PGA Tour: Gulf in the Golf of Mexico: Notes from the Ballwasher

1).The Tour's second "international" odyssey of the year wraps up this week following trips to Malaysia, China and Mississippi. There's quite a gulf between the quality of fields in Kuala Lumpur and, especially, Shanghai and that assembled for the "OHL Classic of Mayakoba", but it will still yield a million bucks to the winner, and trips to Augusta National, Sawgrass and Whistling Straits next year.

2).And there's quite a gulf between the greatest golfer Mexico has produced, the very great Lorena Ochoa, and all other Mexican Pros. Steely Dan sang that "Guadalajara won't do", but it was perfect for Lorena and seems pretty good for Carlos Ortiz, who earned a "battlefield promotion" last year from the web.com Tour. Way too early to tell what sort of career Ortiz will enjoy, but he's off to a good start, made the cut in his first three events of the year and could be a star for Mexico and the PGA Tour to savour. We have Camilo and Jhonny Vegas, plus the Argentinian gauchos, but Ortiz could prove a welcome addition to the increasingly diverse tour.

3).This year's US Ryder Cup Team is developing a penchant for winning tournaments, or getting into play-offs that they subsequently win, by holing out sand shots, Bubba following in the recent footsteps of Spieth and Kuchar. Didn't watch any of it, but good for Bubba - slowly putting together quite the golfing CV.

4).Bad luck, though, for Tim Clark, who nevertheless extended his string of consecutive years with a runner up finish to 11, tied with Phil Mickelson for the longest current streak on Tour. Win totals tell a different story:
Clark: 2
Mickelson: 42.

5).Lee Westwood has now cashed at the WGC ATM 45 times, the most since WGC's began. The top 6 in WGC appearances are:
45: Westwood
43: Els
41: Woods
40: Furyk
40: Harrington
40: Mickelson

6).And, speaking of Harrington, what a horlicks he made of a promising position halfway thru' last week's Sanderson Farms event. Alas, he followed rounds of 70 and 69 with a pair of 76's, including a total of 15 shots on just one hole, the relatively straightforward 12th which he butchered with a 6 and then a 9. Sorry Padraig, it seems every tournament you tee it up in it's just a matter of time before you throw in the towel. Disappointing - how's about kicking Ronan off the bag, get someone else in your ear?

7).I fancied a Southern golfer to bring home the Sanderson chicken last week, just didn't expect it to be a Southern Canada winner. Nick Taylor was the world's #1 amateur five years ago but his pro career had been a shambles, mixing wins on the Vancouver mini-tour with futility elsewhere. But he clinched his Tour card with a brilliant final round of 63 in the web.com Tour Final and he has almost three exempt years ahead of him, not to mention tickets to Maui, The Players and PGA. He's the first Canadian-born player since Mike Weir in 2007 to win on Tour - bypassing Messrs DeLaet and Hearn in the process.

8).I'm thinking Holland's Robert-Jan Derksen has played his final European Tour event as he heads for retirement. Kinda enjoyed watching him play, instantly recognizable with distinctive shirts and cap-less barnet, but it made me think back to Pros who have retired when still eligible for their respective Tours.
Does Joe Ogilvie count this year?
Bill Rogers and Baker Finch quickly receded following Open Championship fame and attention.
And we remember Jodie Mudd returning to his Old Kentucky horse farm, Keith Fergus becoming a leading collegiate golf coach, and Craig Parry going home to Australia, but it doesn't happen often.
A couple of guys from 10 or 15 years ago, Lennie Clements and Bret Ogle (is he commentating?) both dropped out of sight, no idea why. Demons or fatigue? Notah Begay is among the many who migrated to the broadcast booth, following others whose status had become marginal.
Any other notables? Must be dozens who just call it a day when we're not looking.

9).Back to Mayakoba and the gulf between Tour prosperity and abandonment of a dream: Robert Karlsson led last year's Mayakoba tournament after 54 holes, blew up on his back nine with a 3-hole stretch of +4 and disappeared back to Europe with no status. A win would have retrieved his Tour card, a second place finish, which he missed by three strokes, would likely have dominoed in to Special Temporary Membership. But no, and a fine career will most probably never be fully recognized outside Europe; a tale of freakishly bad health and bad luck. Not to mention that he's one of very few regulars in Europe or the States to have played his first Major in the 80's!

10).Padraig Harrington joins a relatively strong contingent of Europeans at Greg Norman's highly regarded Mayakoba course, including Gonzo (who's been in terrible form this past month or so), Quiros, Knox, Jacobson, Pettersson and Brian Davis. Camilo and Cabrera are there also while Harris English is the defending champion.
It looks like the weather should mostly cooperate so let's sit back with fingers crossed that Harrington plays well for 65 holes and storms to the victory that eluded Karlsson. Isn't that what Fantasy Golf is all about?

