PGA Tour: Gone to Carolina: Notes from the Ballwasher

1).Not sure that was my favourite ever Masters, but no getting away from Bubba's dominance on Sunday. Plenty of back-nine wobbles on Saturday, but a back-nine procession on Sunday.
Well done Bubba Watson. You may be a strange one, but two Green Jackets is a fabulous achievement, well earned.
 
2).'Course, if you play a Par-5 with driver/sand wedge, it surely helps. Plenty of curiosity as to whether The Masters Committee might try and Bubba-proof their iconic lay-out, but Watson was:
1st in driving distance.
13th in fairways hit.
5th in greens in regulation.
16th in putting.
Tough to Bubba-proof that.
 
3).And: What do these eight golfers have in common?
Blixt, Jimenez, Senden, Stadler, McIlroy, Walker, Kirk & Gallacher?
They all made more birdies over the four rounds than Jerry Watson Jr.
Incredible that they were so far behind, 14 strokes in Stephen Gallacher's case, but he had a fine tournament, all except for his Saturday relapse. Imagine he might fare quite nicely next year, now he knows his way around. Meanwhile, he'll be relaxing at Harbour Town this week, along with compadres Knox and Laird.
 
4).Plenty of disappointment for the European contingent, but 6 in the Top 13 wasn't bad, matching 6 Americans, 9 in the Top 19 vs 8 from the U.S. - we just didn't get the "W". Not many huge surprises from last week's expectations, probably Thomas Bjorn on the plus side for me, and Garcia in the minus column.
(4th place Jimenez and 8th place Langer play on the Champions Tour in Atlanta this week. Good luck to them, especially Miguel who's making his Senior debut.)
 
5).But that's enough about Augusta, Georgia on my mind, now it's Carolina in my mind, from Ray Charles to James Taylor. The first of three events in four weeks on Pete Dye courses is coming up starting Thursday, at his early masterpiece, Harbour Town Golf Links, on idyllic Hilton Head Island.
Don't think the weather will be idyllic though. Billy Payne lucked out last week with "Chamber of Commerce" conditions in the middle of a meteorological apocalypse here in the Eastern part of the "States". (In BTV it was 81F Monday, three inches of snow Tuesday evening.)
The "RBC Heritage" is likely to be played under grey skies, with a significant breeze and the possibility of rain.
 
6).The PGA Tour is well in to the second half of its pre-FedEx Play-Off season now, and plenty of Europeans are at serious risk of failing to qualify and, more important, losing their card for 2014/15.
These luminaries are 100th and worse and will have no status for next year unless they pull their respective fingers out, without going thru' the WTF series:
116th: Gonzo
124th: Lingmerth
145th: Hanson
162nd: Casey
166th: Lynn
174th: Colsaerts
193rd: Harrington (he could take a one-time career money exemption and, like Casey, will always retain Past Champion status).
196th: Olesen
202nd: Owen
 
7).Harbour Town is certainly a "horses for courses" tournament, exemplified by Luke Donald's 2 x seconds and 2 x thirds in the past five years. Lukey certainly needs something good to happen to his season, but the magic just doesn't seem to be there these days. Wouldn't bet on him right now, but wouldn't discourage it either.
Furyk is another with a historically hot hand here; in form and has a win, 2 x seconds and plenty of Top Tens.
Europeans have won the past two years with Pettersson and McDowell, and some guy called Faldo was champion thirty years ago and joins Tom Watson in a ceremonial reappearance. What's the point?
 
8).Matt Fitzpatrick is in the field and did you ever see a golfer look more heartbroken than when he missed the putt on his 36th hole last week that would have ensured weekend play?
 
9).Welcome news from Australia that Jarrod Lyle will make three "rehab" appearances on the web.com's summer calendar, in preparation for contesting the WTF series later. Even if he doesn't qualify, he'll still have plenty of Medical Extension starts on the 2014/15 PGA Tour schedule.
And good news from a fortnight ago in Houston is that Retief Goosen fulfilled the requirements of his medical free pass and has (almost) full status restored, as does Houston's own Shawn Stefani.
 
10).Finally, back to Augusta National.
Don't know whether it was the course set-up, capricious breezes or poor play, but The Masters is getting progressively less exciting. Gone are the traditional back-nine charges from the golfers, roars from the fans; efficiency but no electricity from the golfers. Interesting perhaps, but hardly inspiring or entrancing.
 
