PGA Tour: Byron Nelson: Notes from the Ballwasher

First topic message reminder :

1). The Tour stays in Texas this week, travelling 25 miles east towards Dallas, to the TPC Las Colinas, a course widely considered to be at the opposite end of the quality spectrum from Fort Worth's Colonial. Dallas resident Hunter Mahan won't play it, quoted on yahoo sports: "I don't like it tee to green. I don't like the way the fairways are shaped. I don't like the way they re-did the greens. I just don't think they're very good." Don't think he likes it.

2). Right then, if Mahan couldn't be bothered to roll out of bed to play it, it makes one wonder who designed this cornfield? Actually it was Jay Morrish, with consultancy from the very late Byron Nelson and the not so late Ben Crenshaw, with a mid-2000's re-do by DA Weibring. Good architects then, but this course has never captured the imagination.

3). Not a bad turn-out though with KJ Choi, Kuchar, Watney and Dustin Johnson heading the way, plus a decent supporting cast including Vijay and Sergio both looking to qualify for next month's US Open and The Open Championship.

4). For many Texans, and Texas residents, the Fort Worth / Dallas swing is a big deal and Scott Verplank leads the way in that regard. Close to the Nelson family, and an emotional winner here in the first year following Lord Byron's death, Verplank's occasional starts this season (due to a wrist injury) have resulted in good finishes, including a second in Houston. Following a decent effort at The Players, Verplank withdrew from Colonial before the start suggesting to at least one observer (OK, me) that he'd save his wrist in the hope of another Nelson win to go with his 2007 victory, and a play-off loss, a 4th, 5th and 6th among several good showings here.

5). Kudos to Brian Davis for his Open Championship IFQ win. No real surprise as Davis has won almost 25% of his career winnings in TX, plus two of his five runner up finishes. Another good week in prospect?

6). Tiger Woods just completed a press conference, at Aronomink for AT&T media day. His statements that he'd be ready for Congressional in three weeks' time looked unconvincing at best.

7). He was also asked about his slide in the owgr points list, which he responded to appropriately. "Haven't played. And when I have played I haven't played well." Which got one to thinking. If his form has been so bad, how come he's earned more owgr points than ten other players still in the top fifty? In descending order, these guys have all done worse than Tiger:
Furyk, Hanson, Goosen, Oosthuizen, Crane, Ishikawa, E.Molinari, Clark (admittedly injured most of the year), Harrington and, last and certainly least in terms of 2011 form, Ernie Els.

8). Next Monday is the final date for qualification for The Open Championship via the top fifty in the world rankings. Status of those close to the bubble this week:
45).Fowler: Not playing
46).Sabbatini: Playing Byron Nelson (BN)
47).Snedeker: Playing BN
49).Ishikawa: Not known
51).Baddeley: Not playing
53).Woodland: Playing BN
54).Holmes: Not playing
56).Anthony Kim: Playing BN
58).Mark Wilson: Not playing
59).Ikeda: Not known
60).Marino: Not playing
61).Vijay Singh: Playing BN
64).Brendan Jones: Not known

9). The second Major of the Champions Tour starts this Thursday, the Senior PGA, at Valhalla. Sadly no Fred Couples, but volcanoes are in the news this week and how timely that golf's very own "Volcano", Steve Pate, tiurns 50 in two days' time and makes his Senior debut, ash clouds be damned. Lyle, James, Smyth and Torrance are among the leading Europeans, but Mason and Woosie are absent.

10). And the Senior PGA marks the first Senior event in the States for the excellent Anders Forsbrand. A decade or so ago, someone with way too much time on his hands figured that, if European rules were used to select the US Ryder Cup Team, and vice versa, Scott Hoch would have played twice for the US (before he actually made his debut) and Forsbrand would have played twice for Europe. Alas, he never did get to play, but he would certainly have brought great credit to any team he played on, seemingly one of the forgotten men of European golf. Good luck to him this week!

