PGA Tour: Double-Header - Bridgestone, Reno: Notes from the Ballwasher

First topic message reminder :

1).That's right, two tournaments this week with:
WGC: Bridgestone Invitational at Firestone CC in Akron, Ohio, and:
The Barracuda Championship, at Montreux G&CC in the Reno/Tahoe area of Nevada. New sponsor, nothing to do with Heart, same Jack Nicklaus course, probably the Tour's most beautiful setting east of the California coast.

2).But first some thoughts further to two gorgeous days (Rounds 1 & 2) in Montreal for last week's RBC Canadian Open. The course looked even better on TV, I thought, than in person, a few great holes and one or two very "samey" pairs of consecutive par-4's.
With soft and slowish greens it was unfortunate, I thought, that a few testing holes were played with the tees up - nevertheless, watching the likes of Clark, Furyk and McDowell was a reminder of short-hitting 3-time Major winner Larry Nelson's boast that he didn't mind long courses as his fairway wood shots were more accurate than most guys' long irons.

3).We followed 18 Friday holes of Clark, Goosen and Watney and what a pleasure it is to watch Tour Pros who seem to be having a good time together. Not surprisingly they all played well. A 225 yard Goosen rocket off a cart-path, under a tree, that never rose above four feet high was alone worth the price of admission.
David Hearn was my Canadian Pro to watch and followed his threesome (with Camilo & Kisner). We watched Hearn shoot a Thursday 67 which could have been so much better, but he's got less charisma than my dentist. Camilo lost interest but Kisner is one to watch. Doesn't hit it a mile but plays aggressively.
Also watched three hours of Martin Laird who looks to have found some form - he's also playing more quickly and in better humour, might be worth a couple of bob each way this week in Reno where he's played well in the past.

4).Tour pros and Broadcasters continually rabbit on about 6ft 4in guys, "athletes" a la Dustin Johnson, coming out of college and threatening to take the Tour by storm. They may find the proverbial lightning in a bottle and win occasionally, but not consistently until they learn to ratchet things down a touch and introduce some course management to their game.
Interestingly, the Canadian Open featured just one under-30 golfer in its Top 19 finishers, Jamie Lovemark who has been a work in progress for five years now and is still a long way from the finished article and, not incidentally, from renewing his Tour card.
The top 11 had an average age of 37, with the likes of 50-year-old Joe Durant, Els and Goosen all one shot behind.

5).Impossible not to feel for Jim Furyk as he runnered up again, Clark (4) and Sunny Jim (5) enduring 9x2nd place finishes since their last wins, in 2010.
Baker Finch was talking about Furyk's record compared to that of Mickelson on Sunday. The two of them, plus Els, are 44-years-old.
Furyk:
Played: 519
Cuts made: 430, 83%
Top 25's: 293: 56%
Top 10's: 168: 32%
Wins: 16: 3.1%

6).Els:
Played: 380
Cuts made: 322: 85%
Top 25's: 208: 55%
Top 10's: 123: 32%
Wins: 19: 5%
(Obviously a fabulous international record in addition.)

7).Mickelson:
Played: 502
Cuts made: 419: 83.5%
Top 25's: 273: 54%
Top 10's: 172: 34%
Wins: 42: 8.4%

8).US Ryder Cup Team places are on the line this week and next.
Dufner (8th) and Zach Johnson (9th) are the vulnerable players currently inside the qualifying places with bags of experience, mostly in a losing cause, right behind them and in the cases of Stricker and Woods far adrift.
I fancy Dufner and Keegan Bradley (outside looking in) to have strong fortnights leaving Tom Watson with tough choices to make:
Senior pros: Mickelson, Stricker, Woods, Zach?
Young guns: Reed, Kirk, Todd?
Good mate: Snedeker?
Not to mention a raft of golfers who are only a win, or two hot weeks, away from moving in, Simpson & Mahan being others who would have expected to go to Gleneagles.

9).With Gonzo finishing 4th place in Montreal, his Tour card is secure for next season and I'd expect him now to consolidate his Tour status and become a popular figure in the US.
It seems half the European Tour will be in Akron and they'll be greeted by unseasonably low temps as the eastern half of the U.S. is cool (mid-60's in Akron midday Tuesday). Sure we'll hear the usual nonsense about Europeans feeling right at home - hopefully they'll respond by earning lots of loot and "points"! Donald? Poulter?? Westwood???

10).The Reno field has suffered a dozen or more withdrawals since Friday commitments were announced. Hopefully guys I enjoyed watching last week like Laird and Watney will take advantage and boost their chances of a trip to The Barclays. And Padraig Harrington will be there, perhaps inspired by the "Modified Stableford" format - he can just pick up his ball once the errors of his Par-5 ways exceed double-bogey.

Trivia supplied by "GPB":
With the report that Molinari and Manassero have accepted Special Temporary Membership of the PGA Tour for the remainder of 2013/2014, he asks:
Who is the last Italian golfer to have earned PGA Tour Membership?

