PGA Tour: "Houston, We have a problem": Notes from the Ballwasher

First topic message reminder :

1).Actually two problems:
For most of the participants at this week's "Shell Houston Open", Job One is to win the tournament and thereby take the final qualifying spot for The Masters.
And for all players who DO qualify, the problem will be the NIKE poster child who looked very close to top form in demolishing last week's Bay Hill field.

2).Tiger first:
That was reminiscent of Woods of the last decade: Solid round 1, superb Round 2 with a slice (actually hook) of good fortune as an out-of-bounds-bound ball hit the perimeter fence and stayed in play. Routine par! Otherwise he kept his foot on the gas and cruised to a Friday 65. The field was stretched out and, unless Tiger suddenly lost his form, the weekend would be a formality. And so it proved. Some thoughts about that:

~It sure looked as if at least some of the old intimidation factor kicked in at the weekend. Competitors who have enjoyed his absence these past 30 months need to acquire some testicular fortitude if the same scenario repeats itself in the great tournaments this spring and summer.
~Woods is nowhere near as bulked up in his upper body as he was by 2008/2009, as if part of the new coaching regime depends on a slimmer physique.
~He's getting his "fortitude" back - gorgeous long iron into the par-5 6th hole (followed superbly by McDowell) underlined his superiority on Bay Hill's par-5's. Twelve under par on the par-5's for the week - he's 3rd in par-5 scoring for the year.
~And Tiger's 1st in "Total Driving" now for the year, 1st in "Ball Striking", 10th in Putting and 1st in the Tour's "All Round" stat.
~But does Tiger still need to swing so hard given his body's apparent fragility? His drive on #15 on Sunday which forced him to lay up in advance of a superb up-and-down par, was violent, his followthrough contorted and way off balance. Crisis averted once his par was secured, and the most beautifully smooth, relaxed swing you ever saw off the 16th tee.

3).Congrat's to Graeme McDowell who gave it his best last weekend, commiserations to Ernie Els, and it looks like the rest got out of Bay Hill what they put into it - a finish, high or low, with no sign of aggression (Bubba perhaps excepted) in going after either Tiger or the course on Sunday. Well done to Poulter and Brian Davis with high finishes but they were never really in the hunt.

4).Lots to admire about Arnold Palmer but some of his utterances over the course of last week suggested it's not just his heart that's playing up.
And how nauseating was it to see Annika Sorenstam turning up on the NBC set with babe in arms? It was as if NBC called Annika and said, "We'd like you to come and endorse Arnie's hospital," and she called all her sponsors and asked, "How much will you pay me for five minutes guaranteed on-screen exposure?"
So, there you have Annika decked all out like any other mother, right? Golf shirt emblazoned with every logo under the sun, just what any young mother wears when she takes the nipper out for a stroll.

5).Arnie lamented that Lukey and Rory were absent but Bay Hill always looks a one dimensional course to me, ranked 33rd by the pros, and complete with more than half a mile of par-3's. Designed by an alcoholic who went to University on an American Football scholarship and, boy, does it ever look like it.

6).And so to Houston and the other problem. The final invitation from Billy Payne is at stake and, just as a point of reference, these are the top-five-ranked golfers in the field not yet destined for Augusta:
#58: Els
#67: Allenby
#68: Moore
#72: Levin
#81: Overton (who would presumably rather be playing in Sicily)

7).Phil Mickelson won last year's Shell Houston Open with a win which was as emotional as it was electrifying. This Rees Jones design (yes, Phil won on a Rees Jones course) is in its 7th year hosting the tournament and, so far, it's been a bomber's paradise. Anthony Kim won in 2010 whilst hitting just 23 of 56 fairways, Phil not much better last year hitting just 30 - real never-mind-the-quality, feel-the-width stuff. Appleby, Scott, Wagner and Casey have been the other winners here. Casey beat JB Holmes in a 2009 play-off and it would be no surprise to see Holmes lighting it up again this week.

8).Lee Westwood leads the European contingent, with McDowell, Casey, Hanson and Hansen, Bjorn and Harrington all competing. Russell Knox is first alternate and heartbreak for a couple of Nationwide players, Wales's Ben Briscoe and Sweden's David Lingmerth, who lost in a play-off for one of the four Monday qualifying places.

