PGA Tour: This ain't no Disco, This Is LA: Notes from the Ballwasher

1).Sheryl's right, and All I Wanna Do is turn on the TV and watch golf at Riviera Country Club, site this week of the "Northern Trust Open".
This week's field is stacked. Only Luke Donald of the owgr top six will be on hand, but after that the field is rammed; according to the Tour, three top-ten players from last week not gaining entry via their status level into the following week's tournament is "very rare". Withdrawals mean they're all in now, but this is just another manifestation of the short season, more guys uncertain of their status playing more often.
And probably not risking "a good beer buzz early in the morning", "while the sun comes up over Santa Monica Boulevard".

2).More of that later while we acknowledge the fabulous three weeks Brandt Snedeker has enjoyed, 2nd at Torrey Pines, 2nd at Phoenix, winner at Pebble Beach. How things change; despite winning the Tour Championship and FedEx jackpot, Brandt was a bit-part player in the Ryder Cup and took a right thumping from Paul Lawrie in the singles.
He's a very pleasing guy to follow, is a brilliant putter, but those who applaud him for his speedy pace of play have clearly not been paying attention to the interminable pre-shot debates between him and caddie Scott Vail. Sure he then steps right up and whacks it straight away, but that dawdle at Immelman's Masters was no mirage - Sneds can be slow! And now he's taking three weeks off with sore ribs.

3).Only McIlroy won more money on-course than Snedeker last year, but I was intrigued by Golf Digest's recent listing of golfers' earnings "off course". Those making $10M from sponsorship and other off-course pursuits were:
$77M: Woods
40M: Mickelson
36M: Palmer
28M: Nicklaus
17M: Norman
14M: Els
14M: Player
10M: Garcia
Ishikawa, Donald and Westwood close behind.

4).Golf Digest has been publishing their "Golf Digest 50" top eaners for ten years now and these guys have made it every year:
Couples, Els, Furyk, Garcia, Goosen, Harrington, Love,
Mickelson, Montgomerie, Nicklaus, Norman, Palmer, Player, Woods (Tiger's total earnings over his career estimated at $1,233,179,092.)
Figure that each of those 14 earned an average of at least $10M each of those ten years, and you don't have to be Phil Mickelson's accountant to realise they're well over the $100M mark, PLUS the biggest bonus of all, the PGA Tour pension scheme (sorry Colin, but you can start earning when you make your Champions Tour debut).

5).Vijay Singh plays again this week; pity he won't be paired with Greg Owen, the well-known Mansfield Stag. But he has the woefully out-of-form Geoff Ogilvy instead and perhaps they can find something amusing in each other's plight.
A commentator last night talking about the political circle jerk that's going on in Washington right now suggested President Obama take heed of an old Chinese saying (and I paraphrase as I can't find the full quote ):
Chinese generals would build an elegant bridge across which their adversary could retreat with dignity.
Vijay and Commish Finchie are going round in circles of their own and each needs to find a way to move on, backwards or forwards, with dignity.
Seems a long way off right now and the continued silence and speculation does nothing to help the Tour.

6).Regardless, Singh (that one anyway) and Ogilvy look Presidents Cup long shots, as indeed does Nick Price's prospective team. Current qualifying positions held by:
Oosthuizen, Scott, Schwartzel, Els, Grace, Coetzee, Day, Senden, Fujita, Fraser.
Followed by potential wildcards: Jaidee, Sterne, Clark, Choi, de Jonge, Wiratchant.
Compared to Melbourne fifteen months ago Allenby, Baddeley, Goosen, Ishikawa, Kim, Ogilvy and Yang are all awol (as to be fair, most of them were at Royal Melbourne).

7).George Thomas's gem at Riviera is rated by Tour Pros ahead of Pebble Beach and in 3rd place overall among the courses the Tour visits annually. Not for nothing do Donald, Els, Garcia, McDowell, Schwartzel, Scott etc choose to start their Tour season here and us lucky TV viewers (wonder if our mate "venice" will be going?) will enjoy terrific golf on a classic lay-out. Watching the strategy unfold on the short par-4 10th is always a highlight of the golfing year. Par 71 and, if fog can stay away, a fine week in prospect, warming up every day.