And: What does CBS and ESPN achieve by their ever more unctuous commentaries? I would have thought saying it a little more like it is would at least save some self respect even if they lost the contract. Faldo has been one of the least offensive in this regard, and Peter Kostis retains his dignity too. But the rest are just awful.
There'll be a breath of fresh air wafting across Calibogue Sound this week. Perhaps it might even permeate the commentary box.

kwinigolfer wrote:
Matt Fitzpatrick is in the field and did you ever see a golfer look more heartbroken than when he missed the putt on his 36th hole last week that would have ensured weekend play?
 

I was refreshing to see - someone gutted at not getting to play on even when there was no money on the line.

Harbour Town - one of the nicest courses on tour, a great finishing hole and the most awful garish winners jacket.


(Excellent write up as ever)

Good news from Commissioner Finchem:
The Players has scrapped its sudden death play-off system which started at the ridiculous 17th hole.
Instead, it will follow the lead of the PGA Championship by holding a three-hole, aggregate score, play-off: 16, 17 & 18.

He could have done even better by blowing up the 17th, but this is the next best thing.


Also: Tiger confidante Notah Begay suggests Woods will be a US Open no-show but expects him back in late summer. Consider the tournaments that he might return at then:
Travelers? No chance.
Congressional: That's a Tiger tournament but surely too early unless he plans to go to Hoylake.
Greenbrier: A possibility - remember he received a stonking appearance fee a few years ago, just to show his appreciation by sleep-walking to a missed cut.
John Deere: No chance.
Hoylake: Can't see him travelling unless he's had some kind of warm up.
Royal Montreal's Canadian Open: Site of a rare missed cut many years ago and an indifferent record there in the 2007 Pres Cup. No!
Bridgestone: I'd say this is odds-on if he wishes to participate in the FedEX Play-Offs. Plus: He'd surely want to get some "reps" in if he had any intention of playing Gleneagles.
PGA Championship: Don't see this being his first outing.
Greensboro: Doubt it - he'd almost have to win to qualify for the Play-Offs so what's the point?

So I reckon it's Bridgestone or missing the Ryder Cup, travelling the world for dollars, and waiting until the 2014/2015 season.
All pure speculation of course!

Notah Begay III should know, did he not suffer terrible back problems that eventually ended his career?

Is even tiger stubborn enough to shun tournaments based on prior schedules if playing in them could aid his comeback? He will want to get as many majors in as possible, and on the stubborn theme would it be a surprise to see him ignore advice and tee up at pinehurst? It's not like he has managed his injuries well in the past.

I heard something about a team tournament in South America that he is supposed to play with Matt Kuchar. But it is the week of McGladreys and I would think Kuchar wants to play McGladreys in his back yard.

Mac,
I think he will choose his next tournament venue very carefully - don't imagine that he would see any value in playing a course with which he was not familiar.
 
I see Finchem has come out this morning saying he considers it doubtful "we're going to see him play golf in May or June".

GPB: That deal w/Kuchar is in Argentina - who knows what guys will do for money these days? Kuchar and his family love to travel on the appearance fee gravy train.

 
And: On the injury front Jason Day is apparently nursing his thumb until The Players.

Steve Elkington is back on the Champions Tour circuit after a month's absence which is widely construed as constituting a one month suspension for offensive Twitterage.
Hope he misses the season-ending Schwab tournament by one dollar. Idiot and, unlike Bubba, we know Elk knows better.

It'll be an uncharacteristically cool start to this morning's action at Harbour Town, temps in the 40's and a light breeze that will surely pick up as the day goes on.

Rainy and cool Friday, showery and cool for the weekend and windy thru'out. At least, that's what the forecasters say. Possible early advantage to those teeing off Thursday a.m. and Friday p.m. (which could be Saturday).

Bob,
One of the disappointments about Harbour Town is that there is no sense of being beside the seaside on any of the first 16 holes, just the Par-3 17th and, especially, the famous 18th. Small quibble however, I love the place!

Good to see the first threesome off #1 racing around the front nine in less than 2 hrs: Maggert, Hearn & Peterson. They'll be slowed down soon enough.

Casey, Davis and Knox all in the early top ten.

Kwini

Have you been tracking the starts available to WTF graduates? I see a few stories highlighting the lack of starts for those who finished down the order.

Mac,
I don't track them player-by-player but robo, GPB and I have been anticipating the problem and writing about it since last autumn.