Shame Derksen is retiring at just 40. Looks in better shape than Lowry does now.

He seems a pretty good guy super_. A big deal to step away from his career.


A couple of other things going on in various Q-Schools:

web.com Stage 2 doesn't have any significant European defectors; not sure if any are lined up for Stage 3.

Champions Tour Q-School: Qualifiers to the Final include:
Peters Fowler, Golding and Linhart, Forsbrand and Monaterio all made it.
Bossert, Mouland and Tinning flunked.
Looks like Farry and Mark Davis are alternates.

Robert-Jan Derksen has that good looking dutch thing that Van Nistelrooy had. Shame we won't see him on the golf coverage anymore.


Kwini

By my calculations there have been 53 individual WGC's. Tiger winning a 1/3 of them.

You mention that Westwood as played in the most WGC's, but is it a hole in his CV not to have won any of them. It would be very interesting to find out the highest field strength event Westwood has won?

Would think Westwood is much more conscious of it being "a hole in his CV not to have won" a Major.

Believe the Dubai World Champo a few years ago had an SOF of 56 - can't imagine many of his wins would be stronger.

Surprised that lw1 has not played more WGC's, difficult to believe he's missed 8. But at least he's turned up and played 'em.

McLaren wrote:Robert-Jan Derksen has that good looking dutch thing that Van Nistelrooy had.

A mullet?  

McLaren wrote:You mention that Westwood as played in the most WGC's, but is it a hole in his CV not to have won any of them.  It would be very interesting to find out the highest field strength event Westwood has won?

2009 Dubai WC @ 56 points. In fact a lot of his wins have been in mediocre tournaments.

McLaren wrote:Robert-Jan Derksen has that good looking dutch thing that Van Nistelrooy had.  Shame we won't see him on the golf coverage anymore.

You mean he looks like Shergar?

Shockingly bad print issue of Golf Digest this month (December). Gone from bad, to worse, to terrible.

Panders to Republicans, football, Tiger, and is arguably sexist in the way it portrays women. (And of course it features many of the same writers who condemned PGA Pres Ted Bishop.)
A nice article by Geoff Ogilvy but nothing, absolutely nothing, else worth reading.

What a poor excuse for a magazine.

I generally find magazines to be complete rubbish Kwini, just a carousel of the same articles recycled again and again (learn to hit a draw, shoot lower, what driver.......)

Nothing new whatsoever.

super_realist wrote:I generally find magazines to be complete rubbish Kwini, just a carousel of the same articles recycled again and again (learn to hit a draw, shoot lower, what driver.......)

Nothing new whatsoever.

At least this is one thing we agree on super. It is only a matter of time before online articles kill magazines.


I used to follow GD on twitter but they kept posting links to articles that would have been better suited to FHM.

super_realist wrote:I generally find magazines to be complete rubbish Kwini, just a carousel of the same articles recycled again and again (learn to hit a draw, shoot lower, what driver.......)

Nothing new whatsoever.

Spot on with that, especially the recycled tips on stuff.

The only time I think I'd ever be happy to have such a magazine would be if I was unlucky enough to end up in hospital.

The trouble is that they closed down the wonderful GolfWorld which was a superb magazine, and directed its abandoned subscribers to Golf Digest which has been systematically dumbed down for the past year.
GolfWorld was a terrific magazine - I still get the on-line version but hopeless compared to the original which contained almost collector's piece quality articles every week.

Shergar still has one lap to go. Robert Jan Derksen will be teeing it up in Turkey for one more tournament
http://www.robertjanderksen.com/nieuw/Groot/index.htm

I used to love Golf Weekly, was gutted when it stopped. The monthlys have always been garbage.

Ha! Good for Shergar! Think he was an alternate when I looked last. Or my eyesight is going.


Fairways and greens will be the calling card of whoever wins at Mayakoba - lots of old lags among the popular choices. You'd think that would suit Russell Knox but he's had a couple of stinkers since contending in Las Vegas. Veterans Allenby, Bohn, Henry, Howell and Jerry Kelly all popular choices, but the Young Guns have done well this autumn. One or two gorgeous holes with views to die for this week - great for TV and hopefully the Golf will match the setting.

Amazing stat about Karlsson playing majors back in the 80's. Already having a T5 at Muirfuild in the Open of 92.
The only other ones I can come up with are Els and Olazabal. Even Jimenez 1st came in 1990. Delikes of Paul McGinley and Darren Clarke even later.