There's been that speculation with a previous absence inco, vehemently denied of course.

Tremendous talent and hope he's back soon, preferably after Gleneagles. But a lucky break for #10 on the US RC Qualifying list.

Didn't DJ get into trouble before his career started?

I think he had a bit of a troubled youth, probably why he went to Coastal Carolina instead of Univ of South Carolina, then a driving under the influence when he was fresh out on Tour.

Then there's plenty of gymnastics with Paulina; one would hope so anyway. Wonder what the Great One has to say about it all?

Already withdrawn from the Ryder Cup....It could be depression or something like that....Professional help means something is obviously really wrong

A mix from the sublime to the bloody awful from Woods today, but not sure that Johnson's defection might not persuade Watson that Tiger might be an asset after all for Gleneagles. Perhaps he might play a web.com Finals event or two as, at this rate, he'll be qualified.

Molinari the only European RC candidate to step forward, steps back by all other fringe candidates, especially with Donaldson & Bjorn starting to consolidate their positions. Early days of course.

DJ situation seems a bit odd. Has paulina taken a swipe with a 5 iron?

Overseas golfers faring well in Reno behind local lad Nick Watney's lead:
T2: Ogilvy, Wilkinson
T4: Laird
T11: Coetzee, Danny Lee
T21: Olesen, Harrington . . . .
. . . . among many others.

sirbenson wrote:Already withdrawn from the Ryder Cup....It could be depression or something like that....Professional help means something is obviously really wrong

I'm quite sure puff the magic dragon has something to do with it. His eyes have always suggested that. I like DJ and hope he recovers well.

Still think Firestone is about the least memorable course the Tour visits - the Pros seem to like it, but I must have watched it on TV for about 35 years and can only really remember the Par-5 16th, and the Par-4 18th. Boring!

Interesting stat in the wake of Gonzo's 79 yesterday:
He tied Justin Rose for FEWEST putts, 23.
What were you doing the rest of the time Gonzo? 56 strokes before one reaches the green is a LOT!

Should be perfect scoring conditions again today, temps in low 80's, a mere zephyr and small chance of thunderation late in the day.


Meanwhile, an interesting leaderboard in Reno with Nick Watney at course-record pace, followed by Geoff Ogilvy and Martin Laird back in 4th. Big week for all three if they want to play in The Barclays.

kwinigolfer wrote:Birdie for ETW. Hitting great irons, just as he mostly did at Congressional & Hoylake. Just doesn't know where his driver is going and has squandered shots around the greens. Still, five birdies in ten holes is good Match-Play stuff! Who cares about the drivers in to the trees??!!

He should've played Reno-Tahoe! Or maybe he's trying to impress Tom Watson?

!!
I thought Woods played quite well, a bit lucky that his misses were sooo bad as to have clear shots from adjacent postal codes a couple of times, but -2 was a good score.

Let's be having a look at the changing shape of US Ryder Cup qualifying:
I'm putting Walker, Watson, Kuchar, Furyk, Fowler and Spieth on the plane.
Excluding DJ, the following are the next six:
$3.5M: Dufner
$3.45: Zach
$3.30: Top Five
$3.25: Mickelson
$3.25: Todd
$3.2: Kirk
$3.12: Ryan Moore
$3.08: Simpson
$3.01: Bradley

A very closely bunched group of immediate candidates. Pick any three then there'll be three "Captain's Choices".

Yes, TW played well. But with 6 birdies he'd do well in a modified stableford format.

Think he'd've scored 7 pts, 6 birds (12pts), but two bogeys (-2) and a double (-3). Watney racked up 18!
And: Anywhere else and Tiger would have got a double or worse, instead of birdie, on #2.

Sure. Was only comparing him to the rest of the Bridgestone field where only one player had more birdies.

Think Leishman would've had a 3-shot lead over Schwartzel, four over Moore and Rose.
Leishman's lead reduced as he just 3-putted from 4 ft on the first if ShotLink is to be believed. What a Wally.

This is lining up to to be a great tournament, look forward to the weekend.

Most surprised about Kaymer; this year's POY and he seems to go incredibly hot/cold.

This is just like a mile race right now, runners starting out on the second lap very bunched, no-one wants to make the pace.
Sporty little sprint from Stenson though, as he holes out for an eagle on his first hole, birdies his second.

Looks like Dufner's hurting - his +6 after 13 holes easily the worst of the competitive flight of the Bridgestone.
Wonder if he'll last 72 holes.
And wonder if he'll defend his PGA Championship at Valhalla next Thursday.
What would Win McMurray say?

Only one driver in the fairway for Woods, out of eight tries.

Scoring not so good, not yet anyway, as yesterday; only Henrik's 66 better than -3.

Kaymer a bit hotter today, Tiger a bit cooler.

Harrington paired with Mickelson and Woods next week! hell yeah!

.

Ridiculously good from Garcia, 10 straight single putts, 7 straight birdies, back in 27 for a course record equalling 61; unbelievable stuff!

Garcia's card looks like a Texas Scramble scorecard. Unbelievable.