I think Tiger and Phil overshadowed what a success Leonard was a young player. He earnt his card from invitations in 94, and then until he turned 30 in 2002 he had money list finishes of 22-11-5-8-8-14-25-8. 7 wins in that time, including a Major, and several other close runs in Majors including losing the Carnoustie playoff (when VdV and Lawrie stole the headlines) and holding the 54-hole lead in the very next major after he won his Open. When you look at that, and realise how little attention he gets now, you start to realise why the current generation of Americans are finding themselves classed as underachievers.

Ned Certainly an impressive record from Justin and I think your right his achievements have been over shadowed indeed, I remember he was always one of the names up around the top of leader boards in the lat nineties and early noughties. Seems he has missed the headlines due to streaks players like, Tiger, Phil and Vijay went on around the same period, much like Donald works hard at his game and a consistent high finisher

What's all this love for Justin Leonard??!!
Fact is that, for the past decade he hasn't been much better than an averagely good Tour player. No wins of anything other than Tier 3 or 4 style events and only one Major top ten since losing to Vijay in the Whistling Straits play-off in 2004. Lots of money, but where's the beef?

Pleased to see Jeff Overton waking up at last; some good afternoon rounds on Thursday but some shockers as well (including most of my picks). Hope Brian Davis, for one, gets his act together early Friday or this will be a wasted couple of weeks (except for his Open qualie of course).

Kwini

Not that I love Leonard but as noted seemed to have a better pre 30 career than most. I think he had about 8 major top tens, 6 PGA tour wins and win in a major all before 30. That is the record Fowler hopes he has by the time he reaches 30.

I think it is however fair to say he has underperformed since.

Hi Mac, Agreed.
Family life will do that to some people, plus Leonard has been marginalised by the increased emphasis on power. Never a long player it now seems as if he's putting pressure on all parts of his game just to compensate. Only hit six grens yesterday which won't get it done.

McLaren wrote:Kwini

Not that I love Leonard but as noted seemed to have a better pre 30 career than most. I think he had about 8 major top tens, 6 PGA tour wins and win in a major all before 30. That is the record Fowler hopes he has by the time he reaches 30.

I think it is however fair to say he has underperformed since.

Exactly Mac, had as good a start to his career as any American not named Woods, Mickelson or Duval in the past 30 years. But he's faded rather than kicked on since he turned 30, shame really.

Nothing much to write home about for the European Seniors competing in the Senior PGA at a watery Valhalla; the first round was much interrupted and will conclude today, but Des Smyth is the only European with a contending score, two under par 70. 84 for Forsbrand, which is not what I had in mind when I bigged him up.

First round play resumes in a few minutes.

Come on Sergio!

Scoring average for Round 2 so far is 1 1/2 strokes up on Round 1 and the wind seems to be giving them fits.
Sabbatini Roaring to +8 after 11 holes, Allenby +4 and other top golfers struggling. But Sergio looks very good - can't wait for time when he's comfortable being at the top of the leaderboard again.

Cut at +2, could even go to +3.

Good rounds by Roger Chapman and Eddie Romero at Valhalla . . . . . Des Smyth just starting Round 2, but Barry Lane and Mark Mouland make the cut, in contrast to most of their compadres who will be looking to see the sights of Louisville this weekend. Won't take long, most likely.

Who is Jordan Spieth, get in there.

Come on Sergio!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Cut at +4, someone better go to the bars and tell Anthony Kim he's playing tomorrow. Won't help Sabbatini though, he'll be lucky to break 80; time to take a month off.

Excellent field for next week, led by Luke Donald and defending champ Justin Rose. McIlroy, Laird and Karlsson, Phil Mick, Stricker, Furyk and all the Young Americans.

