PGA Tour: What a Way to Run a Major: Notes from the Ballwasher

First topic message reminder :

1).Congratulations to Adam Scott, Living proof that nice guys sometimes finish first.

But, really!
Never has a major sporting event seemed to be nothing more than public intrusion on a private party. We noted a few months ago the passing of the great Frank Keating, and it is worth recalling words from Matthew Engel's Guardian tribute, which included:
"After a last hurrah (well, not much of a hurrah - he hated the whole fiasco) at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics . . . " etc.
Those same Olympics run by President and CEO, Billy Payne (an ugly precursor to Romney at Salt Lake City), now Lord High Executioner of The Masters.

2).But have events of the past tournament served to forfeit Augusta National's "right" to manage a Major? From the capricious invitations, through various rulings, to the uneven (from day to day) condition of the greens this was a "major" Masters too far.
I missed Tiger-gate on Friday evening, attending instead a "Town Meeting" held by our US Senator accompanied by hard-hitting investigative journalist Matt Taibbi who writes for Rolling Stone and follows the banking fiascos of the past six years from "Too Big To Fail" to "Too Big To Jail". Kinda wondered about that when word started to surface about possible malfeasance on the 15th.
One of Taibbi's oft-quoted phrases is his description of Goldman Sachs which I can't help but think applies equally to Billy Payne:
"A great vampire squid wrapped around the face of humanity, relentlessly jamming its blood funnel into anything that smells like money."
Step down Billy, before you strangle the Masters.

3).One immediate change that The Masters should announce immediately is a requirement for a Rules Official to walk with each group every round. They currently follow the PGA Tour's policy of stationing eight Rules guys strategically around the course to be called on in the event of a decision being deemed necessary.
Whatever the rights and wrongs of Guan's slow-play penalty and the Woods fiasco, it is likely that a travelling official would have improved the likelihood of avoiding penalties.

4).Nice story on yahoo.sports about Cabrera and Scott at the 2009 Presidents Cup. Scott had been mired in a slump but was controversially named a Captain(Norman)'s Choice for the International Team. Norman wanted to connect him with a partner whom he thought could help steady Scott's nerves.
Masters Champion Cabrera spoke up: "I'll play with him", telling Adam: "You're a great, great player", the start of a strong relationship betwen the two.
Hard lines this time on Angel, but great to see Adam win.

5).And, to be fair, I underestimated his ability to compete this strongly on such a sparse schedule, the same number of events played this season as the semi-retired Stricker. Other surprises to moi:
For better: Jason Day. Still not convinced about Jason Day, still only one minor, struggling, win on Tour. Suspect he'll win his next event from way ahead or way behind.
For worse: Obviously Mickelson had a horrible week as, to a lesser extent, did Hanson, McDowell and Rose.
But I got this one right: Tiger beat himself.

6).With the changes Chief Payne announced last week, only the top 12 qualify for next year. Those not previously exempt are: Day, Leishman, Olesen, Sneeedeker, Garcia, Westwood, Huh, Clark.
Hard luck stories, those who finished in the Top 16 and would normally get a 2014 invite, but not now!:
Toms, Dustin, Watney.

7).Phew! The traditional post-Masters breath of fresh air is blowing in to Hilton Head, the start of the "Pete Dye Swing" (three of the next four weeks are at Dye designs) or the "Banking Swing", RBC, Zurich and Wells Fargo.
Normally I'd fancy Luke Donald big time this week but can't help feeling his game right now has fallen from the elite; but lovely Harbour Town is a course specialist design, shortish, fairways where positioning is key, and tiny greens. Gay, Furyk and Snedeker won in 2009, 2010 and 2011 respectively and you'd fancy Tim Clark around here.

8).A strong field includes Colsaerts, Donaldson, Hanson, Kaymer (also falling from the elite level?), McDowell, Sterne as well as the usual suspects including Lukey. The Tour's "Carolina Boys" are out in force and I look forward to a great week on a beautiful course. "International" players are on a roll now though, and I like Badds (won in 2006) and Clark to contend at least.

9).The Champions Tour rev up their zimmer frames again in Atlanta, at the TPC Sugarloaf where the old Atlanta tournament was held for twelve years. The typically short list of Europeans will be there, including Messrs Langer and Lyle who both performed with credit last week while some of their more overweight contemporaries sank faster than the Belgrano, Woosnam, O'Meara and Stadler among them.