There will be opportunities for them at New Orleans for sure, Quail Hollow for most, but not The Players.
Then Byron Nelson yes, Colonial and Memorial no chance, Memphis yes, US Open no!
Hartford OK, Congressional no, Greenbrier OK, John Deere yes, Canada OK, Reno OK (but only half FedEx points which is a big handicap for them) and Greensboro OK for some, probably not all.

It's a rip off!

I will find the story and post it.

Hi

It was a tweet and link provided by Shackleford.

http://www.geoffshackelford.com/homepage/2014/4/16/wtf-one-graduate-has-exactly-one-2013-14-pga-tour-start.html

http://www.golfchannel.com/news/golf-central/pac-discusses-lack-playing-opportunities-webcom-graduates/

Seems medical exemptions have contributed to the problem.

Mac,
Of course, Shack is just telling half the truth.
Closer examination will show that Alverado was injured during the WTF series and so started at the bottom of the rankings. He didn't become active until earlier this year.
Still, it IS an issue and I would respectfully suggest it is only partly caused by the exemptions reported.

It's exacerbated by sponsor's invitations awarded to a select few time and time again, John Daly being the worst example, but Casey is another to have benefitted plus certain well-connected amateurs, usually college players.

One could go on, Seniors playing the PGA Tour and not supporting the Champo Tour - several of them this week, and not just Faldo and Watson.
Too many Invitationals with obsolescent entry criteria.
A brain-dead system of awarding ranking status out of the web.com/WTF series.
Etc, etc.

LOL, I always thought the WTF finals was snark. I never realized "WTF" was the actual acronym.

Anyways, I have no problems with PGAT sponsors giving exemptions to Daly, Casey, Faldo or even Michelle Wie. They pony up millions of dollars and they are entitled to invite anyone that they want.

The problem with the PGATour is about 200 players have playing privileges and 200 players trying to fit into 130 spots is like trying to a put a square peg into a round hole.

I think it will slowly correct itself next season.
There has been a perfect storm in 13/14 with lots of exemptions and STM's that are unlikely to be repeated. Plus the loss of two tournaments.
EDIT! Plus: I don't think there's a money-earning safety net (for retaining one's card by being in the Top 125 moneywinners, but not FedEx points) in 13/14. That saved four or five guys, including Colsaerts & Hanson, last year.
 
There's an extra "fall" tournament for 14/15 and a LOT of players will be losing status or "ageing up" to the Champo Tour. Far fewer players on Medical Exemptions also.
 
Fully understand GPB's invitation argument but sponsors and the PAC can't have their cake and gorge on it too; there has to be a happy medium that suits all.

 
Still trying to figure out why I added McDowell to my fantasy team.

Tom Watson's longevity is incredible. And Woods' body is in pieces at age 38. Go figure.

inconti,
It's difficult to remember nowadays; when Watson was 38 his body was fine, but it looked like his game was in pieces.
He gradually returned it to something resembling that of his glory years, remarkable really.

Faldo taking some hear for depriving a WTF graduate a spot in the RBC.  Seems 1st alternate Hudson Swafford missed out when Faldo decided to play.


https://twitter.com/joshbroadaway1 ‏

@joshbroadaway1 wrote:Faldo...REALLY??? Get back in the booth and give the guys a chance to play that are trying to keep their job!! #STEWPID

Also; http://www.golfdigest.com/blogs/the-loop/2014/04/faldoreally-get-back-in-the-bo.html


Would people rather see a past champ like Faldo play or someone trying to make their way on the PGA tour?

I see no reason for Faldo to be given a tee time.  I have always thought all past champion status should be removed from tournament qualifying criteria.  Except defending champion.

I have no problem with Tom Watson and Nick Faldo playing in Hilton Head and do not think they are taking a spot away from a WEBBIE.

IMO, Its a bigger problem that Greg Chalmers played 8 holes and WDed.

RBC is ponying up millions of dollars and Watson/Faldo are going to give them more exposure than some random Webbies.

GPB

Could faldo and watson not play in a special group/event on the wednesday, to keep the sponsors happy.

Would you like to see Nigel Mansell drive a couple of grand Prix a year to keep a sponsor happy?

I am saying this full sincerity. Who is Nigel Mansell? I honestly don't know who he is.

RBC invited Faldo and Watson to play and they are exempt.

Who would have thought a guy that has finished played 4 events on the Champions Tour and finished T53, T37, T70, and T63 would easily make the cut at Augusta while 4 top 12 players did make the cut at Augusta. (Larry Mize)

And another guy whose best finish on the Champions Tour this year is T26 made the cut in TWO Majors last year and one Major this year.

