PGA Tour: "Wells Fargo Championship" etc: Notes from the Ballwasher

First topic message reminder :

1).Well, Billy Horschel finally got what's been coming to him, and good for him. Parts of his final 27 holes (played in 13 under par) were Tigeresque, and perhaps it was Saturday's back nine 31 that really did the job for him as he'd started Round 3 slowly. DA Points gave him quite the run for his money, and you've gotta pull for a guy who always thanks the fans for coming and applauds the galleries as he leaves the 72nd hole, but this was Horschel's week.

2).We've talked several times about Horschel's incendiary temperament but there's never been any doubting his ability to hit golf shots and the big question now is, "Will he move on to new heights?" or "Will he turn in to Anthony Kim?". Even money, I'd say.

3).Regardless, Horschel was reflective of past exhibitions, especially the 2011 McGladrey, in his victory interview: "I didn't play very well (understatement, particularly when he started shanking and effectively lost his playing card, ed!). But what hurt most was the way I handled myself on the golfcourse. It was pretty pathetic in my mind. I got called out on it by family and friends (and) that was a big turning point."
No word on the 2007 Walker Cup . . . .

4).Horschel has seemed like he's holing every putt he's looked at (including 49 out of 49 inside five feet at the Zurich) this past month, but one person who's not is Justin Rose. Horschel only missed one green on Sunday yet Justin led the field in greens hit in regulation AND proximity to the hole for the week but struggled in 15th place. Incredibly, Rose's short game stats for the season are:
Sand saves: 1st.
Scrambling: 5th.
Strokes gained putting: 142nd . . . .
. . . . which almost beggars belief.

5).Finally, before leaving New Orleans, a word about Lucas Glover. Since injuring himself at Kapalua last year he's been deep in the doldrums. Came back too early, played poorly and ended up shutting it down for the year late last summer.
Lucas can look a miserable ba5tard on the course, tall but always walks with his head in his chest. But he's a fabulous driver of the golfball, has something of an old-fashioned swing and is a very interesting interview with deep voice and dry humour.
Clearly he was a celebrity for a week in 2009 following his US Open win but, as far as one understands, he kept every single one of his playing commitments - we followed him a few days later in the Travelers tournament he was widely expected to miss. He was applauded virtually the whole way round the course, actually looked fans in the eye to acknowledge the new-found fame, and one hoped it would be the start of a special career. Alas, he has just the one win, at Quail Hollow in 2011, since then and mislaid his wife along the way. But he's happily (presumably) remarried and expects a pair of Baby Glovers in the coming fortnight.
A good ol' boy, still young enough to re-make his mark.

6).And speaking of Quail Hollow (we have to remind ourselves this is a golfcourse, not the intellectual assessment of a former US VP): is this week's "Wells Fargo Championship" in Charlotte slipping into the B list of non-majors after being close to the top of the tree for a decade?
It seems to have joined the long list of events dissed by Tiger Woods. In the ten previous years of the event, he's been a non-starter four times and missed the cut the last twice he showed up. That'll do it, despite his 2007 win; wonder if he'll be back?
And we're missing other leading players, Bradley, DJohnson (allegedly injured - we'll see, but he's a local boy and contended here in Rory's year), Snedeker, Rose, Scott, almost all the leading Saffers, McDowell, Stricker, Donald, Kuchar, Day and Dufner.

7).Charlotte's Quail Hollow is a George Cobb design updated 15 years ago by Tom Fazio. They're scheduled to host the 2017 PGA Championship and plan to replace their bent grass greens with Bermuda (allegedly for late summer heat resistance qualities). But unrelated problems with the 8th and 10th greens have brought forward that plan so all the greens will be dug up for Bermuda later this spring. By all accounts the two dodgy greens had no grass on them nine days ago and have been completely returfed!
Hope they've consulted Phil Mickelson who said in 2010:
"For as beautifully designed as this golfcourse is tee to green, the greens are by far the worst designed greens we play on Tour. Even though they're in immaculate shape."

8).Wells Fargo's contract is up next year and no word yet as to whether they will renew. Surely someone will pick it up, it's a fabulous tournament, great crowds in a golf-crazy area with no competing major sports in April to deflect attention.
And Phil is here, Rory too, with a decent international contingent including Cabrera (who has form here), Kaymer, Westwood, Poulter, Colsaerts, Stenson, Matteo and Sergio (who has just the game to win here and should have done in 2005). They are joined by the usual contingent of Carolina boys led by Bill Haas and Webb Simpson and the 2011 play-off combatants Byrd and Glover, plus defending champ Rickie Fowler. No Billy Horschel though.

9).This week's winner will qualify, if not already exempt, for next week's "The Players Championship". I'm not quite sure how they "seal" the field, as in past years the Tour has shown its moronic side and sent a couple of pairs off as twosomes amidst a field of consenting threesomes. Luke Guthrie, Brian Stuard and James Hahn are reportedly the first three alternates.
I expect Haas and Simpson to contend this week, but would really like to see Ross Fisher find his game on a course perfectly suited to his customarily excellent tee-to-green game; Westwood too of course, but does this come too close to his 40th birthday celebrations?