8).Europe is strongly represented. Still not sure how Ross Fisher squeezed in to the event, but Karlsson is just one of a number of web.com/Q-School grads not to make the field. Given McDowell's successes at the Tiger benefit and US Open at Pebble Beach, I'm intrigued to see how he plays here.
Luke Donald has a fine Riviera record, Harrington (so disappointing last week) has some decent finishes, and Phil has two wins and two second places here in the past six years. California guys will once again have an edge (Stadler and Tringale decent long-shots?), but I like the e.w. chances of two past winners here both showing signs of return to form: HowellIII and Baddeley.

9).Rocco Mediate won his Champions Tour debut last week, putting brilliantly. Surprised to hear Azinger say that Mediate (no sponsor but wearing a TRUMP! cap) is right up there with the best "ball strikers" he's played with, on a par with Couples, Toms and Watson. With Vijay turning 50 next week, but no other Tour players of note hitting the big 5-0 until an avalanche next year, now is the time for Mediate, Elkington etc to make some hay. More action this week in Naples, Florida.

10).Bernhard Langer finished second last week and has accumulated $10M in five Champions Tour years. He's secure on the Champions Tour for as long as he wants to keep getting richer, but life promises to be a real grind for the British Champions Tour members, Chapman, Mouland and Lyle.
The exemption process for the Champions Tour is so obtuse that I can't find whether Chapman's exemption for winning the Senior PGA and Senior Open gains him a 12-month or a 24-month ticket. Regardless, it's the only significant status he has and it'll behove him, and Q-School grad Mark Mouland, to play every week as they strive for the top-30 money status that'll ensure they get to return in 2014.
Lyle seems to be a peripheral figure on the course these days, playing by virtue of his Hall of Fame status, and this reeks of being a ceremonial weekly appearance that takes a spot from a more deserving figure. Montgomerie will enjoy the same largesse, but let's hope he earns it more than Lyle appears capable of doing.

Thanks Kwini.
I have been to Riviera when I was on a motorbike tour of western USA and saw the signs for the PGA Championship that Elkington won. Followed Faldo for his round.
My question is, you mention that 3 top finishers of last week only got in because of withdrawals. I thought top 10 place gained you a spot in the next tournament automatically whatever their status? Has this changed?

Hi,
That was the tournament that Ernie should have won, then Montgomerie!

Well, that's the "very rare" thing. They are admitted to the next "open" tournament but their status is below the usuals: Major winners, winners the past two yrs, top 125 etc, but ahead of web.commers and Q-School grads.
Because of limited daylight, there is also a limited field size, probably 132, and guys are just playing more events earlier in the (short) season.

So they were all originally excluded, Cantlay, Hahn and Reed. All's well that ends well and there've been enough withdrawals to get them in.

Thanks Kwini, understood

Kwini - very lyrical, hope your weather is improving? I am lifting my self imposed ban on tv golf coverage from US, although it has only been in place for a week, to get a look at Riviera. I am told the course/clubhouse with more stories than any other!
Interesting doping stories from Espana today - dogs blood, Spanish and Brazilian footballers, a witness dying of heart attack day before giving evidence!

kwinigolfer wrote:8).Europe is strongly represented. Still not sure how Ross Fisher squeezed in to the event

Fisher was a sponsors exemption... as were Cantlay, Couples, Guthrie, LeBrun, D.H. Lee, Pavin and Jeremiah Wooding gets the "He can't break an egg at this level but we want to feel good about ourselves so lets give him our 'opportunity' exemption". Michael Block is the PGA Section representative.

robo, Thought he must have been, right at the last minute I imagine. Does Cantlay now have to use his invite or can he play via last week's top ten?

Cheers Kwini.
If I would be betting, I'd place a tenner on Phil, a fiver on Sergio, a couple of bucks on Keegan Bradley and some spare change on Freddie J.

Three of my faves (sorry Keegs) mighty, hope your notional wager is successful.
Another with past success at Riviera is JB Holmes; never out of the top 12 in his past five visits, 7th, 6th, 3rd, 12th, 8th; and good luck to him anyway, following his brain surgery 18 months ago.