The list of players who have made cuts in three consecutive majors is not very long and Sandy Lyle is on it.

My issue is that there is a clear set of criteria that can be used based on current (fedex, web.com) or at least recent history (OWGR) performance. So even if on a one off occasion a "historic" player does well, did they even deserve to be there in the first place?

As we saw a club champ can put a good round together on masters moving day, but we know it means nothing as he didn't put the past performances in to warrant being there. I guess the inclusion of former champions is ground we have covered many times on here but I can't shake the feeling golf is an oddity for allowing uncompetitive players in its premier events.


PS Nigel Mansell, was one of the 80's and early 90's best F1 drivers. Mixing it with, and beating the likes of Senna and prost.


PPS, senna and prost were the best F1 drivers of the 80's and early 90's.   

GPB,
Not sure Snakey deserves your wrath; just his 3rd w/d (because of back problems apparently) in 349 starts.
I believe there are better known golfers who have w/d'd more frequently due to back injury.

Interesting that no-name numb-nuts from the mini-tours are criticizing Faldo and not Watson . . . . . .

It looks as if the morning's play at Harbour Town should be completed, but heavy rain and strong winds become progressively more likely through the afternoon (and in to tonight).
60F degrees as the first balls are launched, 15 - 20 mph winds already.

Hope you are well Kwini. Just popped my head in because I thought Faldo taking a slot would cause a stir. Not really bothered much with this forum recently. Too many dicks I am afraid. Anyway my take on this is that Faldo had a sponsors invite and decided to take it as it is 30 years since his first PGA win in this very event. He never plays The Masters even though he is entitled and so not sure why he and Watson should be singled out. What about Glen all Day taking a spot of someone? Can't imagine anyone would want to watch him?

Hi Nick,
Very well thanks! You too, I hope.
Unfortunately sirnick is a polarising figure, unlike Glen All Day - comments could just as easily apply to him and to half a dozen others.
Normally it wouldn't be an issue would it, because the guys at the bottom of the web.com grad reshuffle would be getting enough starts?
But the Tour c0cked up the status opportunities and should probably have applied some controls over the carte blanche invites to the Invitationals, the Sam Saunders, John Daly, DiMarco types and asked Bay Hill, Colonial, Heritage, Memorial etc to be more inclusive in their invites.
 
Still rankles that t0sspots like Broadaway should be bellyaching about Faldo and not Watson.
 
Reminds me of when I first started to follow the PGA Tour closely and Jerry Barber would turn up at Tour events because he was exempt for the PGA Tour, but not the Senior Tour!
 
Meanwhile, I see that Lumpy and Mallinger are taking their Medical Extensions towards the top of the leaderboard!
 
 
On a lighter subject, I see thereev is once again imparting his consummate knowledge and unique perspective on pgatour.com:
"Hope this helps you pinstickers with thereev's deep insight in to the world of golf."!!!!!

How close did Pablo get to the "Full Monty" in Malaysia after Hornets attacked him.

I saw a video where he was waving a towel like a wildman and then a him in a pond w/o a shirt.

And somehow he finished his round, with what looked like dry clothes.

I have no particular animus towards Chalmers. I just don't like to see Mid tournament WDs, from anyone. Especially WDs half way through the round. Chalmers just fit the profile yesterday.

Actually Faldo and Watson did not get Sponsors Exemptions into RBC Heritage.

Heritage is an Invitational and they have different exemption classes than regular tournaments.

The #1 Exemption into Heritage is Past Champs from the Year 2000 and prior and in the last five years. So Watson and Faldo both qualify as prior winners.

And BTW, Watson is a Life Member of the PGAT. He can play any regular PGATournament he wants. 20 Lifetime wins is required. There are only three active players who have this exemption. Tiger, Phil, and Vijay. Ernie is one win away.

GPB,
Understand all that but you're splitting hairs regarding exemptions vs invitations. My suggestion was/is that the PGA Tour should have mitigate the problem they created with the WTF series reshuffle by persuading the Invitationals to amend their entry criteria.

Regardless, my status is as it ever was . . . . difficult to feel too aggrieved over the entitlements or otherwise of millionaires.


Sublime vs ridiculous early this morning:
Fitzpatrick quickly to -3 for the day, St.Luke to -2. Both T3.
Laird even more precipitously to +6. He's lost it!!

Kwini: Sponsors come first. They are the customer here. If they want Watson and Faldo, and Watson and Faldo agree, they should play.

