PGA Tour: Acts of Congressional: Notes from the Ballwasher

First topic message reminder :

1).Hartford's "Travelers Championship" certainly threw up some thrills and spills last Sunday, but in the end it was a tournament lost by half a dozen golfers rather than a tournament won by Marc Leishman. Charley Hoffman especially will rue finishing up Double Bogey, Bogey to lose by one, just 100 miles away from TPC Boston, site of his biggest (Deutsche Bank Championship) win so far.

2).Leishman is a reminder of the slim margin between success and less success in the world of professional golf. Three years ago he made eagle at, yes, the 72nd hole of the Deutsche Bank to qualify for the next round of the FedEx Play-Offs, the BMW Championship, where he proceeded to finish second, thus qualifying for the Tour Championship and the following year's Majors and earn 2009 Rookie Of The Year, from a feller called Simpson. (Wonder what ever became of him?)

3).Marc Leishman now takes the lead 60% through the duration of the Open Championship exemption money list, just this week's AT&T event and next week's action at the Greenbrier to go. Michael Thompson blew up in Hartford and slips to 2nd.

4).There's been 606v2 chat about the fate of hot-shot amateurs and how their Pro careers develop, Patrick Cantlay and Dylan Frittelli this past week's pro debutants.
There have obviously been sustained successes on both sides of the lake, Tiger and Phil to the west, Luke and Padraig to the east, among many. But others have come out with fanfare and fizzled, while others take a proverbial step back before taking the two steps forward.
Fanfare and fizzled? David Gossett won almost immediately and now seems to have disappeared completely. And: What about Gary Hallberg?? Won everything bar a national trophy as an amateur, won early as a pro, won twice more five years apart in smallish tournaments, but never realised his alleged potential. Time may tell us that Ryan Moore is taking the exact same route.

5).David Duval and Stewart Cink were also highly decorated amateurs who failed to earn their PGA Tour card via Q-School, slummed it on what we now know as the Nationwide, and went on to earn Major success. Both now struggling of course. Kuchar delayed turning pro after his initial amateur successes, then won the Honda early in his pro career only to lose his form AND his card before Nationwide success and breaking through to win again in a Turning Stone hailstorm.
Jose Maria Olazabal's achievements are legendary but what more could he have achieved without the myriad of injuries?
And Justin Leonard won his US Amateur, raced onto the PGA Tour by finishing strongly in his few pro starts and almost immediately won big tournaments. But now he's just turned 40 and seems physically diminshed as he languishes in 141st place on the money list, is hitting it short and not very straight and that gorgeous free-flowing putting stroke is only "good" enough for 176th (of 186) on the Tour's favourite putting stat. Oh, and it's four years since his last win.

6).But some guys just seemed to need time to mature, Richie Ramsay and Eddie Molinari may be two such players. And Ricky Barnes is an American who beat Hunter Mahan in the final of the US Amateur, outscored a certain Mr.Woods 69-76 in his first round at The Masters, disappeared from sight only to re-emerge on the Bethpage leaderboard in 2009, finishing 2nd in the US Open. Bryce Molder played 2 x Walker Cups, turned pro and disappeared for six years before getting into the 2009 Memphis event and finishing 2nd. 4th three weeks later at Congressional - coincidentally, of course - and now a 33-y-o winner on Tour.

7).All of which is foreplay to Casey Wittenberg's sudden run of long overdue success. He's 28 now, but finished 13th in the 2004 Masters, best by an amateur since 1962. Then he struggled on the Nationwide before winning and losing his PGA Tour card for 2009. But he won on the Nationwide in March, qualified for the US Open and finished 10th, washed away his Olympic hangover in time to win again last week on the Nationwide, and will be back in "the show" for 2013.

8).At the other end of the experience spectrum, candidates for election to the World Golf Hall Of Fame were announced Monday. Duval, Harrington and Stricker were newbies on the ballot, but I wouldn't vote for any of them at this stage. My votes for 2013 "induction" would be (PGA Tour section) Couples and Venturi, and (International) Montgomerie and Norman von Nida. Having said all of which, any Hall of Fame ballot with Loren Roberts' name on it (which it is for the second year running) loses credibility for me.