Early start on the left coast - the first groups out will be on the practice range already (floodlights I presume?) with coffee and bacon butties, preparing for a 6.40 a.m. kick-off.
Forecast is fine, temps warming into the 70's today, close to 80F Friday and Saturday, cooling on Sunday. Could be breezy and St.Padraig reports the course is playing faster and firmer than usual.

Cheers kwini, didn't know you listened to Sheryl Crow... After all she did hang around with one of sports biggests cheaters, Lance Armstrong...

Nice write up. I fancy Adam Scott to do well. Curious to see which Sergio will show up, otherwise I have a hard time seeing which Europeans will contend.

Could have been interesting to see if Sneds could have continued his run, but it seems he'll stay in the owgr top 5 for most of the year anyway.

First blood: CHIII on +3 after 3 consecutive bogeys on the first 3 holes. Dead last of the 30 out there. Jim Furyk leading the pack (-2 after 2)

CHIII
Badds

Cheers peds,
Westwood going well . . . .
Sergio played himself right in this last year until he caught sight of his name on the leaderboard and went to pieces - would this year's (post-Greensboro) model do the same?

kwinigolfer wrote:robo, Thought he must have been, right at the last minute I imagine. Does Cantlay now have to use his invite or can he play via last week's top ten?

Cantlay got his SE a couple of weeks ago.

The situation is since they got down through only 2 of the 3 category 24 (top-10's from last week) and Cantlay was behind Hahn and Reed, he technically remains 1st alternate. So barring another WD, this will count against Cantlay's non-member exemption limit. But YES... he can still use his Pebble top-10 at the Honda, without it counting against his Exemption limit.

HOWEVER... it makes "almost" no difference either way. Cantlay was going to burn one of his 7 exemptions here anyway... and regardless if he gets his bonus top-10 start this week or at Honda.. the result is the same... the top-10 gives him 8 events instead of his prior 7 limit.

I say "almost no difference" because it could still affect WHICH 8 events he plays. I don't yet know if he has an exemption lined up for Honda or not. So if there is a WD today and he burns his top-10 this week... he may or may not be in the Honda. If he doesn't need his top-10 this week, he MUST use it at Honda or lose it.

PS... 4 of the SE's going to members category 26 (reshuffle medicals) or above doesn't play into this situation at all.. because MEMBER is the operative word in that requirement... and Cantlay is NOT a member.

Thanks robo

He must be relieved at some decent form - pretty much fizzled in 2012 after being the latest bright young thing in 2011.

Bad bogey for lw1.

kwinigolfer wrote:
Westwood going well . . . .

Of course he is, it's early on Thursday. He'll get to -2 or -3, chuck in a couple of bogeys or a double and finish top 10-15 after round 1. Then similar Friday, moving day will be in the wrong direction and then fair to middling Sunday, ending up 10 behind.

Edit: just looked and sure enough, a bogey 6 takes him from -2 to -1.

You're welcome Kwini...

...and I just checked... 3 exemptions for Honda so far... Foreign Exemptions go to Manaserro and Grace... Paul Casey gets a Member not otherwise exempt SE. So there will still be the 4 web.com/Q-school exemptions to award, at least one more Member not otherwise exempt and two unrestricted.

Interesting... TWO Harrington's in the field this week... Padraig plus 4-spotter Scott Harrington

Has Fisher just 4-putted from inside 5ft?! I know his problem has always been reading the greens in the US, but that's ridiculous.

Ned,
According to shot-tracker he four-putted from inside 5 feet.


robo:
I look forward to your eye-witness reports from the Honda!
Come up to Hartford or Oak Hill and I'll buy you a beer.

Kwini... I "semi" retired after Hawaii this year. I'm in L.A. but more because my son lives here than work, but they put me on. I won't be at Honda, but will be at Tampa and Bay Hill. We have friends in Tampa so I'll probably end up working some... and WILL work the full week at Bay Hill. I'll work in an entirely different capacity in my home town event Houston, and in some capacity at San Antonio. But after that... it's real sketchy.... maybe I'll choose to be busy... maybe I won't... :-)

Cheers kwini

I backed Kooch to do well this year and maybe even sneak a major. Not the most predictable golfer out there, but we'll see...
Jacobson seems to be on the money so far this start of the season. If he finishes solo 27(ish) or better this week, he'll pass Lowry in the ranks and we'll be back to the Rory vs Shane match next week (if there won't be any other WDs)...