10).It was announced yesterday that Tianlong Guan has received a sponsors' invitation in to the New Orleans tournament next week. Pity the poor sods grouped with him who get to watch his funereal "pace".

PS: Lots of heads turning this week to the real world and the atrocities in Boston. Close to home for the one Tour member who lives there, James Driscoll whose drum is a couple of blocks away from the carnage. Thoughts to everyone there, as well as to those who were victims of atrocities in GB&I funded by organizations based in Boston.

So Luuuke's got sidetracked trying to add length (and presumably consistency) to his drives.

Meanwhile Westy's lost his tee-to-green consistency by working on his short game.

Could they enter as a foursome/pair for the majors? Westy tee to green and Luuuke around the green?! Wouldn't even need to worry about the pressure on Sunday, they'd be miles ahead.......

However, I wouldn't have thought now was the time to be writing anyone off, what with Adam finally getting a first major, especially after what happened last July. So there's hope for both of them - and Sergio!! Maybe time to turn to the broomhandle?

But just to add some balance, a couple of years ago this board was full of Kaymer vs Rory chat, and how Kaymer would be at the top for years to come.....

Withdrawal after playing two holes in even par by Peter Hanson.
What's wrong with Hanson this year? Poor form and seemingly carrying an injury or two. Only Top 12 this year has been an 8th place at the Cadillac.

Luke - My guess an occasional star shine here and there, but I don't expect him to compete with the likes of Tiger or Rory on any regular basis. A major? Would not be surprised either way.

O'Hair on life support.

How hard is it on the big tour? Just ask Euro Tour standout Colsaerts. Only 3 cuts made out of 7 events. 1 top 10.

Sr,
I think Colsaerts' success or otherwise is a reflection of the courses he's been playing rather than ability or difficulty on the PGA Tour. Remember he's on Tour in the first place because of earnings in America, plus Lytham.

I think it's a criticism we level at many of the Europeans that they play tournaments on courses that are unsuited to their game.

As for Luke, I don't think there's been an average-length golfer since the days of Player, Trevino, Nelson and Irwin that's had consistent success in the biggest Championships that hasn't had significantly greater-than-average-length . . . . . Olazabal and Nick Price probably the last of mid-length multiple major winners.


Tiler,
Remember that Kaymer found success and then started messing around with his swing - we never know!

Indeed Kwini, but who's to say Rory won't do the same, or be distracted by off-course issues? Yet no-one is predicting anything other than greatness for Rory.

I know it's part of the fun of debating, but it seems to me many are too quick to write off one player, as they are to big up the next.

It's only 18 months ago that Luke was the best player in the world (I think in most educated golf observers' eyes). No question his game has fallen some distance since then, but he's still relatively young and no reason to think he can't get back to the same levels or even better. Of course 2011 could well be the heights of Luke's career, too early to say either way, which is kind of my laboured point here....

no one making a big move good for jason

Tiler,
You're right of course!
Only thing I would say with Luke is that, like Stricker, Toms, Furyk, Molinari, Tim Clark and many others, he has to have every facet of their game in perfect working order to compete on some of the longer, more wide open Championship courses. And that applied to the 2011 Model Luke as well as this year's version.


GJ,
Badds is blowing up; what's that all about? Miss church??

kwinigolfer wrote:Tiler,
You're right of course!
Only thing I would say with Luke is that, like Stricker, Toms, Furyk, Molinari, Tim Clark and many others, he has to have every facet of their game in perfect working order to compete on some of the longer, more wide open Championship courses. And that applied to the 2011 Model Luke as well as this year's version.


GJ,
Badds is blowing up; what's that all about? Miss church??

no idea kwin hes seems to have lost the plot with his game

hope jason isnt affected by bad weather

kwin

Do you think jason has a good chance of getting title 2 this week ?

GJ,
He's got the game, but does he have the head?
I'll believe it when I see it

They were saying something last week about him trying to stimulate one half of his brain to work properly. Through electrocution or something.

Will this be the latest "mad fad"?

Don't panic, The British are coming!

Davis 1st
Lukey and McDo 3rd

both bogey 3

British in retreat!!

And another John Daly fiasco.

Shot Tracker is seriously still messed up. Check out how John Daly played hole #8 473 yd par 4.

Drive - 135 yds to Right rough
2nd Shot - 349 yds to Right rough

(3rd shot-5th shots are reasonable)

IIRC, They get most of the PGATour statistics from Shot Tracker, like Strokes Gained Putting.