9).Anders Forsbrand and Ian Woosnam played in last week's Champions Tour event in Mississippi, but neither finished in the top fifty and highlighted the futility Europeans will continue to endure if they want to contend Senior tournaments over here without making a year-long commitment. Barry Lane rather flubbed his lines when in a strong Q-School position last year and who knows what Monty might do if he gives the Champions Tour a whirl? Meanwhile, Langer is the only European to have made a decent showing in the past five years.

10).Back to that "Problem" that next week's Masters field will encounter:
Tiger ticks all the media boxes over here (and there?), his gnashers grinning from every US media outlet these past couple of days, attention for a golfer that we haven't seen since he completed his sex addiction therapy.
Viewership of "Bay Hill" was up almost 40% and Billy Payne and CBS TV must be rubbing their hands in glee as they anticipate another Tiger-driven ratings bonanza. All watching Luke, Rory and Lee battling it out in the final round?

Looks like the birdie putts started dropping after TV went off the air. Terrific rounds from Oosthuizen, Mahan and Pettersson and very, very solid by Davis - three birds, no boges.

And they look to have stretched the field, perhaps just a four-horse race.

Oosty and Mahan will be the final group, right behind Davis and Pettersson, for whom a win would also mean a trip to The Masters.

Elsewhere, Els is paired with Westwood but Earnie is surely too far back. Not too far back, I hope, to ern some more valuable owgr points as he tries to secure a US Open exemption!

Harrington's par-5 bogeys finally caught up with him, his third bogey of the round on #8 did him in as the PGA Tour's dream of just 70 players for Sunday came true. MDF Padraig.

gotta go with mahan at this stage i think..

Would love to see davoes win it mind!! 4th brit and tiger in 5. Maybe poulter should have siad its only about tiger and brits!

SR my comment was about the amount of yanks that play week in week out, and the numbers are so vast that I dont know much about all of them, therefore they just become the stock field for me, apart from the ones that really break the mould on or off the golf course . I wasnt trying to make an offensive comment and in a way davies,owen and petterson would also be part of that stock field!

MDF....stands for...Made cut Did not Finish.......sounds like fellas just decided to head home...................Why just not call it what it is?? Round 3 Cut, Supplementary Cut, Cut 2(this time it's serious!!)...........................

An hour away from kick-off in Houston and Sunday should be another nice day, a bit breezy but otherwise good for scoring.

Was somewhat ambivalent about this leaderboard until I read a Sports Illustrated discussion in their Masters Preview in which they seem to go out of their way to dis Charl Schwartzel and diminish his breathtaking Masters finish last year.

Here's part of it from the always intriguing "Anonymous Pro":
"Charl isn't a flashy player. He's more like Zach Johnson or Mike Weir - a surprise winner. Augusta loves the popular winner, the great players of history like Phil and Tiger. Charl is Ben Curtis or Shaun Micheel. They won majors because they were the last man standing."

And then: 2011 "had everything except a winner with marquee value."

A journalist, Michael Bamberger, comes up with the typical US media view of the world in saying last year's tournament was "only very good. At the end of the day, it's who won, and the guy who won isn't someone we were invested in."
What does that mean? Good Lord!

They must have been watching the tournament through a different prism than my Sony box offered me.

Bamberger also says - "if you simply emerge at 5.30 p.m. on Sunday afternoon, it's too late to enter our imaginations."

Yes, well, he was only in the second-last group, not surprising you missed him. A bit like saying Lester Piggott is not worth watching because he only gets his nose in front on the line. As they used to say about Harry Wragg, "The Head Waiter".

If that was Mickelson or Woods they'd be hailing it as the greatest ever.

But that's the American media for you - I don't think it's "stock Yanks" that mystiroakey was on about, it's stock Yank (hate that word, nearly as bad as Brit) media.

Gawd knows what they make of Louis Oosthuizen; I read yet another piece the other day taking the mickey about his name, but if it's not to be Brian Davis's day, I hope Louis wins in Houston, whether by a distance or on the line.
He's never received his due over here - perhaps leading a Major for the final 36+ holes wasn't good enough either?