But hey, what is David Lynn doing so high up there...?

PS. Cheers robo, great to hear Matteo is playing Honda!

Boys from the Midlands doing quite nicely . . . .

Vijay playing like a deer in the headlights on a course he has previous on.

And: Terrible from O'Hair. Playing like Reagan - as if he'd rather be in Philadelphia.

Look for a WD from Mr. O'Hair ... just awful.

Kuchar throws up a fine round however!

"WD from Mr. O'Hair".
Right on cue: WD.

"throws up" and "Kuchar" in the same sentence seems somewhat appropriate.

Sorry . . . .

Picked two Spanish names in the FT this week, Garcia and Perez, and they both started well. Could Sergio go and win this? I think he can...

Fine round for David Lynn.
But some of the galacticos look a bit undercooked.

Webb Simpson looks quite different with very short hair - but that putting stroke looks just the same. Still, his short back and sides should earn him the front pew on Sunday morning.

Luuuuuuuuuuke!!!!

Good to wake up to see sergio shooting 65 and one off lead...

A few comments on the top earners.

I'm surprised the legends are still making so much money and surprised Rory did not make the top 10. He must be a definite to get into the top 3 or 5 this year with his Nike contract and playing in the States.

Reminds me of a story Doug Sanders told when he came up to sunny Aberdeen to support his World Junior Championship at the King Links. He always did a Q&A at one of the three clubs. Someone asked, "Who will be the next big name in golf?" or similar. Doug's reply was a young guy called Tom Kite who he played with recently. He said Tom Kite wasn't any better than the other top young guys, but because he had no personality at all (I recall Doug was a little more specific) his only income would come from tournaments therefore he will end up winning more to pay the bills.

Scottie - That's a fascinating story - and an obvious trap not just for the world class players like Rory, but also for the journeymen. Once you've carved out a comfortable living and see some "easier" money with endorsements and Monday/Tuesday outings it becomes a career choice. Fuzzy Zoeller said he made more money and had more fun Monday - Wednesday than the rest of the week.

Wasn't Dave Stockton the king of the corporate outings? Not surprising he never lost his putting stroke.


Six withdrawals/dq's already and hopefully there's a message from Finchem in everyone's locker this morning telling the players to get a move on today with six threesomes still to complete Round 1.


Fine effort by the European contingent yesterday, Harrington and Pettersson excepted. Seven Europeans in the leading 27 golfers led by Sergio's surge.

Another warm day in prospect. Thought Riviera looked fabulous yesterday, one of the Tour courses I'd love to play and one of the tournaments I'd love to attend!

Looks like the cut will be even par, or perhaps one over, so plenty of hard work ahead for Blixt, Fisher, Laird, McDowell and Harrington if they want to play the weekend.

SERGIO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Edit: Sergio

Interesting quote from Judd Trump in a BBC snooker report:
"I still don't feel 100% in the balls."
Wonder if any of our golfing favourites feel the same way?


Lots of early birds (and Sergio's eagle) at Riviera this morning.

Haven't even realised this thing started...

Sergioooo!!!!

...and some new life in Mr. Bae this year, or is he just playing well at the begining of the season?

Any idea why was Marino DQed?

Luuuke!!

If we'll end up with a battle between Sregio, Charl, Luke and maybe Lee as well, would make for very nice weekend indeed...

Marino d/q'd for entering an incorrect score on his scorecard. As he was (at least!) seven over par, perhaps it was deliberate.

As the course firms up, plus the threat of a stronger breeze, the leading morning players could find themselves in a strong position going in to Saturday's play.

But Harrington and Laird not taking advantage.

Today looks like a reshuffling of the pack so far, no-one really making a break for it at the head of the field, Sang-Moon Bae the possible exception.