How can we trust these numbers when they make these kind of mistakes all the time?

Confirmation on Twitter that Olesen has accepted Special Temporary Membership. Will be playing next week in New Orleans.

Strange to think that when the Q-school changes came in last year, we were bemoaning the fact that it was closing an avenue on to tour for European players, and that the "play your way" alternative via non-member earnings that was held up as the alternative would be a tall ask. And this year, the consensus is it's been a slow start for the Europeans, with lots of US success.
Yet there's already been two Europeans earning STM, Olesen and Gonzo, with Siem and Lowry not a million miles away either, and we're still only in April.

What a fantastic golf course. More of this type please. Very special.

NedB-H wrote:
Strange to think that when the Q-school changes came in last year, we were bemoaning the fact that it was closing an avenue on to tour for European players, and that the "play your way" alternative via non-member earnings that was held up as the alternative would be a tall ask. And this year, the consensus is it's been a slow start for the Europeans, with lots of US success.
Yet there's already been two Europeans earning STM, Olesen and Gonzo, with Siem and Lowry not a million miles away either, and we're still only in April.

Yeah... I was trying to make that point last year... but basically fell on deaf ears. Bottom line first: With the new system it's probably easier than ever for a "decent" European to gain access to the PGAT than it's ever been... that is IF a guy is really serious about wanting to get onto the tour in the first place. Consider the following...

1) The European's really didn't lose much with the loss of q-school as a direct avenue because VERY few Euro's even came over to try it in the first place. Who we would see would be the Chopra's, Davis', Fisher's... or in other words... mostly guys who were already "Americanized' anyway. Yes there have been exceptions... but not many.

2) For any of the TOP Euro players... with co-sanctioning, getting Special Temporary should be a snap. They have 8 possible BIG events to make equivalent to #150... and then they have unlimited exemptions to get inside #125. Plus with the non-member limit at 12... almost any even half way reasonable name will get all the extra Sponsor Exemptions he needs to get up to the max.

3) But it's not bad for the next tier down either either to get in the Web.com playoff. Any non-member player earning equivalent to #200 FedEx points gets in. The expected benchmark for top-200 this year will be around 100 points. That's equivalent to one 6th place finish in a regular PGAT event... or roughly two top-25's. For a European OWGR top-100-150 guy... and given 7-12 events to get it done... NOT an unreasonable high hurdle.

My contention is if a guy can't do at least as well as needed in #2 or #3 to either earn his card outright or qualify for the new web.com playoff... then he probably would have had a pretty lousy chance at getting in through q-school anyway. I also contend that if a guy is good enough to play on the PGAT... then the new web.com playoff works to his advantage over what q-school would have been. In the past a Euro who might qualify for 2nd or final stage... had that one or two weeks they HAD to play well. One bad round could end their hopes. But in a cumulative 4 event series I believe the cream has a MUCH better chance to rise to the top. A good player can afford a bad event, or two, or possibly even 3... as long as they play good, great or fantastic in the remaining 3, 2 or 1 event(s).

As it stands now... All the following Euro guys are all but guaranteed a spot in the Web.com playoffs if they were to chose to play are: Rafael Cabrera Bello, Marcus Fraser and F Molinari are close but should be over the line. Matteo Manassero, Alexander Noren, Branden Grace, Shane Lowry, Marcel Siem are locks to get in... and of course Gonzo and Olesen should they not get their card. Donaldson, Gallacher and Jamieson aren't that far out, if they want it they could max exemptions with no problem.

Now sure... that "cinderella" story (Norlander) ain't happening because a euro who does nothing here has no access to the playoffs... but if he's serious about playing over here... there's still q-school to get into the web.com tour... not a bad avenue.


EDIT: and by the way.... if Luke goes on to win this week and in the process shoves about half of my earlier comments right up my *-hole.... good for him. I'd be pleased to see him win this week (or any week for that matter). But even a win at a Harbor Town doesn't change my long view, not without a lot more. IMO Luke's has his moment in the sun... he might provide a few more lightning bolts... but I just don't see him as an solid OWGR top-10 kind of guy for much longer.... I just don't think he's gonna be able to finish high enough, often enough.

Hope you've underestimated Luke Donald there robo, but certainly he's been going through a rough patch and needs to satraighten things out, literally and figuratively, if he's not to prove you right!

Brian Davis off to a poor start in Round 2 - touch and go whether he finishes his round tonight or has to complete it Saturday.