9).Decent, not great, field for Congressional for the "AT&T National", many doubtless put off by the inevitable heat and humidity of late June Washington where the temps will be high 90's every day, nearly as much hot air as in Congress itself. Justin Rose won this event at Aronomink two years ago but he's avoiding it this year, with only Brian Davis, Martin Laird and Greg Owen representing Europe. I can't fancy another Aussie win, but Saffer Sabbatini is in good form, has some previous at Congressional as Ben Crane would attest, and would be my e.w. pick. (Followed Roary last week and he was actually great with the crowd, almost entertaining.)
I reckon this will be a resumption of normal service though, with an American leading the way, hopefully Dustin Johnson.

10).And, in the golden oldie department, Greg Norman and Tony Jacklin are both teeing it up at the Champions Tour's latest "Major", the "Constellation Senior Players Championship" in the Pittsburgh suburbs. No idea why Tony Jacklin is in the field, but fortunately he's playing with Roger Chapman who's about the only player in the field who'd recognise him. (pgatour.com strangely lists Jacklin as American - not wot you'd normally call a bloke from Scunners.)
Sandy Lyle is also on hand but these Senior Majors are becoming a bi-weekly mockery, two more to come before July is over.

PS: You've heard about the flooding rains in Florida? Here's Bobby Gates's pic of TPC Sawgrass's 17th hole:
http://lockerz.com/s/220255801

I hate to be the sad tiger fan on here, but thought his -3 round was worth a mention. Also looking good for another top 4 fedexer, Hunter mahan. You have to think one of them will push on over the weekend and get into the hunt come sunday.


I assume the 100F will cause a few problems for those out on course, not least the sweaty hand issue discussed on the glove thread recently.

Mac - And this is not a "dry" 100F ... it's like walking in a sauna!

McLaren wrote:I hate to be the sad tiger fan on here, but thought his -3 round was worth a mention. Also looking good for another top 4 fedexer, Hunter mahan. You have to think one of them will push on over the weekend and get into the hunt come sunday


I assume the 100F will cause a few problems for those out on course, not least the sweaty hand issue discussed on the glove thread recently.

You are.

Does anyone really suffer from sweaty hands?

I'd have serious concerns if someone was so out of shape they couldn't handle the weather conditions.

Super

I am pretty fit and if it is hot my glove gets way too sticky due the moisture it absorbs through having sweatier hands than normal. Nothing to do with being out of shape just that your body temperature has risen in the heat.

Second week running in the sauna for some of these guys, almost as sweaty in Hartford last Friday.
Better scores so far from the Thursday p.m., Friday a.m. groups.

Patience at a premium; Brian Davis off to a promising start but how long can he keep his wits about him?

I'm still not a big fan of the contrived first and second round groupings.

Conspiracy theorists would then feel that other groups, or sequences, are fixed also. No prizes for Roary Sabbatini feeling that he's been deliberately placed in the group immediately behind Ben Crane for instance - especially at Congressional.

kwinigolfer wrote:GPB,
I saw Beau Baugh play - too many years ago. Troubled girl that Laura, terrific player though.

There's another Baugh brother... Hale. Used to be my insurance agent and I played a good bit with him a while back. Through him I met Beau and Laura, but never played with either of them. Hale probably had the best of the "next generation" of little players in Logan and Lauren... Lauren really had the tools... but unfortunately... she kinda took after her namesake Auntie in some ways... Demons I tell ya... it's demons...

Too bad stories like that robo; I watched Bobby Cole once, at Abilene in a LaJet playing in Sunday's final group.

Always wondered if the demise of his golf career was influenced in any way by Dame Laura - couldn't have helped, that's for sure.


Forty twosomes to battle Saturday's heat, followed by an MDF for those below 70th place. Some may be grateful for the small mercy of a $10K pay cheque and only having to endure three rounds of combat.


Surprisingly strong field for The Greenbrier; Phil, Tiger, Dustin, Stricker(?!), Simpson, Bill Haas, Sneds (back from the DL), Furyk, Choi, Pettersson . . . . . . and Keegs. I'm not sure I understand Bradley's schedule but it's not conducive to good play - four missed cuts and no top twenties in the last three months.

Superficially a weak European presence, but just the sort of course to suit Davis and Pettersson.