(And wouldn't you also think he has the game for Augusta?)

kwini. Sadly the majority want the big names winning the big tournies..

When louis won the open . I said on 606 that it wasnt a one off and that he is better than many one time open winners!!- however he has talied off quite abit since, i am not sure if i was originally right or wrong- however id say he has a half decent chance next week

mysti,
Even by his own admission, Louis really screwed up his schedule last year, trying to balance between South Africa loyalties, the ET and the PGA Tour. We wrote about it on here, but towards the end of the year he really started to show some form and hopefully this is just a continuation of the improvement.
Good luck to him; I followed him for 18 holes three years ago and he's quite an enjoyable guy to follow, - he had a gorgeous lady following him which was also intriguing!

I thought Cabrera could turn things around. Now #176 despite winning US Open and the Masters within the past 5 years!

What a load of rubish from the SI, kwini... really low level journalism! Both Charl and Louis are worth much more than these people think...

caberra is an anolomoly- only ever won majors!! and a couple of european events, abit like poddy i suppose. some could call it luck of the draw in terms of when your form comes, but all the same its all about closing and they have both done it more than once

pd,
I just thought it was utterly pathetic, bunch of country-club hacks who probably don't set foot outside the press tent except for freebie rounds with their corporate chums, and to collect logoed shirts from the merchandise counter.

As for the "Anonymous Pro", I'm not sure I understand why they pick someone who has so little insight and just reinforces the stereotype of the spoiled College frat boy who needs to get out more.
And really don't understand why they snipe at Mike Weir's credentials; by the time he won the Masters he had a WGC and Tour Championship under his belt. But then he's Canadian.

John Cregan wrote:MDF....stands for...Made cut Did not Finish.......sounds like fellas just decided to head home...................Why just not call it what it is?? Round 3 Cut, Supplementary Cut, Cut 2(this time it's serious!!)...........................

I think using the word "CUT" has the implication that the players did not make any money. MDF players do earn official money and some FedEx points (if it is an FE event).

MDF sounds like a low quality furniture material and I wish they call it something else.

======

It seems like the Int'l players trying to play both the EuroT and PGAT try their best to do the minimum to keep their tour cards. Play the 7 co-sanctioned, 6 EuroT events and 8 PGAT events. And they think that they are automatically going to play at least 3 Playoff events so they end up only playing 5 non-co-sanctioned PGAT going into Barclays

Poulter, Stenson, Oosty, Casey have all had to scramble to get their 15 PGAT events played in the last couple of years. Poulter added Wyndham at the end of last year and the other three have played fall Series events.

Sometimes I wonder if the Int'l players realize that purse ratio of Co-sanctioned tourney to a random PGAT tourney is much different than the ratio between co-sanctioned tourney to a random EuroT tournament.

It's a dirge of a final round so far in Houston, precious few birdies and the first group out are playing like the lead car in a funeral cortege; three groups playing the 8th hole at the head of the procession.

If the lead pair play 18 holes in four hours, which is their current pace, Mahan, King Louis and the rest will take at least 4 1/2 hrs. S'pose that's one way to prepare for Augusta?

Comparing Schwartzel with Curtis and Micheel is utter ridiculous! Charl had had a great year on the ET, with good results early. And both him and Oosty were quality ET players even before their major wins. One should think the SI article is puposedly trying to create some fuss.

Group #2 is going to finished in less than 4 hours. about 3 hour 45 minutes.

Perhaps shot-tracker might have been stuck on #8?

Last tee time is 12:30 Houston time, so the tour is giving them 4.5 hours to finish. No one is lighting up thus far. Minus 4 thru 8 holes by Reifers is the best so far.

pedro,
I'm not sure this version of SI goes abroad so they probably thought they were preaching to the choir - certainly inciteful rather than insightful.


GPB, Even when the first group finished, there were three groups playing the par four 18th - no excuse for going that slow - even 3 3/4 hrs is dawdling for a twosome completely out of contention.

I agree that 3.75 hours is slow.

Unfortunately, that is norm on the PGAT (and ET as well).

Take a look at Round 1 tee times at the KNC this week

http://www.lpgascoring.com/public/Pairings.aspx?TournamentID=27859

They played 2-somes in 8 minute increments and had 1 hr and 52 minutes of tee times.