No-one breaking through the six-under barrier!

GPB wrote:And another John Daly fiasco.

Shot Tracker is seriously still messed up. Check out how John Daly played hole #8 473 yd par 4.

Drive - 135 yds to Right rough
2nd Shot - 349 yds to Right rough

(3rd shot-5th shots are reasonable)

IIRC, They get most of the PGATour statistics from Shot Tracker, like Strokes Gained Putting.

How can we trust these numbers when they make these kind of mistakes all the time?

I believe the stats like SGP and all the others are fine once they get officially added to the season totals at weeks end. I've seen for myself that you can't always go by the web application shot tracker in real time. It was seriously messed up earlier in the year, and still there are issues that can come up on a hole by hole basis... even if working properly. But they have a built in audit procedure that takes any shot out of a normal parameter and sets it up for further review. Some of those reviews are immediate... some take a while... and I don't think all the corrections necessarily get back to the online shot tracker application.... but I believe they do get back into data set used for official stats.

My guess... the items that are easily observed out in the open... such as where balls are on the green which would be used to calculate SGP are VERY reliable, but it wouldn't surprise me if from time to time an error on a ball that goes well awry (like your Daly example) might be mis-pin pointed and possibly even never "EXACTLY" corrected. Let's watch the Daly hole you brought up... and see if it changes.

puligny,
Lovely course, lovely place.
One quibble with the PGA Tour is the way they have the Par-3 14th set up, almost certain to demand golfers to play defensively from 185 yards, when it's designed to be 160 yds max.
They don't need to lengthen holes like that.

Robo as of 5:30 pm HHI time. no change in the Daly shottracker on 8

Jesper P is sleeping on a 5'5" putt to finish his round.

He makes and he makes the cut.

Me Misses and he probably makes the cut along with about 20 other players...unless Colsaerts, Palmer, or Wittenburg birdie their last hole.

Yep, a great chance that 90 something players make the cut. if they go with split tees (which is almost a certainty), it is going to be one SLOW round of golf on that tiny course.

Parnevik can do Mark Russell and the PGAT field staff if he makes that putt.

If they have 90+ plus players make the cut, it is one of those times when the PGAT should not even try to finish before 6 pm for TV. If they can finish the round before 8 am tomorrow morning, make the cut, start third round at 8:30 and go with two somes and 8 minute increments. You can get the last group off by 2:30 pm and should be done by 7 pm.

EDIT: OOPS GPB... Didn't see your post above when I started to compose mine... what's that "great minds" thing.... ?

Odd situation... Play was suspended with Jesper Parnevik on the 18th green with a 5' 5" putt remaining. If Jesper makes... about 20 guys at +2 are pretty sure to miss the cut. (There are 3 other guys at -1 or -2 who would need a monumental choke)

If Jesper misses... it's not sure all those +2's make it... either Wittenberg, Colsaerts or Palmer (all at +2) could still make a birdie coming in on their last hole or two.

Wonder if Jesper is getting a few "looks" int the locker room...

GPB wrote:Robo as of 5:30 pm HHI time. no change in the Daly shottracker on 8

Yeah... looks like they still have the drive mis-spotted. But hey... who knows... it's John Daley... maybe that's really where he hit his drive, then he skulled a 2-iron out of the trees... then hit a succession of turtles bounding the ball all the way to the green...

Robo: Didn't you calculate that the Vijay/Bambi suspension could be postponed to like this week?

Well this week has come and gone and he is still playing (well he is going to Miss the cut).

Unless something is announced next week, I guess he is not going to get suspended.

GPB wrote:Robo: Didn't you calculate that the Vijay/Bambi suspension could be postponed to like this week?

Well this week has come and gone and he is still playing (well he is going to Miss the cut).

Unless something is announced next week, I guess he is not going to get suspended.

Yep.... this is about as far as I thought it could have gone. When I originally posted the time frame as per the manual... About the only thing that I thought could possibly extend the time frame was if there was an added testing period of the actual deer antler spray stuff Vijay used to determine if it really had the banned ingredient.

Looks like a cold, damp morning in the Low Country; hopefully the course will be fit to start play on time (8.00 a.m. EDT), then presumably no Round 2 until at least 9.00 a.m., more likely between 9.30 and 10.00.

