PGA Tour: Valero Texas Open: Notes from the Ballwasher

First topic message reminder :

1).Recognition right up front for one of the PGA Tour's best sponsors, Valero, and one of its leaders in charitable contributions, the Texas Open, in San Antonio.

2).The Texas Open, first contested in 1922, is one of the PGA Tour's oldest events but, in recent years anyway, has been accorded a date on the calendar which scarcely reflects its importance, from the "Fall Series" to the post-Masters twilight zone, and now to the late March slot. But this date next year has already been committed to the WGC: MatchPlay in (relatively) nearby Austin, so it's not clear yet where the Valero Texas Open will reside.

3).Be that as it may, what cannot be denied is the growth in strength of field, as reflected in the owgr points earned by the winner:
2010: Adam Scott: 26
2011: Brendan Steele: 28
2012: Ben Curtis (remember him?): 24
2013: Martin Laird: 44
2014: Steven Bowditch: 40
2015: Approx 50 pts.
The first three of the above were staged post-Masters, the latter two, like this year's, pre-Masters.

4).Matt Every was runner-up behind Curtis three years ago and, if he'd've played his final few holes last week as he did in Texas in 2012, Henrik Stenson would have won the Arnold Palmer Invitational. But it seems Every is made of sterner stuff these days, despite him not having registered a Top 25 finish on Tour since "Memphis" last June. Perhaps working with Sean Foley might have helped him there?

5).Morgan Hoffmann's fine play last week also came somewhat out of the blue, with no Top 20 results in the 2014/2015 season before Bay Hill.

6).With all the chat about Stenson and conjecture as to whether his pairing being "put on the clock" had a bearing on his defeat, he clearly reckons it did.
What difference will this make to his Masters chances?
Henrik was clearly well p1ssed off, rightly or wrongly, and hopefully this will stiffen his resolve rather than add to the suspicion of a chip on his shoulder.
Despite his MatchPlay, Players and FedEx wins, there's the feeling that Stenson's sustained excellence is under-appreciated in the U.S., the TV coverage last week, damning with faint praise, only adding to that.
I don't fancy his chances at Augusta, but would think he's a great bet for the final three Majors, where he's clocked up Top 4 finishes in four of his last five appearances.

7).This week's Valero Texas Open is the penultimate opportunity for golfers to qualify for the Billy Payne Invitational at Augusta. The Top 50 in the owg rankings, not otherwise exempt, after this week's action around the world will be invited to The Masters - no doubt all the options will be discussed elsewhere, but Harris English spurned a great chance to secure a spot last week as he slumped from 8th to 29th with a poor final round at Bay Hill.

8).And, talking of The Masters, there is speculation from Doug Ferguson this week that the size of the field may pass 100 golfers, a threshold that makes Billy Payne think: "there is a maximum number of competitors for which we can give the experience that we want them to have". "The 100 pushes that limit quite significantly."
There are three (Edit: Plus Stadler) exempt players this year who haven't been seen in competition for quite a while, Tim Clark, Stricker and Woods, so their participation, or not, will surely have a bearing on Payne's thinking, as may the revelation this month that this year's Masters will make $30M profit, let's face it, without really trying.
Ferguson's suggestion is that the year-end owgr Top 50 threshold be abandoned.
Regardless, Crenshaw has said this year's ceremonial "effort" will be his last, and there's talk that Tom Watson will also call it a day, either this year or next. Woosnam has only made two cuts in the 21st century so he should take his leave, but Sandy Lyle has made the last two cuts and will doubtless hang on, despite being tailed off last in last week's Champions Tour stop.

9).We are rapidly approaching the halfway point of this PGA Tour season, pre-play-off anyway. Among our double-dipping friends, it seems increasingly likely that Dubuisson will not play sufficient events to keep his card, while others way off the pace to secure a 2015/16 "card" include Gonzo and Sterne; not to mention Luke Donald who languishes in 140th place.

10).The Aussie "savant" Steven Bowditch played extraordinary golf thru 3 rounds at the TPC San Antonio in 2014, then struggled over the line with a Sunday 76.
No idea who might contend this week, and Thursday's weather (strong winds forecast with a chance of rain) suggests the "draw" may be significant.
Marc Warren is making his last gasp try to reach the owgr Top 50 and The Masters, while others in the field include Kaymer, Lowry, McDowell and Molinari.
Stenson won't be around this week, hopefully we'll see him in Houston.
But one thing you can be sure of: however Stenson plays at Augusta National, the final pairing on Masters Sunday will take significantly longer to play their 18 holes than Hoffmann and Henrik did last Sunday.

incontinentia wrote:In other news, Woods' plane has been spotted in Augusta!

It missed the runway 30 yards to the left.

Jimmy Walker out of the Houston Open. Mansfield's Greg Owen gets Walker's spot.

EDit

found it. The aircraft registration for his plane is N517QS

McLaren wrote:EDit

found it.  The aircraft registration for his plane is N517QS

It doesn't appear on flightradar.

GPB wrote:

incontinentia wrote:In other news, Woods' plane has been spotted in Augusta!

It missed the runway 30 yards to the left.

Sounds like Jason Dufner missed the runway too. He and the lovely Amanda are divorcing. Already. That didn't take long.

They seemed so in love in all the instagram photos they posted.  What a shame. (sarcasm smiley)

pedro

Business jets don't always show up on flightradar.

Some of the Tiger Air flights.

http://www.airliners.net/search/photo.search?regsearch=N517QS

Still the biggest draw in golf! Golf still hugely relies on Tiger player, Here is hoping he plays always adds something extra when the greatest player plays!

sirbenson wrote:Still the biggest draw in golf!

I'd call it a hook?

kwinigolfer wrote:Sounds like Jason Dufner missed the runway too. He and the lovely Amanda are divorcing. Already. That didn't take long.

Dustin, is there something you want to say?

Tigers every trusty companion Steiny has given conformation that Tiger played a practice round at ANGC yesterday. He also said he was leaning towards a yes when asked if tiger would play in the masters.

McLaren wrote:Tigers every trusty companion Steiny has given conformation that Tiger played a practice round at ANGC yesterday.  He also said he was leaning towards a yes when asked if tiger would play in the masters.

I'd imagine 9C's sponsors would be insisting on an appearance, even if he plays rubbish, it's column inches and photo's aplenty for them.

In other gossip, Amanda Dufner has deactivated her instagram account.

Dufner has been done over surely. She was clearly out of his league, she will now walk of with a big chunk of cash. He tried though, he lost weight, cut his hair, but not enough.

"Big chunk of cash"? $2.5M according to golfchannel.com

It seems golfers can't cope with their partners posting on instagram.

Mrs Dufners topless shot seems to have caused issues and Caroline's sleeping Rory photo was the cause of one of the many Wozilroy break ups. And when I say it was the cause, I of course mean McIlroy's lack of a sense of humor was the cause.

That's a shame, Amanda seemed like a cool chick

McLaren wrote:It seems golfers can't cope with their partners posting on instagram.

Mrs Dufners topless shot seems to have caused issues and Caroline's sleeping Rory photo was the cause of one of the many Wozilroy break ups. And when I say it was the cause, I of course mean McIlroy's lack of a sense of humor was the cause.

So, playing the long and mildly amusing game of trying to work out what you do for a living, I think we can safely cross off Relationship Counsellor ;-)

McLaren wrote:lack of a sense of humor was the cause.

But Mac could be American.

Humorose.

Laughing at a comedian figuratively dying on stage?

Very good roller