I think Karlsson and Els made their Major debuts in the same (1989) Open, Karlsson making the cut (T77), Ernie leaving early.

"Just fairways and greens".
This guy didn't follow the rule of thumb in Mayakoba when practicing his driving in California.

http://www.golfchannel.com/news/grill-room/minivan-barrels-through-golf-course-during-police-chase/

Moral of this story: If you use a stolen credit card, drive on the fairway or you'll get shot. Dead.

GPB gets pretty narked when the mickey is taken of American golfer names, but assume even he raises eyebrows at Sam (Sponsor Invite) Saunders naming his son, great-grandson therefore of Arnie, "Ace".
Pretty much on a par with Mr and Mrs Webb Simpson naming their daughter after a hotel chain, "Wyndham". Praise the lord.

kwinigolfer wrote:Pretty much on a par with Mr and Mrs Webb Simpson naming their daughter after a hotel chain, "Wyndham". Praise the lord.

Maybe they took a leaf from the Beckham's book and named it after the place of conception....

Grumps,
I think we mentioned at the time that it's a shame conception wasn't at a Hampton Inn . . . .

kwinigolfer wrote:GPB gets pretty narked when the mickey is taken of American golfer names, but assume even he raises eyebrows at Sam (Sponsor Invite) Saunders naming his son, great-grandson therefore of Arnie, "Ace".
Pretty much on a par with Mr and Mrs Webb Simpson naming their daughter after a hotel chain, "Wyndham". Praise the lord.

Not privy to Mr Saunders' bedroom prowess but I would assume it was a Hole-N-One (and two, and three, and four, etc....)

I find nothing wrong with "Ace". Its their kid and its pretty superficial to be critical.

Blimey!
Happy Birthday to Jason Day, 27 today.
Who'd've thunk Rickie Fowler and Jason Day would each have five years on Tour without a victory in regulation to show for their potential?

kwinigolfer wrote:Blimey!
Happy Birthday to Jason Day, 27 today.
Who'd've thunk Rickie Fowler and Jason Day would each have five years on Tour without a victory in regulation to show for their potential?

Each have five years on Tour w/o a victory in regulation?

Jason Day's 2 shot win in the Nelson doesn't count?

Fowler's playoff win over Rory in the Wells Fargo doesn't count?

I know Day's win in the Matchplay sucks....right Robo?

kwinigolfer wrote:"Just fairways and greens".
This guy didn't follow the rule of thumb in Mayakoba when practicing his driving in California.

http://www.golfchannel.com/news/grill-room/minivan-barrels-through-golf-course-during-police-chase/

Moral of this story: If you use a stolen credit card, drive on the fairway or you'll get shot. Dead.

Will that be questioned at all? Hugely disproportionate response given the alleged offence, even given the reckless nature of the chase.

GPB,
Strike that then!
Why did I think Day beat Adams in a Byron Nelson play-off? I'd've put a lot of money on that!

Still think he plays a champagne schedule with a vin plonk record.

Champagne schedule? Yep agree. Over-rated golfer IMO. I don't like that he seldom goes back to his homeland to support that tour. Seems to get a convenient injury every fall.

Too true: Looks like he'll come off injured reserve in time for the silly season but not for the Aussie tournaments. Very poor.

Does a win the Mayakoba get you into the Masters?

YES!

Does anyone know how you get out of playing the minimum euro final series events (is it 3 from 4?), as McIlroy will only be playing the DP final?

kwinigolfer wrote:Would think Westwood is much more conscious of it being "a hole in his CV not to have won" a Major.

Believe the Dubai World Champo a few years ago had an SOF of 56 - can't imagine many of his wins would be stronger.

Surprised that lw1 has not played more WGC's, difficult to believe he's missed 8. But at least he's turned up and played 'em.

Interesting that Westwood has earned 50+ points in a single event only 5 times in his career. 2 of those were 60 point solo 2nd place finishes in majors (2010 Masters & Open), the other 3 were wins in '09 Dubai (56), '03 Dunhill Links (52), and '00 Deutsche Bank SAP (52).

McLaren wrote:Does anyone know how you get out of playing the minimum euro final series events (is it 3 from 4?), as McIlroy will only be playing the DP final?

Somebody correct me if I'm wrong here... but i thought I read there is no longer ANY requirement to play any of the first 3 final series to qualify for Dubai.

GPB wrote:I know Day's win in the Matchplay sucks....right Robo?  

Absolutely... I mean how can anybody consider a WGC win prestigious when Troy Merritt isn't even in the field... pffffft.....