Strange situation with the Camilo, Jesper, Jason group as Jason and Jesper both needed to par 18 to be sure of making the cut. Jason bogeyed but Jesper still has to putt - will Parnevik give a dog a Bohn?! Jason Bohn gets to play unless Parnevik misses and a few others fail to birdie their final hole(s).

A middling sort of field for next week in New Orleans. Top 50 players include:
KBradley
Choi (maybe not still top 50 but is in my mind )
Colsaerts
Dufner
Els
Fowler
Garrigus
Jacobson
Olesen
Rose
MThompson
Watney
Bubba
(Surprised not to see Stricker there)

Plus Davis, Karlsson, Lowry, Owen etc.

PS: Would think they've GOT to sanction Vijay somehow - as Tiger says: "Rules are rules". A lot of explaining if just a slap on the wrist.

pgatour.com up to their tricks again; any action at Harbour Town shrouded in mystery, although there's no mention of a delay. Or anything else for that matter.

Pathetic really - they provided a better service ten years ago; not so comprehensive, perhaps, but at least they got the core things right and on time.

Time for a re-think Timmy.

kwinigolfer wrote:pgatour.com up to their tricks again; any action at Harbour Town shrouded in mystery, although there's no mention of a delay. Or anything else for that matter.

Pathetic really - they provided a better service ten years ago; not so comprehensive, perhaps, but at least they got the core things right and on time.

Time for a re-think Timmy.

Yeah... pretty astonishing they can't even maintain a timely scoreboard... Bizarre really... I mean they have all but unlimited resources, they should be able to get at least a scoring application functioning.

Good thing there is no 10 shot rule this week. 107 players at +4 or better.

PGAT Media tweeted that they started 30 minutes ago. But Live Scoring has not updated.

Jesper should either be put on the clock or the guys or the PGAT should WAKE UP!

GPB wrote:Good thing there is no 10 shot rule this week. 107 players at +4 or better.

PGAT Media tweeted that they started 30 minutes ago. But Live Scoring has not updated.

Jesper should either be put on the clock or the guys or the PGAT should WAKE UP!

Jesper missed... it's down to Wittenberg to chip in from 8 yards on his 18th (#9) to move the cut back to -1. The others who could have made a difference (Colsearts and Palmer) are finished at +2

EDIT: Wittenberg finished +2. 91 players make the cut

and it looks like 91 players make the cut.

Get ready for a 6 hour rounds gentlemen!

They would be better off playing 4-somes but I don't think their regulations allow it.


Edit: Looks like Luke List and Fabian Gomez came up with mysterious ailments this morning and WDed.

Don't suppose the public will complain if they get to see Mahan, Snedeker, Colsaerts and Zach for another day - no reason, apart from their poor form so far, why one of these can't win. Only 8 behind and stranger things have happened.

91 it is!

GPB wrote:and it looks like 91 players make the cut.

Get ready for a 6 hour rounds gentlemen!

They would be better off playing 4-somes but I don't think their regulations allow it.

Actually I don't think there's a specific prohibition to groupings of 4... but I can't recall having ever seen it except for Pro-Am formats. This all that is said about the Groupings in the Rules Manual.

Groupings
In PGA TOUR cosponsored and coordinated tournaments groupings shall be
drawn in groups of three players. Following a reduction of field, groupings shall
be drawn in pairs, or as otherwise determined by the Tournament Director due
to existing circumstances (e.g., lack of daylight).

Notice they didn't specify a range that "otherwise" could be defined as in the underline portion... which I suppose technically leaves groups of 4 as a [unlikely] possibility.


GPB: I've never worked out the math... but perhaps groups at three all starting starting at #1 would be a possiblity?

And Jesper just tweeted: @JesperParnevik Everybody in the field at +2, put your envelopes in my locker...

91 players made the 36-hole cut at RBC Heritage, tying the record since 1970 (1981 Travelers Championship).

Robo: 91 players = 29 groups of 3 and 2 groups of 2. 31 total groups.

w/ 10 minute increments that will take 5 hrs 10 min to tee every groups. Last group tees off about 2 pm assuming a 8:50 start. Finish time = 7 pm tonight.

They would be better off with 2 someones and 8 minutes increments. 14:42 last tee off time + 4 hours = 6:42 pm finish time.

Jesper passing the hat? (Hope the money is official for his sake).

The third rd. of the RBC Heritage will be played in threesomes off tee Nos. 1 and 10 between 10:00 a.m.-12:30 p.m.

Round 3 Pairings... http://tinyurl.com/boq5t3d

Colsearts, Wittenburg, Owen, and Palmer are in for a very long day.