~4 hours is about all that is expected from the tour players for two somes.

'Feller called Els has just reached the Top Ten.
Could he?
Should he??
Would he???
Surely not!
But a high finish, even below the "podium" is crucially important to him as the season moves along.

Ten groups in and no-one has broken 70, but Greg Owen is going like a train and, unless he hits the buffers on 17 or 18, will finish in the high sixties, five under after 16 holes.

Brian Davis and Lee Westwood would both fancy a start like that, but alas, two over apiece.

The Swedish American with the slight advantage; still only Greg Owen has broken 70 and rounds are excrutiatingly slow - 4 1/2 hours for twosomes now and only going to get worse.

Race for Masters invite?
With the caveat that a win is required, the only remaining contenders are:
Pettersson -16
Driscoll -14
Davis -12
Cauley -11
Holmes -11
Huh -11

Els has dropped a shot and pride is all he's playing for now.

Checking the long-term weather forecast for augusta and it looks terrific. No rain in sight. Hope it is accurate.

Here in the midwest, we have had an unusually hot and dry spell and I am sure Augusta is similar. The course ought to be hard and fast and if anything the azaleas are blooming too soon.

I don't usually turn on my A/C until May, but I have been tempted for the last week. It is supposed to be near 90 tomorrow. I don't think I will last until May at this rate.

Looking forward to a great week in Augusta.

Really dislike johnny miller... oosthuizen may have won the british open but its the states hes trying to win for first time... Zzz

Well, GPB, we have snow in tonight's forecast so no sympathy for yr A/C bills.

NBC need to realise (or maybe they don't) that their relentless jingoism creates the sort of anti sentiment sometimes expresed on here. Johnny Miller does no homework whatsoever on what golfers have achieved outside the PGA Tour.

Great birdie on #9 from Mahan and it's looking that all he needs to do is hang on and he'll snaffle the win. Pettersson needs to bounce back!

It was in Houston a few years ago that I had an opportunity to chat with Darren Clarke. I was staying at the Houstonian hotel for a business meeting. Attached to this hotel is one of the largest gyms in the US. As I began to run on the treadmill, I noticed the person standing at the next treadmill. It was Darren with his personal trainer. I introduced myself and wished him good luck in winning his first major later that year or soon. We chatted for about 15 minutes as I walked, then I picked up speed on the belt and ran for another 30 minutes or so. Clarke chatted with his trainer all this time, he was there for about an hour, never actually exercised, looked at his watch, said it was time for a few beers, and walked away. This was before his wife was diagnosed with cancer and I recall Vijay won that Shell Houston.

Great stuff Mahan and Bradley!

Any word on how easy or difficult the Masters will set it up this year?

King Louis must 've read the SI or listen to J Miller, what's wrong with him...?

I remember that tournament, Leff, think it was on the course they used before this one. DC came close to winning!

Louis has had some rotten luck this round in fairness to him, everything that could go wrong has.

You make your own luck in this game!

Anyway i am sure he will be back. Nice to see davies digging in- however mahan is a quality golfer and i cant see him faultering

Leff wrote:It was in Houston a few years ago that I had an opportunity to chat with Darren Clarke. I was staying at the Houstonian hotel for a business meeting. Attached to this hotel is one of the largest gyms in the US. As I began to run on the treadmill, I noticed the person standing at the next treadmill. It was Darren with his personal trainer. I introduced myself and wished him good luck in winning his first major later that year or soon. We chatted for about 15 minutes as I walked, then I picked up speed on the belt and ran for another 30 minutes or so. Clarke chatted with his trainer all this time, he was there for about an hour, never actually exercised, looked at his watch, said it was time for a few beers, and walked away. This was before his wife was diagnosed with cancer and I recall Vijay won that Shell Houston.

good story, what a strange thing to do mind- go into a gym and just talk lol, you would think he would be his own master-Not pretending to be training to someone yet bunking off. that or he needed to sack his personal trainer asap!!

Mahan playing with all the confidence of someone who knows no-one behind him has the game to beat him, today anyway.

Wonder if pd has tweeted him to notify him of his impending owgr fourth place?