Leaders stat summary from Round 2 AT&T National...

https://docs.google.com/open?id=0B28-0Wqx5A38Q21zLTRiNGwwc1k

kwinigolfer wrote:Surprisingly strong field for The Greenbrier; Phil, Tiger, Dustin, Stricker(?!), Simpson, Bill Haas, Sneds (back from the DL), Furyk, Choi, Pettersson . . . . . . and Keegs. I'm not sure I understand Bradley's schedule but it's not conducive to good play - four missed cuts and no top twenties in the last three months.

Yeah... Greenbriar is looking like a 46-48... Doing MUCH better escaping that week just before Bridgestone...

Looks Greenbrier might eek a 48 OWGR field. Massive improvement from the 32 last year.

I reading some posts about "sweaty hands". It was 106 deg F here in my hometown today, with the Mississippi River Humidity. I have played too many rounds of golf in weather like this. 90% of them without golf glove.

But I did use this product and I recommend it highly. FTR, I have no financial interest in this company. I doubt if you can get it across the pond but for those in USA who play in really hot weather, this product worked well for me. (and this is not spam, but I broke the link in a spoiler box)

Spoiler:

Even If you wear a glove, it might help prolong the life.

Some massive storms hitting the Wash DC area tonight. With more predicted tomorrow.

70 mph winds, lots of trees down. Players are tweeting about it. Bud Cauley said people were voluntarily evacuating their hotel room.

Wouldn't be surprised if they change to split tees for the third round.

Yup, We were following those storms, wouldn't be surprised if there was some damage to the course. At the very least it must have received a soaking.
Lots of power out also.

(Looks nice in N.Ireland . . . . . . !)

"Tee times have been delayed three hours due to severe overnight storms", says pgatour.com.

More to follow presumably, but it does mean that the entire 80-man field will play through the highest heat and humidity of the day, with heat index forecast to approach 110F. Terrific!

Lovely! I was always of the opinion that golf shouldn't be played at temperatures higher than ~80F...

Mahan looking good...

Sounds as though there's a very real possibility Congressional might be closed for the day allowing damage to the course to be cleared and repaired.
For the time being, the course is closed to the public and there's no info on tee times except the "three hour delay".

pd,
Mahan looked very impressive yesterday, hitting it great and making his putts.

The Tour called medics out on the course yesterday to treat Chris Couch and his beer gut, one caddie was throwing up and another jacked it in after nine holes. Not nice.

More positive news from the Pittsburgh area where play resumed on time as they were just on the northern fringe of the storm system.

It now appears that if there's any play possible at Congressional today, it will be without fans due to safety concerns.

One imagines that, if play for the day is cancelled, they'll play 36 holes Sunday, in the searing heat of course, possibly after a top 60 cut. All guesswork until there is an official announcement.

Revised Congressional tee-times have been published for Round 3, with the 80 players going off from the 1st and 10th tees in threesomes commencing at 1.00 p.m.

If threatened thunderstorms don't materialise, and they can have the course playable for 1.00 p.m. (must be 50/50 on that), there should be ample time for the entire field to complete the 3rd round tonight. In 100F heat and high humidity. Good luck!

Good luck indeed...

https://twitter.com/TWFGMac/status/219037409529180160/photo/1

Carnage in Congress(ional).

But not from Greg Owen, moving ahead of Ollie Wilson and vying this weekend with Mark Foster for Notts' number two golfer. five under par for his first ten holes!

Hi kwini

So about to start watching the golf, should I expect to see much or is it set for third round to be postponed at some point?

I heard someone mention today that mahan is known as a loner on tour, have you ever heard that before?

Mac,
Haven't been watching it, only just came in from the sun!
But the leaders only teed off forty minutes ago and I'm not sure if Golf Channel will take up the action when CBS terminates at 6.00 EDT.

Don't know much about Mahan, but that would surprise me a little. No real clue though, but he lives in Dallas, not the golfing havens of Arizona and Florida.

And I DID see yr link to the health-care-by-statistical-analysis piece; can't really answer in less than 500 pages. But the lowest life expectancy, third-or-fourth-world stuff, is almost invariably in the States whose elected officials are most vehemently in bed with insurers and health-care conglomerates and vote against anything remotely hinting at universal health care.

