NNW so a SE wind is helps. but I don't remember the routing very well.

Looking at google earth, I think #3 goes NE, with water on the right. A SE Wind should not be too much of problem. on #3.

Shot tracker should be able to give you more info on Sergio's 12 and Simon's Nine on where they had trouble. I do know that Fowler Birdied #3 today, For whatever that is worth.

I would load up shottracker, but for some reason it does not want to run on my laptop.

Thanks GPB. Can't seem to get shot tracker going either, hopefully it is enough of a horror story to warrant comment on TGC