10).And then there's Vijay. He beat a slumping Sergio and Furyk in a play-off here eight years ago and he'll be walking the fairways with Harrington and Immelman, perhaps offering a deer antler spray dissertation. If so, he's not saying anything to anyone else and it seems as if no self-respecting golf scribe has lost the opportunity to condemn the PGA Tour for not taking action against Vijay so far. Even Greg Norman got into the act but probably to give Finchem a dig more than Singh.
As they say, Watch this space.
(Finchem offering an interview in a few minutes so hopefully he'll be put on the spot.)

You should lose your tour card if you mention it.
Sports stars, musicians, actors etc should just keep their wacky beliefs to themselves.

Free to share your opinions ... all part of what happens when someone shoves a microphone under your mouth. Why anyone would care what Bubba thinks outside the confines of the professional game is beyond me.

Skipping the US Open? Whatever you -- the professional golfer -- thinks is best for your game makes perfect sense to me. Certainly nothing to get upset about, IMO.

And when someone shoves a microphone or camera in front of Bubba he often shows himself to be an idiot so I suppose in some respects it's funny as he lives up to the American Redneck stereotype

Agree about missing tournaments. Nothing wrong with it. Plenty people give Palmer's Tournament the middle finger or give TPC a miss.

let's be honest, the us open doesn't really carry the same sense of romance as an open or a masters on this side of the pond. lawrie would be unlikely to think of a us open win matching his open win. in the same way that if mcilroy's career ended now, he would more than likely switch his uspga and usopen wins for a claret jug and a green jacket if he could in a heartbeat. good thing for him is he'll more than likely get his hands on all 4 by the end of his career.

Maybe it is just me but I don't think Mcilroy is a huge fan of the Open.

sirbenson wrote:Also shocked at how Bubba Watson's comments have all but gone unnoticed in the golfing media......surely he should be fined at the very least (a ban would be what I hope)

I am not surprised the golf media has let homophobic comments go, but you are correct that his sentiments are shocking and show just what an unpleasant individual he is.

I am looking forward to kwini's article this week as I am sure he will give bubba's comments the response they require.

Shotrock - when bubba has as many people reading his twitter comments as he does, It is clear that homophobic sentiments voiced through his twitter account could cause a lot of hurt to people reading them. For a young golf fan, who is coming to terms with thier sexuality, to log onto twitter and read someone they admired in some way make such hateful comments is just unacceptable.

I have always said on here that golf is homophobic and the lack of a reaction to bubba's comments is further proof of this.

Mac, there is far more to dislike about Watson than there is to like, I sincerely doubt there is anyone who would consider him their hero or a role model.

Mac - Not sure I would paint "all" golf as such, but the men's professional game certainly is dominated by white, republican-minded neocon sentiment. No doubt a result of the environment which the game grew from (privileged country club origins).

Interestingly, does anyone not think the women's professional game doesn't have their fair share (or more) of gay competitors, not to mention ardent fans? We've all heard the "dykes on spikes" comments, etc.

It would be unfair to paint everyone involved with the game as homophobic but it is fair to assume - especially after the bubba comment - that there are no sections of the sport willing to fight such prejudice. To me, doing nothing is almost as bad as making the comment in the first place.

Mac,
No interest in Watson's remarks in the context of this week's "Players" - previous comments more than suffice, by moi and others.

I would repeat something I've mentioned before, and that is that the most insightful sports person I've ever met is a long-time LPGA Golfer, multiple winner who announced almost 20 years ago what everyone already thought they knew anyway, that she is a lesbian.
We chatted for what seemed the entirety of a trans-continental flight and Golf couldn't have a more charming, respectful, engaged ambassador.

Unlike Watson.

I don't think his comments were particularly vindictive, abusive or even homophobic by definition, even though I really dislike the guy, I think he was merely voicing his opinion. Whether we agree with it is another matter.

It didn't surprise me that he said it. American bible thumpers often hold such hilarious views. He's got history of putting engaging his mouth before his microscopic brain.

mclaren- can you point out the part of Bubba's comment thats homophobic?

VJ to sue pga tour. What a guy.

McLaren wrote:VJ to sue pga tour. What a guy.

answer the question. what parts of Bubba's comments were homophobic?

The bit where he supported someone quoting the parts of the bible used to condemn homosexuals.

Watson blasphemic as well.

For me it doesn't matter that he didn't openly state his opposition to homosexuality, he thanked the man who did for sharing his faith in the bible... essentially he stood up and clapped (and roared mashed potatoes) through the forum of Twitter. It just illustrates how intolerant and idiotic these pious, bible thumping zealots are when you scratch below the surface.

to not openly support homosexuality or guy sportsmen is not illegal. it's pretty stupid in today's day and age. but I would not condemn anyone on sharing their views whatever way they swing.

Regarding David Lynn. I read once that he didn't fancy playing a major he is not exempt for. unsure if this is true, hoe did he get in the pga which he came second?

beninho wrote:

Regarding David Lynn. I read once that he didn't fancy playing a major he is not exempt for. unsure if this is true, hoe did he get in the pga which he came second?

I have always found him a bit of a nearly man, I don't like to use the word choker but I am sure others might use it to describe him. He could have won a few more tournaments than he has and I don't mean big events, I mean in pretty cold European tour events. He never looks comfortable when contending on a Sunday. I have been quite surprised by how he has taken to the PGA tour... I suspect the typical set up over there just fits in well with him and the similarity from week to week has brought out some consistency in him.