I can say that if I pay a huge sum of money to play in the RBC pro-am on Wednesday, I would want to be paired with Tom Watson or Nick Faldo (even John Daly) a lot more than I would want to be teamed with Hudson Swafford or Josh Broadaway.

Blaming Faldo and Watson for this problem is like blaming your stuffy nose when you got influenza.

The problem with the WEBBIES is the policies of the PGATour and that is the Players themselves (and no one, particularly Finchem, at PGAT HQ).

It looks like the PAC and Tour Council are getting the message, thankfully and there is some speculation that the top 125 will be reduced to something lower (I think 100 should be the number).

As written elsewhere, what we have right now is just a one-off confluence of circumstances precipitated by the Tour and their WTF mis-step, grievances held most strongly by those who played well and were high up "the 25", but played poorly in the Finals series.

They'd be crazy to change the exempt 125 when it's been working perfectly well for 35-ish years.

I get all you say about the sponsors, Shotrock's hymn sheet too; so, last year they compensated for extenuating circumstances created by the short season by extending the number of tee-times in certain events - Heritage at 132 for instance. Why couldn't they have done that?

To paraphrase what John Houseman used to say so many years ago for Smith Barney:
If you want status on the PGA Tour, you have to earn it.
Daly hasn't, DiMarco hasn't, Taylor hasn't, and several others in this field too.
If the sponsors want to have unlimited invites, perhaps the field of invitees should be much more restrictive than it currently is?

If you want Watson and Faldo playing fine...just don't call it competitive sport because it's not. The whole pro am thing is a bit of a joke for me to be honest.
Its golf all over though, way too many stupid excemptions for old wins or amounts of money won in the past.

Cut currently at +2; imagine that might drift to +3 if weather gets really bad.
And that would still not be enough for the very disappointing Laird and Matsuyama.

Let's focus on the positive!
Luuuuuuuke!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Diggers wrote:If you want Watson and Faldo playing fine...just don't call it competitive sport because it's not. The whole pro am thing is a bit of a joke for me to be honest.
Its golf all over though, way too many stupid excemptions for old wins or amounts of money won in the past.

A little hyperbolic doncha think?

There are still 130 other players in the field. Let I remind you that 59 yr old Watson nearly won the Open Championship 5 years ago. 60 something Sam Snead was in the top 10 in the PGA Championship, not once, not twice, but three times in a row, in 1972-74.

This just in. Golf is not like most other sports. A golfer can remain competitive a lot longer than a basketball or football player. That is why it is IMO, the greatest sport.

And neither Faldo or Watson did not shoot the worst score yesterday. Ben Curtis did.

And the foundation of the PGATour is the Pro-Am. If you break down the foundation, the whole tour comes tumbling down.

The tennis tour survives without pro ams, football survives without pro ams...every sport survives without them. There is room for corporate schmoozing, you just do t have to make them official tour events.
So Id say the hyperbole is coming from you not me personally. There is plenty of cash washing around the PGA without having to bow down to the sponsors for these events.
Also its irrelevant whether they shot the worst score, they just do deserve to be there. The best players on the world...those that earn the ranking points currently week in and week out... should be the ones given the places. It's just sentimentality pure and simple.

Huh? The best players? They didn't sign up to play.

No Tiger
No Adam
No Henrik
No Bubba
etc.


Do you think there really is more than a dimes worth of difference between Hudson Swafford (first alternate) and Nick Faldo?

Considering that a player who is not competitive on the Champions Tour (Larry Mize) made the cut last week when players like Mickelson, Johnson (x2), Sergio, Keegan, Charl, Webb leads me to believe that there is not a bunch of difference between an elite player and a journeyman and then between a journeyman and retired Hall of Famer.

Larry Mize has not had a finish better than 19th on the Champions Tour in nearly a year (and he has played nearly every event). And he easily made the cut at the Masters last week.

There are guys worst than Faldo that play every week on the PGATour and the EuroTour. The only difference is that you know who Faldo is.

Do you know who Hunter Stewart is? I don't. He is playing this week.

How about Brad Lardon? He played Houston two weeks ago.


The PGATour is a business....plain and simple. And its model is the envy of every other Tour Worldwide.

Have you heard of half the players who play on the tennis tour? Have you heard of half the players who play lower league football?
No, of course not, but they are have their jobs based on merit, based on ability.
Golf makes its own rules on who gets to play, personally I think they are pathetic, sentimental and ridiculous.
Sure its business, I'm not denying its a model that works financially. Its also a model that allows people to swoon over a 60 year hobbling up a fairway again. Fine, but its not a meritocracy and for me it sucks.
I may have no interest in watching a guy I've never heard of ranked 200 or whatever play, but he deserves to play more than some sentimental sponsors choice.