Not sure why Owen was put into this group of 4 players (and not Parnevik) as he was done yesterday, while Colsearts, Wittenburg, and Palmer (like Jesper) finished this morning.

Has anyone heard an updated medical bulletin for Mr.X/

I see he's in the four-day declarations for next week's Demaret Division of the Legends, partnering Jim Ferree.

Perhaps X and Kostis need to have a chat. Is it Miller Time, or Miller's time?

Jim Ferree, one of the fathers of anchoring - on the subject of which a nice interview with Charlie Owens in a two-weeks-ago Golf World.

GPB wrote:Colsearts, Wittenburg, Owen, and Palmer are in for a very long day.

Not sure why Owen was put into this group of 4 players (and not Parnevik) as he was done yesterday, while Colsearts, Wittenburg, and Palmer (like Jesper) finished this morning.

Yeah... it does seem odd. Wittenberg, Colsaerts and Palmer finished after Parnevik this morning but it certainly does appear as though Owen finished last night (6pm according to shot tracker). But the main leaderboard and Shot Tracker "Players full field view" show Owen listed after Parnevik.

Just guessing... but I wonder if they pushed Owen (a notorious slow player) into the twosomes... Palmer's another infamous snail... Those two playing together, even in a sea of threesomes, will probably think "man it sure is playing fast today"...

kwinigolfer wrote:Has anyone heard an updated medical bulletin for Mr.X/

I see he's in the four-day declarations for next week's Demaret Division of the Legends, partnering Jim Ferree.

Perhaps X and Kostis need to have a chat. Is it Miller Time, or Miller's time?

Jim Ferree, one of the fathers of anchoring - on the subject of which a nice interview with Charlie Owens in a two-weeks-ago Golf World.

Kwini, I mis typed earlier in the week, it was Peter Kessler (and not Peter Kostis) who was tweeting for prayers for Mr X.


Here is the field in the Demaret Division. Hope there is some coverage.

1. Tommy Aaron / Lou Graham
2. Jim Albus / Jim Dent
3. Butch Baird / Larry Laoretti
4. Miller Barber / Jim Ferree
5. Frank Beard / Larry Ziegler
6. Don Bies / Tom Shaw
7. Homero Blancas/ BobbyNichols
8. Billy Casper / Ken Still
9. Jim Colbert / Bob Murphy
10. Charles Coody / Dale Douglass
11. Bruce Devlin / Larry Mowry
12. Lee Elder / Doug Sanders
13. Dow Finsterwald / Bob Goalby
14. Jack Fleck / Bob Toski
15. Doug Ford / Billy Maxwell
16. Al Geiberger / Jimmy Powell
17. Gibby Gilbert / J.C. Snead
18. Fred Hawkins / Howie Johnson
19. Mike Hill / Lee Trevino
20. Tommy Jacobs / Johnny Pott
21. Don January / Gene Littler
22. Jack Nicklaus / Gary Player


I used to play some golf with Gibby Gilbert in the Chattanooga area back in the 1980's.

GPB,
I remember when Gibby Gilbert won a Champo event (in KC?) with Grier Jones on his bag - two good pros from forty years ago!

Hope Barber is OK regardless.

GPB wrote:

Kwini, I mis typed earlier in the week, it was Peter Kessler (and not Peter Kostis) who was tweeting for prayers for Mr X.

I dunno GPB... I think you had it right the first time...

‏@peterjkostis To all my followers who know golf, say a prayer for Miller Barber. A true gentleman, great golfer and friend. He's fighting but it's bad.

robopz wrote:

GPB wrote:

Kwini, I mis typed earlier in the week, it was Peter Kessler (and not Peter Kostis) who was tweeting for prayers for Mr X.

I dunno GPB... I think you had it right the first time...

‏@peterjkostis To all my followers who know golf, say a prayer for Miller Barber. A true gentleman, great golfer and friend. He's fighting but it's bad.

I picked a bad week to give up amphetamines.

kwinigolfer wrote:GPB,
I remember when Gibby Gilbert won a Champo event (in KC?) with Grier Jones on his bag - two good pros from forty years ago!

Hope Barber is OK regardless.

I remember a reporter asking Grier Jones what he was thinking when Nicklaus birdied the last 5 holes to beat him in the old Jackie Gleason tournament in Ft Lauderdale.