I also just concluded a barney with my local hospital after (I saw my insurance company was) being charged $1,500.00 for three stitches. Only in America.

Kwin - And don't for a minute believe your insurer will actually pay $1,500. The US has universal health care -- try to bleed to death in the street. But, it's very poorly run.

Sad stories all around. My Brit neighbor will not go back the the UK because of the health care.

I bet your "Brit neighbor" is well-heeled; as I told my "patient advocate" I could have bandaged my digit up, flown to London overnight, got darned, stayed in a nice hotel for a night or two, had some decent meals and flown home for less than than the botched job I got, still can't feel my finger.
Wouldn't trust that hospital to darn my socks after the horlicks they made of my extremity.

But it's not that US health care is bad, arguably the best in the world; but for the 1%, certainly not the 99%. (And my dear wife works in that very same hospital!)


Mr.SO'H stitching together some red numbers though!

Don't really know a great deal about the relative merits of UK and US healthcare, but if anyone is being deprived healthcare because of lack of funds in this day and age in the richest country in the world then surely something's amiss?

"My Brit neighbor will not go back the the UK because of the health care"

There are sadly a certain breed who take great joy in slating the NHS, without realising it doesn't get any better no matter where you go or how much you pay. Next time you see your neighbour ask them if they read the daily mail.

I have now seen tigers chip in wonder shot from memorial about three times on tonight's coverage. The golf is on mute on a laptop with the tennis on tv, so can someone explain why we are seeing this clip all the time?

McLaren wrote:I have now seen tigers chip in wonder shot from memorial about three times on tonight's coverage. The golf is on mute on a laptop with the tennis on tv, so can someone explain why we are seeing this clip all the time?

He just hacked his way down a par 5, missing the green with a wedge but then chipped in. Cue the replays.

The US open was at congressional only last year and I watched a lot of it. I am also pretty good at remembering golf holes, yet I really dont remember most of the holes on display so far. It is all a little nondescript compares to most US open courses. I now fear I am starting to think like Johnny Miller......

What the hell has just happened to the coverage? That is all we are getting, and most of the back nine still to play.

If Mahan and Woods can maintain/improve their positions this evening, this has all the hallmarks of a two-horse race on Sunday.

A shame that CBS/Golf Channel aren't carrying the last half-dozen holes.

Yes, neighbor does pretty well.

I'm not sure there is anything more poorly run than the US Healthcare system. The Supreme Court decision this week dealt a major blow to the neocons; perhaps more symbolic than actual, but nice to see a SC justice rise above the party line.

But back to golf: Tiger pacing. SOH puts up a nice number and Wayne Levi cards a 10 on his last hole in a Champions Tour event in Western, PA. Oy!

No spectators allowed today. Strange sight on telly. Only players, officials, and media.

But at least Moira made the cut today . . . . .

Yup, VT going ahead with its single-payer health-care plan, due 2017. It ain't easy being a leader . . . . . !

Vermont = Liberal, more intellectual (IMO) ... usually wise decisions follow. Good for the green staters. Now, if only you could do something about the harsh winters!

Sr,
Most people up here are pretty conservative, by European standards anyway.
Like our ex-Guv Howie who represents the democratic wing of the democratic party. That's good enough for moi.

I see they're off in threesomes, on both sides again tomorrow.
Presumably to give the groundskeeper Willie and his crew to clean up the debris and damaged trees before the fans are allowed in.
Makes sense and I reckon that favours Mahan - don't really see anyone coming from way back this week.
Five Ryder Cuppers, an amateur, and Tiger's boy racer friend make up the seven MDFers.

SmithersJones wrote:Don't really kno

---

w a great deal about the relative merits of UK and US healthcare, but if anyone is being deprived healthcare because of lack of funds in this day and age in the richest country in the world then surely something's amiss?

Is America still the richest country the world? Certainly there are plenty countries with higher GDP per capita and higher standards of living than the burger munching tartan trousers wearing mullet sporting line dancing rednecks.

super_realist wrote:

SmithersJones wrote:Don't really kno

---

w a great deal about the relative merits of UK and US healthcare, but if anyone is being deprived healthcare because of lack of funds in this day and age in the richest country in the world then surely something's amiss?