Some interesting names in that field... Jin Jeong and Eugene Wong from the "hot amateurs" category, and Aiken and Luiten both on holiday from Europe. Will be interested to see how they both get on. Olazabal in the field too, but can't see him staying there after the way he was walking/hobbling off Wentworth yesterday.

I missed Luiten, and wrote J-MO's name then deleted it accidentally! I was hoping he'd be the "Honoree" but I see that honour has gone to Nancy Lopez. Seve last year.

Aiken the next "Man" from South Africa in my book, Charl is there but not Oosthuizen (or Goosen or Casey) who are all running out of opportunities to meet their 15-event minimum.

Ogilvy and Scott surprising absentees. But then, perhaps not.

Amidst speculation about a Sabbatini suspension, the AP reports:
"Rory Sabbatini has withdrawn from next week's Memorial . . . . amid speculation he is facing suspension from the PGA Tour over his behaviour on the course in recent months."
As I was saying . . . .

Great stuff from Sergio on Friday, tied for the 36-hole lead with Ryan Palmer, three shots ahead of Petrovic and Piercy in 3rd place.

Early starters will be off in a moment with an awful Dallas day in prospect, very hot (high nineties), very windy and not much better expected for Sunday.

Very good chance that there'll be some high numbers posted this morning and a good opportunity one would have thought for frontrunners to extend their advantage.

Round 2 of the Senior PGA Championship will conclude this morning and there'll be a round up of European interests (not many) at that time.

Round 2 of the Senior PGA Championship in the books and Japan's Yoshi Murota has a four shot lead over Nick Price and 65-y-o Hale Irwin.
Most European entrants will be spending their weekends elsewhere, but those getting paid include:
Des Smyth and Roger Chapman, tied for 19th.
Barry Lane in 44th
Mark Mouland in 51st
Ross Drummond and Marc Farry tied at 58th.
Congrats to them for at least making the cut but, overall, a pretty pathetic exhibition from Team Europe.

Round 3 underway at the "Nelson" and Anthony Kim's in mid-season form, opening three over par for his first two holes. Rubbish.

Kwini

What happened to the scores at the Byron Nelson last night? +3 and +4 from the leaders, and they still lead?

High gusting winds, Mac, and more of the same expected Sunday.
Average Round 3 score, approx 73.4, against a par 70.
Kostis said Sergio's longest putt (out of the 35 that he took) made was 4 1/2 feet. Anyone's tournament.

And, a word about Team Europe's chances at Valhalla's Senior OGA Championship: None.

Roger Chapman leading European at 27th with Des Smyth and Mouland (tied for 37th) the only others in the top 55.

Did you watch Champions league final? I think I now know what post traumatic stress feels like. They teased and played with us like a cat would a dying mouse. Would have sweated less had I been out on the pitch. Honestly I still feel a little shaky.

Masterclass by Barca but sure Ferguson will be disappointed at the performance of some individuals.
Not convinced about Fabio at right back (actually I am convinced) and he must have wished he'd've chosen Nani ahead of Valencia or, better yet, a fit Fletcher.
Something missing but at least there can be no what ifs. England's best not good enough this year.

The thing is no matter what team he picked they would have been humped. As for the like of Fabio and valencia, they are more than good enough for any match not against barca.


Are you about to watch the monaco GP?

Just been out to watch the start of a local Marathon, soaked. Finish from Monaco next!

Missed the weekend rounds of this as I was away. WTF happened to Sergio? Just looking on shot tracker, and on the 4th hole;

Shot 2 - 135 yds to right fairway, 4 yds to hole
Shot 3 - 0 yds, 4 yds to hole
Shot 4 - 1 yd, 3 yds to hole

Smithers,
It looks like he chipped three times; didn't see it but I imagine there's a slope and he had the ball come back to his feet. Not much improvement after that, but a very costly weekend.

Yeah, that was my guess too. I watched the (US production) highlights yesterday and they didn't show it, all they did was point out that his name wasn't on the first page of the leaderboard any more. No explanation, no nothing.