Grier said: "Nice Shot Jack, Nice Shot Jack, Nice Shot Jack, Nice Shot Jack, Nice Shot Jack"

Here are some pictures of Mr X, through the years.

http://www.golfcourier.com/news/story/57338/barber-through-the-years/full_story.html

Kwini, Gibby was unbeatable in the Chattanooga area as he was nearing 50. At that time, I was off Mondays and the local Club Pros used to have either an official PGA pro am or an impromptu gambling match. I was pretty good friends with my local pro so I was nearly invited to play. I was a about 10 Handicap at the time, (and one of the worse players) I got teamed with Gibby fairly often (as Gibby's handicap). We played a 2 best ball and 3 best ball. No matter what course we played, Gibby would almost always shoot in the mid 60's. I don't remember the exact circumstances, but Lanny Wadkins showed up at one these Monday events and I got teamed up with him. It was right after he lost the 1987 PGA Championship at PGA National to Larry Nelson.

His son, Gibby, Jr, was pretty good as well, but just not good enough to make it on tour. I don't know what Gibby is doing these days but I would guess that he is still running the pro shop at the Brainard Muni in Chattanooga.

And also, during those years I used to play a lot with Vance Randall. If anyone know who Vance Randall is without googling I will call you a real golf fan. (or to get a life ) Hint: Vance was one of the best in history in his particular niche of golf.

Kind of crazy how close this leaderboard is. Thinking Dufner will go close to winning this weekend!

GPB,
Strange to see Don (Bones) January with a beer gut . . . . !

Who is going to penetrate the 6-under ceiling?

Jason Day off to a good start, maybe it will be him?

kwinigolfer wrote:GPB,
Strange to see Don (Bones) January with a beer gut . . . . !

Who is going to penetrate the 6-under ceiling?

Jason Day off to a good start, maybe it will be him?

Yes, Don January looks like he weighs twice what he used to weigh when he was playing. GC coveraged that event in Houston (I think Robo was there watching) and it looked like January was about to keel over.

Everyone says the Billy Casper has been one of the most under-rated golfers ever. I would like to nominate his boyhood friend, Gene (the Machine) Littler, 29 tour wins during the Palmer-Nicklaus-Casper-Player era is nothing to sneeze at.

SLOW DOWN BOYS!!

KJ Choi - BVP - Jerry Kelly hit their 2nd shots on Hole #8 at 11:45 am

They won't be able to tee off #10 until 12:30 pm.

GPB.... I got an answer to the Tee Time situation...

Assuming a bunch of players finish at the same score, priority for the next round is NOT necessarily determined by actual order of finish... instead it is determined by order of START. So take the following example...

Round 2 Tee times:
#1 Tee - 12:10 = Sam=F.1, Bill=F.2, John=F.3
#10 Tee - 12:10 = Phil=B.1, Bob=B.2, Glen=B.3

Assuming the ALL SIX finish at the same score... the priority for round 3 pairings will remain exactly the same... The ORDER in which they teed off in round 2... Those teeing off on #1 in round-2 are 1-2-3... those teeing of on #10 in round-2 would be 4-5-6. It does not matter if those who start on the back actually finish before those with the same tee time. (Such as Owen did by finishing last night)

So looking at the +2 finishers for Round 2 here is the pairing priority for round 3 (all based on round 2 starting priority)

R2 Starting time - B=Back, F=Front - 1, 2 or 3 after decimal is the order of start within 2nd round group

7:10 am B.2 - Barnes, Ricky
7:20 am B.2 - Hearn, David
7:30 am F.2 - Jobe, Brandt
7:30 am F.3 - Hahn, James
7:30 am B.2 - Driscoll, James
8:00 am F.2 - Mahan, Hunter
8:10 am F.1 - Wilson, Mark
8:10 am B.2 - Bradley, Michael
8:20 am B.3 - Every, Matt
8:40 am F.1 - Weekley, Boo
12:10 pm F.3 - Harman, Brian
12:20 pm F.3 - Immelman, Trevor
12:20 pm B.1 - Crane, Ben
12:30 pm F.1 - Snedeker, Brandt
12:30 pm B.1 - Johnson, Zach
1:10 pm F.1 - Bohn, Jason
1:10 pm F.3 - Parnevik, Jesper
1:10 pm B.2 - Owen, Greg
1:20 pm F.1 - Palmer, Ryan
1:20 pm F.3 - Colsaerts, Nicolas
1:40 pm B.1 - Wittenberg, Casey