Oh Padraig!
Not much of a ShotLink service from Mexico this wseek, so not quite clear exactly how Harrington took a double-bogey 7 on the Par-5 13th hole.
But it keeps on happening, some good play then press self-destruct.
This can't continue; expect him to spend his 2015 in Europe, or on pay-for-play international jollies.

His bottle has gone completely. A great shame as it was once his greatest strength.

I wonder what is wrong with Charl Schwartzel. T64th last week .

This week he is playing in Thailand (with Dufner) on the Asian tour and he shot 77 and is T120.

He played Perth and Malaysia before HSBC with Top 20 results but never contended.

=====================

Incredible that MAJ has not had a top 30 finish in five months and somehow he lights up the Turkey course like a Department store X-Mas tree today.

robopz wrote:

GPB wrote:I know Day's win in the Matchplay sucks....right Robo?  

Absolutely... I mean how can anybody consider a WGC win prestigious when Troy Merritt isn't even in the field... pffffft.....

Mark Wilson has more PGATour wins than two of the top Nine golfers combined. (and those two have been full time PGATour member for 5 years).

GPB wrote:

robopz wrote:

GPB wrote:I know Day's win in the Matchplay sucks....right Robo?  

Absolutely... I mean how can anybody consider a WGC win prestigious when Troy Merritt isn't even in the field... pffffft.....

Mark Wilson has more PGATour wins than two of the top Nine golfers combined.  (and those two have been full time PGATour member for 5 years).

I don't wanna crap all over another of Kwini's good threads... so I made my reply to the appropriate WGC thread.

You're welcome Kwini..... cheers...

Cheers,

Interesting point though; a couple of years ago I started a thread highlighting that some players tended to accumulate their multiple wins in relatively twilight events. You'd think Mark Wilson would be one of them, but his wins have usually been pretty strong, Phoenix, Honda, Hawaii etc.

But others, not so much and perhaps it's not surprising that their status slips quickly when things go awry.
Johnathan Byrd might be one such, certainly Cameron Beckman, Rollins, even Slocum (apart from his unlikely Barclays triumph).

Quite happy to see Wilson off to a good start this season.

I picked Allenby for my one-and-done this week: Double-bogey, bogey start. Terrific. Think I've had a 2nd, 3rd and four missed cuts so far. Hopeless!

Twitter-verse is saying that IBM CEO Ginni Rometti is the third female member of Augusta National.

So when is Troon going to bow down to the pressure and admit members with two X-chromosomes? And RSG and Muirfield soon to follow.

I have to think the chit will hit the fan within a year

Sheesh.... talk about UNLOADING on Dustin Johnson and the PGA Tour.... Oliver Brown from the Telegraph...

Doesn't read like a single "new" thing in this story that wasn't brought out months ago... but this Brown guy sure knows how to write it in about as scathing and sensationalist manner as possible...

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/golf/ustour/11226987/Dustin-Johnson-Drugs-affairs-with-PGA-Tour-colleagues-wives-and-the-silence-that-shames-golf.html

GPB - That's interesting news. But what pressure is Muirfield, RSG and Troon under? I could be wrong, but I never sensed the level of protest for those Open Championship venues v what Augusta National has been under for many years.

There are a couple "Male" only clubs here in the Philadelphia area, one perhaps the most highly regarded course on the planet the other better described as a great Frat Party - a market for both obviously.

One thing about expanding the "rota" is that the R&A no longer has to kowtow to any of those three courses if it wishes to avoid the perception it's supporting all-male memberships.


Meanwhile, 20 golfers covered by one stroke at Mayakoba.

Another feeble effort from the Europeans, the ubiquitous Cejka excepted.

robo

You are right to be wary of the torygraph, but the Oliver Brown article on justin seems pretty spot on.

Do you know what players wifes he had an affair with?

I thought the PGA Tour showed an unexpected (unprecedented?) flash of humour when they paired Haas and Simpson a few weeks ago.

Perhaps they'll offer a hint with Dustin's tee times - if an early partner is the stuff of "legends" don't be surprised.

McLaren wrote:robo

You are right to be wary of the torygraph, but the Oliver Brown article on justin seems pretty spot on.

Do you know what players wifes he had an affair with?

I have heard that it was Will Mackenzie's wife (they are now divorced) and Jimmy Walker's wife.

This summer (before DJ's sabbatical) I was think DJ and Jimmy would be good 4-ball partners. (both are coached by Butch Harmon)

Google Alli Mackenzie, you shouldn't be disappointed.

Would be very surprised if Walker's wife was involved - astonished really.

kwini

Why would you be surprised if Walkers wife was involved?



If Matteo manassero fails to win soon it will be his first year as a pro without a win. Whats up with him? He is now #123 in the world.