GPB,
The Tour model may be "the envy" of others but that doesn't mean it gets it right every time.
I would say this is one of those times when it's a touch tone deaf to its members, conditional though they may be.

And: Pl don't be cross with my mate Bill Haas!


Luke in the hunt even tho' he's losing half a stroke to the field on the greens . . . . . . .

Cut just about to slip to +3, and heavy rains (flooding?) in the offing.

Diggers wrote:The tennis tour survives without pro ams, football survives without pro ams...every sport survives without them. There is room for corporate schmoozing, you just do t have to make them official tour events.
So Id say the hyperbole is coming from you not me personally. There is plenty of cash washing around the PGA without having to bow down to the sponsors for these events.
Also its irrelevant whether they shot the worst score, they just do deserve to be there. The best players on the world...those that earn the ranking points currently week in and week out... should be the ones given the places. It's just sentimentality pure and simple.

In my years of following the PGATour I have never known the tour to discriminate against players that are good enough. If they are good enough, they will find a way to the tour, eventually.

And again, What works in football, baseball and basketball might not work in golf, and what works in golf will not work in other sports. Watson walking the fairways with Spieth is what IMO, makes golf the best sport.

Josh Broadaway opined that Swafford might miss the top 125 because he didn't get a start this week. Well Swafford might miss the top 125 because he is 119th in putts from 5 feet and in. Its a soundbite that has more spit than substance.

I really don't see how that excuses people who shouldn't be playing in what is the top tier of golf getting completely undeserved places.
To me its irrelevant if you say what difference does it make if in a field of 100 odd they mess around with a few spots. It's either an elite field picked on merit or it's not. It does make a difference, there is a massive principle involved, well there is for me anyway.
I have no problem with saying its good business, I just don't think that's how competitive sport should be ran.

A 50/50 chance, better than that if they play in threesomes as one imagines they will, that Spieth and Top Five will be in the same group for Round 3.
Sponsors will love that.

It'll be a miracle if we see any Live Golf on the box; a huge mass of dirty green covers SC and GA on the radar, coming to Hilton Head soon.

      

The Mechanic is purring in his Champo Tour debut in Atlanta:
6 under par after 9 holes and he makes the turn with a three-shot lead!

The Harbour Town cut going rapidly to +4 - nothing better than 2 under on the course this afternoon, but plenty of high numbers being posted.

Kwini I think Digs must have been indulging in some of that red wine too - don't you think? Or perhaps it's just the old trolling Digs back again. Faldo may be a moot point (perhaps) but Watson certainly earns his place in the field .. and I personally like to see old hands like Faldo playing again. It might get a bit old week after week but once in a while? Why not. As others have pointed out, he may not be competing for a top 10 finish but neither are plenty of others. He's not scoring much worse than (for example) a perennial favourite on her, ... old Marvin Logie Baird

Pretty contentious subject Davie - ironic though when American Pro Golfers, a pretty right-wing lot, want a bit more democracy in the make-up of the field!

Especially as I've just uncorked myself, I have sympathy with Diggers's argument; there's a Seniors Tour that could do with the support of Vijay, Faldo, Woody, Watson and a couple of others - but Champions Tour supporters are bemoaning guys hanging on there. Not surprising when you see Ben Crenshaw struggling to beak 90.

Whichever way one looks at it, there is one thing in no doubt whatsoever - it's p1ssing it down in Carolina.

Golf can be a dangerous game at times, anyone see the hornet attack on Pablo Larrazabal?

Good job Pablo can swim.
Good thing it wasn't Kevin Stadler.

I see he also birdied the hole.

3 x 7's on Crenshaw's Champions Tour card - in with a 92, ten worse than anyone else.
Only makes sense that he's just been given a sponsor's invite in to the Tour's first Major.

Shockingly weak field for New Orleans, with even most recent Champions and contenders giving it the elbow.
At first glance, it appears Justin Rose, Keegan Bradley and Top Five are the only top 30 players making the trip.
Once again, the now customary smattering of Champions Tour refugees and a motley collection of Europeans, Casey, Davis, Hanson, Harrington, Freddie Jac, Knox, Laird, Olesen, Pettersson and perhaps one or two others I missed.
But sadly Past Champions Westwood & Woosie are absent.