Is America still the richest country the world? Certainly there are plenty countries with higher GDP per capita and higher standards of living than the burger munching tartan trousers wearing mullet sporting line dancing rednecks.

Depends how you measure it. By total GDP I believe the US is still the largest, though China is catching up...

No freakish weather at Congressional last night, but Round 4 will still be delayed until 11.00 a.m. EDT to enable the course to be prepared, for players AND for spectators.

Couldn't help feeling that, oppressive heat apart, Congressional represented a challenge that Westwood would have eaten up, ball-strikers very much to the fore.
Mahan, Van Pelt and Woods are all among the "total driving" leaders, while DeJonge, even Greg Owen, and others are close to the top in gir.


In the weekly Senior Major, Roger Chapman will start the day in 8th place, half a dozen shots behind Calcavecchia and Arfur Daley.

kwinigolfer wrote:

Couldn't help feeling that, oppressive heat apart, Congressional represented a challenge that Westwood would have eaten up, ball-strikers very much to the fore.

A few weeks ago, I was checking Westwood's schedule and I am pretty sure ATT National was on his schedule at that time.

Westy has played 8 Tournaments on PGA Tour. Needs to play 15. He has to play 7 more. 4 playoff events, + OC + WGC + PGA = 15....Correct? Only one problem. He is far from guaranteed to play the TC. (and he hasn't even clinched a spot in the BMW either)

Since he is moving to Florida, I guess he could pick up a fall series event in Orlando or Sea island relatively easy. Or play the Wyndham between PGA and Barclays.

i wonder what westwood plans to do in europe when he moves to florida? Does he just play 12 in europe at the moment or can he knock a few off the schedule?

Who knows about lw1 - I'm all for him playing the PGA Tour if that's what he thinks he needs to do, but GPB points out that it feels like he hasn't got his schedule sussed out just yet.
(PS: GPB: I think the Ryder Cup might count this year; plus he's a slam dunk for the BMW even if he doesn't play another event.)


I wish GJ the Aussie Stud (or whatever he called himself) was still a-posting; he'd be beside himself with Leishman last week and Adam Scott's timely emergence from hibernation. I miss the recently-departed.)

It took 800 FE points to make the BMW last year. Westy only has 690 points right now.

Westy has not clinched a spot in Chicago Indianapolis.

So is the course playing tougher at the moment than when it did during the US open last year?

Apologies GPB, I believe the points list I looked at was pre-Play-Off.
But he's pretty darn close, don't think there's a cat-in-hell's chance he won't make that.
Having said which, there was a rumour a few weeks ago that he'd skip a Play-Off event . . . . . cats and pigeons.


Mac: Yes, much faster and firmer compared to the waterlogged effort last year.

McLaren wrote:So is the course playing tougher at the moment than when it did during the US open last year?

through three rounds: Easier, with a weaker field

Round … USO … ATT
One … 74.10 … 73.59
Two … 73.08 … 72.99
Three … 71.92 … 71.86
Four … 71.44 … n/a
Avg* … 73.28 … 72.93

*Average through Three rounds

I ma glad I asked the question, as like kiwni I assumed due to firmer faster greens it was playing harder. Seems so far it is not, although things could change over the course of today i guess.

At the open it got easier from round 3 to 4, it does not look like this will happen again. I bet Mciltoy would like to see the winning score around the mark Jason Day shot last year as it may show he won by so many on a similarly difficult course.

I am no great technical expert but does anyone else think that Tigers lower body set up looks a lot like Hogan's?

http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?q=ben+hogan&hl=en&safe=off&sa=X&rlz=1C1ASUT_en-GBGB425GB425&biw=1366&bih=643&tbs=isz:m&tbm=isch&prmd=imvnsbo&tbnid=UbWeBHnSF_ygnM:&imgrefurl=http://bettergolfswing.hubpages.com/hub/How-To-Hit-A-Driver-With-Power&docid=vDooztu6PJRy2M&imgurl=http://s3.hubimg.com/u/4927606_f520.jpg&w=520&h=296&ei=O5bwT9zJEM368QPDwuGODQ&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=733&vpy=322&dur=468&hovh=168&hovw=296&tx=205&ty=111&sig=117216036446325504058&page=2&tbnh=98&tbnw=172&start=24&ndsp=29&ved=1t:429,r:26,s:24,i:259