Luke Donald looks as if he's playing the long par 3 fourth hole has a par-4 for the second day running. Par four yesterday then, but a chip in from 25 yds today for an "eagle" 2!

Sergio leaking a little oil.

Cut line still at +1.

Not the finish Sergio wanted.
And a short week for Harrington (doesn't do his chances for the Cadillac any good) and McDowell.

I had another glimpse at the LB and I just wanted to find out who the heck is Blayne Barber and all I found was a piece with this quote from him after that leaf incident at the Q-school:

"...ultimately I want to convey that I just feel like I'm following my calling and playing for the glory of God and I just want that to be the focus of my career and what I'm doing."

That's clear then, back to follow the big asteroid now...
(BTW, if you're worried, it just paassed the Earth a few minutes ago, so we're all right... for now)

Barber was at Q-School and earned a pat on the back from on high for owning up for a previous day's indiscretion. On yer bike, Blayne, back to bible-punching Auburn, Jason Dufner country.
Good performance here though.

Faldo contradicting my thought earlier and saying these afternoon guys have an advantage today. That'll suggest the cut could advance to even par.

Freddie Jac motoring early in his second round - you can tell he doesn't fancy playing Rory.

Westwood playing beautifully, just needs that putter to warm up a touch.

Blimey! Brian Davis making a rare appearance in the Top Twenty. -3 for the day and a couple of good results here in the past. Fish and David Lynn also under par for the day on a course you'd fancy them to play well on.

Dismal birdie putt effort from Lee - he needs to get his show back on the road.

Looks like they must have finished in the Riviera gloaming, but moronic play by Nicholas Colsaerts (+5 over 16, 17 and 18 including 3 putts from 8ft on #18) pushed the cut to +2.

David Lynn also squandered strokes as the sun was setting but lives to fight another day, as does Ross Fisher despite missing a 3ft birdie putt late in his round.

An MDF in force for Round 3 but that won't bother Jacobson (tied for the lead), Donald (5th) and Westwood (6th), all in contention (along with short-hair Simpson and King Charl) heading into Round 3. Kuchar, Garcia, Mickelson, Scott and Els among those hot on their heels.

And my fantasy team taking one hell of a beating.

Looking forward to Riviera's Round 3, but just a look back at yesterday, and Bernhard Langer's clinical ten under par 62 in the Champo Tour - three shot lead.
The man's a machine and would certainly still be a significant figure on the PGA Tour, on half the courses at least.
Roger Chapman T10 and that's the pace he needs to maintain, Mouland not too bad, Lyle 46th, which is about his mark in this company.

Think this thread is dying on the vine.

Lots of USGA & PGA Tour rhetoric recently about slow play.
Cabrera, Perez and Jobe (and you know he's a patient man) finish 9 holes, two holes ahead of the guys behind (Wi, Steele and JJ Henry) them and are rewarded with at least a thirty minute wait on the 10th tee. Time for the Tour to get its sh1t together.

Horrid start from Peter Hanson, but expect him to have a good year in his debut season.

30 min waits?

That can't be good for anyone's game. Is it down to two tee starts or just plain slow play?

It's not just the players that are slow Kwini. PGATour.com leaderboard over 30 minutes behind and at least 2 holes.

Nay, It's down to a relatively compact course, two-tee starts (no idea why they didn't go in twosomes early in the a.m., and the first threesome getting a move on. And that same threesome now have to complete their round behind the slow coaches who went out last.
All for TV.


Grumps, No, I made the comment ages before the site went on the blink (and, by the way, doesn't it always? Not surprising CDW doesn't advertise much nowadays about their prowess handling the data! Jodrell Bankers.)

Is King Charl going to run away with this one as well in the end..?

Tough luck for Freddie from that kikuyu grass at the 5th, hope he can recover quickly...

Think they must have The Flinstones carving the leaderboard out on a stone tablet. I just happened to look at it just after the Golf Channel coverage ended and saw the last group were apparently on the third hole when Freddie was actually walking to the 6th tee.

Lukey, Rollins and a bunch of others in need of a compass and going the wrong direction on moving day.

It's a day to go low as Mr. Haase is letting the field know.