Even better that Woods had a "tough day at the office" Golf Cliche #564, p 255.

Serge!!!   Hopefully he won't mess it up with a 77 tomorrow.

sirbenson wrote:Harrington paired with Mickelson and Woods next week! hell yeah!

Fore!!!

Fore!!!
Wait!!!!!!!!
Rinse!!!!!!!!!!!
Repeat!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

John Paramor is the travelling official.

Great work by Sergio & Rory.

Tough to find anyone playing better than Sergio, Justin Rose, Rory, Leishman, Fowler right now.

Threesomes Saturday, off both nines, starting at 7.00 a.m.

ralphjohn69 wrote:Ridiculously good from Garcia, 10 straight single putts, 7 straight birdies, back in 27 for a course record equalling 61; unbelievable stuff!

Did he just have "one of those days" or are we looking at a Garcia no longer shackled by putting demons? If we are then I think he's going to be consistently Top 5 for a while possibly having a spell at 1 and I'd certainly have him bag at least 1 Major.

Of course it's not all about a good days putting stats. There's a bit of a difference between doing what he did on a Friday than on a Sunday afternoon. Having said that, the way he chased down McIlroy at Hoylake and the way he handled not quite catching him suggests to me that Garcia's mindset is probably in the best place it's ever been. Is he seeing Rotella or similar?

Maybe he stopped doing recreational drugs?

Stunning golf all round Friday afternoon after a lacklustre morning.
Don't forget Rory's 64.

It almost looked as if Rory & Sergio were playing a different game yesterday, as if they and probably Justin Rose were playing at a higher level right now.
Love it.

They're playing the Peter Dawson formation this morning, first groups on #1 and #10 at 7 bells.

No Dustin Johnson, of course, but "No", he hasn't been suspended, according to the PGA Tour at least.
Someone's telling porkies.

Ben Crane has withdrawn - that'll speed things up a touch.

kwinigolfer wrote:Ben Crane has withdrawn - that'll speed things up a touch.

Makes a two tee start unneccessary then?

kwinigolfer wrote:Ben Crane has withdrawn - that'll speed things up a touch.

All rounds the first two days have been under 4 hours.

Last groups teed off at 2:30 pm and were done by 6:15 pm.

Blimey, There goes Jason Day bagging it - easy to do when you pocket $40+K just for showing up.
Still feel there should be a 36-hole cut at these events, even if just Top 60 and ties.

PS: Wonder if DJ was eligible to collect his $40K for being qualified. Sure he could claim injury, even if it was just psychological damage.

Interesting stat there from Simon Holmes on sky: Sergio has gone from 173rd to 1st in strokes gained putting.

That's a really good stat inco.
Tell Simon Holmes it would be even better if it was accurate.
As of the end of last week, Sergio was 27th - a terrific improvement granted, but he's unlikely to have gained enough ground with this week's excellence to jump all the way to #1.

Did Woods swear at some spectators today?

Scratch that it was a cameraman. Ewen Murray must've gotten a little carried away, said he swore at spectators who got up at 6:30 to watch him  

Bubba with the longest drive of the year: 424 yds to the 16th fairway.

He left with a bogey.... 

David Toms has withdrawn from the Reno tournament complaining of a bad back.
No word yet as to whether he'll play the PGA Championship.

The top five "alternates" after Jerry Kelly replaced DJ are:
Pat Perez
Shawn Stefani
John Huh
Garrigus
Hicks

Will Round 3 finish today?

Diddly Squat info on PGA Tour.com or WGC website.

kwinigolfer wrote:David Toms has withdrawn from the Reno tournament complaining of a bad back.
No word yet as to whether he'll play the PGA Championship.

The top five "alternates" after Jerry Kelly replaced DJ are:
Pat Perez
Shawn Stefani
John Huh
Garrigus
Hicks

Do Perez and Stefani both get in if both winners this week have qualified?

I would guess YES!
Showers going through now are expected to become more scattered; chance that thunderstorms currently about two hours south will hit the course but I would have thought they'd be able to get out there and get finished before they hit.
pgatour.com invariably useless on updating weather situations.

But short answer to yr question should be YES!

That's right sirb,
Both would get in.
Other health issues that we know about include Dufner with his bulge, Crane and Toms with bad backs, Day feeling dizzy and Kokrak making an early return from surgery.

Looks like play will re-commence at 9 Irish time!

And Poulter's arm? Still playing but he's +6 for the tournament.

Difficult to see Dufner pulling out next week.....and the others that have mentioned.....Maybe one or two will withdraw but that is about it

Has Sergio opened the door for Rory?
Three-shot lead won't seem much to either - hope they play twosomes Sunday. 40% chance of afternoon thunderstorms according to The Weather Channel.

They'll be going two by two on Sunday, kicking off about 8.00 a.m.
Rory vs Sergio.

Let battle commence...

To close this out would do Garcia the world of good long term. He's won loads in America already but this would be a real confidence booster to keep Pubehead at bay.