Kwini, I remember a Mother's Day when we got about 18" of snow in Franklin County! back in the early 70's!

BTW, how was the maple syrup crop this year? I hope my father goes to VT this summer because my supply is about gone.

mmm Pancakes.

Maple syrup harvest terrible this year after 2011 had a record crop. Gloom and doom in the sugar houses.

Gloom and doom for E.Els but another good tournament. Hope he goes to Hilton Head next; he's played well there several times, should have won at least once.

Smoke and mirrors for Lee, looking at his stat's you'd be surprised he made the cut. I'd love to be wrong, but doesn't look sharp enough to win next week.

After all the mocking of Overton last week, looks like he came in with a solid top 10 finish this week.

i Like overtons style, he certainly has abit of a buzz about him, seems to be playing really well att present- i think he has a half decent carrer ahead of him- maybe the american ian poulter ??

Overton was very streaky good two years ago - New Orleans in a couple of weeks and that was the start of his run. Watch out!

A quick thought on next weeks masters- lol getting a little bit bored of this event in fairness, All the contention players are wobbling as probally predicted and its just that Mahan is doing it less!!


Woods,donald and mcilroy are possibly 90% of peoples top 3 for the win and have all won there last event!! has this ever happened before! I very much doubt it!

Come on Carl - rock that putt in and lets take this to play off

I hope he nails it, but you missed the mark on Rory - finished behind Rose at Doral.

oh yep forgot that he did didnt he

Don't understand why NBC are giving Brian Davis a hard time about his pace of play; they've had to wait on every tee. What more can you do?

Mahan moves into a first place in the US Ryder Cup Standings at 3018 pts. Barely notching both Bradley and Mickelson. Big gap between #3 Mickelson and #4 Woods. Spots #4 #11 are really bunched up.

No real movement in the ET standings as the none of the serious contenders were playing in Sicily nor did they contend this week in Houston.

Mahan is now the highest ranked American!

Well deserved victory, hit almost every green Sunday and took 33 putts - he could easily have won by a distance.

Sounds like Louis was very unlucky on his first ten holes, but played very well coming home. Must have a decent chance next week - e.w. punt?

Nice tournament for Mahan, but I'm really impressed with Louis after an opening 41.

Davis appears methodic, but certainly not slow.

Two in a row for the yanks. Mini run?

kwinigolfer wrote:
Smoke and mirrors for Lee, looking at his stat's you'd be surprised he made the cut. I'd love to be wrong, but doesn't look sharp enough to win next week.

I think his putter was ice cold. As far as I can see he got fairly close to the pin, but he didn't hole anything. If he can get his putter warm, we could still se him up there next week.

Shotrock wrote:Nice tournament for Mahan, but I'm really impressed with Louis after an opening 41.

Davis appears methodic, but certainly not slow.

Two in a row for the yanks. Mini run?

People on this board were bragging about 3 in a row from Great Britain on the PGAT. Of course they conveniently left out George McNeill's win in Puerto Rico.

GPB - I give the Yanks about a 30% chance to win next week ... Tiger, Phil and how can you not like Hunter at this point. All long shots beyond that.

But, Rory's the man, IMO and the favorite. If Donald is even sniffing the lead late Sunday, look for him to finish the deal. And with the spotlight on these boys, Westy might just spoil the party.

GPB wrote:

Shotrock wrote:Nice tournament for Mahan, but I'm really impressed with Louis after an opening 41.

Davis appears methodic, but certainly not slow.

Two in a row for the yanks. Mini run?

People on this board were bragging about 3 in a row from Great Britain on the PGAT. Of course they conveniently left out George McNeill's win in Puerto Rico.

i dont think thats convenient considering that none of the worlds top 50 were playing at puerto rico due to the other event being a WGC!!

i

Nice finish from Charley Hull, currently tied 39th at +1. Next big British golfer?

A great 3rd round and at that age!

Glad it wasn't just me who found Jonny Miller's comments ridiculous. I'm tired of the sycophantic and parochial American commentary. Sorry to the Septics on here but you (it appears) are as tired of the one-sided nonsense we have to listen to too.

Mahan to #4. Does Augusta suit him?

McNeill is a Scottish name, isn't it?