PGA Tour: The Masters Winner, via Process of Elimination: Notes from the Ballwasher

First topic message reminder :

1).Last year I slurped a couple of bottles of Malbec and attempted to make a case for a European Champion. Henrik Stenson was the chosen candidate and he played well but not nearly well enough, Jonas Blixt finishing ahead of him as the leading Swede. So we changed the formula this year, not the Malbec of course, but let's revert to Andy North's time-honoured process of elimination.
NB: Any bias or prejudice is entirely intentional.

2).Starting with Amateurs. One or two have come close, Patton, Venturi, but none won a Green Jacket and that won't change this year. Seven eliminated.

3).No rookie has one since Fuzzy Zoeller over 35 years ago. I fancy Tringale to play well, but I'll go with history and take out the 13 first-timers.

4).Jack Nicklaus won the 1986 Masters at the age of 46, the oldest Champion. I don't see any of the forty-somethings in the field improving their game, so let's dispense with the likes of Westwood, Furyk and Els and 20 others. 23 can exit, best chances Phil, who's only had one top ten finish since Muirfield, and Cabrera, always a decent each way punt.

5).Augusta National could be the toughest walking course these guys play, not good if you're carrying a knock, physically or mentally, or in some cases Tiger, both. Bye bye to seven crocks, including McDowell, Stenson and Reed.

6).Poor putters and scramblers need not apply. 24 still standing are #110 or below in the PGA Tour's primary putting or scrambling stat. On your way then Dustin, Rickie, Keegan, Webb, Kaymer, Rose, Charl and Adam. Big risk sending Matsuyama and Oosthuizen down the road, but their putting has not been good enough. Russell Henley may be a putting genius but he needs to scramble too.

7).As baseball fans know, "Chicks dig the long ball", and so do Augusta's Green Jackets; bad news for slowpokes Crane and Na and eight others, none of them in the top 100. Sorry Sneds, still good for a place.

8).Only fourteen left so time to discard those currently out of form. Regardless of what they might have done elsewhere in the world, none of this lot have a PGA Tour top ten finish this year: Dubuisson, Grace, Ilonen, Mahan, Streelman, Villegas. Adios to the 6 of you.

9).And of the rest, only Jason Day, Spieth and Jimmy Walker have wins, so San-Moon Bae, Sergio, Rory, Ryan Palmer and Bubba can leave quietly down Magnolia Lane.

10).Day, Spieth and Walker have all played well at Augusta. Day and Spieth have play-off wins this year, Walker has two wins by a total of 13 strokes. Give me the proven winner and measure up Jimmy Walker for a Green Jacket. Cheers.

Nothing not to like about Spieth - he DOES have a bit of a temper, which he seems to moderate into a competitive edge. Which you need.

Wonder what Rory and some others are thinking. Rory especially probably wouldn't want to waste four days going thru the motions. I'd imagine he would attack, sh1t or bust. Hope so anyway.

He got it, definitely a chance the BFF's will get to play in the 3rd round.

Well done Fowler also. 4 birdies in his last 6 to make the cut. Always admire players who really battle to make the cut when it would be easy to fold and take the weekend off.

Tiger looks exhausted.

Agree with all, any backlash against Sickly Sweet Speith is just jealousy he seems like a real smasher.

Heard an interview with speiths mum on the radio during the ryder cup, seemed like a nice family. So have no issues with him dominating the event. Rather him then a journeyman having the event of his life. Rory seems not quite with it. But he is never going to be a totally consistent player.

Good point Kwini, I hope rory does attack.

davie

I have a running joke about speith not being able to finish it off, but this time even he has a big enough lead. Surely?? :shock:

I would like to see speith rewarded for 2 years worth of really good form.

Hibbz wrote:Bloody well done Tiger.

Yea good show from the big feline, all things considered.

Yep the tiger has surprised me.

Has rose made a par today. His score is going up and down like a championship football match. Shame as he could have mounted a challenge.

mcilroy is gone, pushing too hard & just lost it now. seeing it from a few players, even bubba. they know it's gone, so mentally checking out & probably exiting early as they hover nearer the cut mark. really disappointed in this masters, hyped up & was really looking forward to it but the quality, bar spieth, has been woeful. im sorry but o'meara being in like the top 5 or whatever says it all. great effort from woods, hopefully stays injury free over next two days & keeps building himself back up.

Record watch: Spieth now has the Masters 36 hole scoring record (-14), any bets on him taking Woods 72 hole record of -18???

He's not going to make the cut but Amateur Canadian Connors is in with a 69. Perhaps that underlines what Liam says above.
He beat his chaperon, Mike Weir, by 12.
Aussie Amateur also playing very well.

Is anyone else starting to think Spieth is actually quite hansom?

Come on rose. Get to 7 or 8 and it's not completely over.

It could depend on who Spieth is playing with on the final day. If he is playing with Hoffman I think he will win easily. If it is Els there would be a bit more chance of a Norman/ Faldo swing. Spieth don't look like he is going to comeback to the field though.

Would like see see Oosthuizen and Cabrera getting a top five finish (mainly because I've had them each way at the bookies).

PS: Danny Willett in at -2. Putting Donald and Westwood, and Rory to shame. Early bath for the three of them if they're not careful.

McLaren wrote:Is anyone else starting to think Spieth is actually quite hansom?

I dunno Mac . But your spelling isn't handsome. , Unless you are telling us Spieth is like a horse drawn carriage .

I might end up looking foolish but I really think people are conceding this to Speith too early. It's such a big deal winning a major even more so maybe if you've got to do it from the front.

I'm really hopeful that this might be Ernie's last big hurrah despite at 66/1 the bookmakers thinking differently.

ITs almost more about the way he is doing it, and most of the completions ability behind as it is his score. But I am not writing of anything yet. Rose is making a lot of birdies so he has the ability to put in one very good round. A level par round from Speith tommorow and this could get close.

hibbz

You are correct to voice some caution over the rest of us crowning Spieth, and I would be keen to see the the historic outcomes of others who have achieved a 5 shot lead in a major after the 2nd round.

McLaren wrote:Is anyone else starting to think Spieth is actually quite hansom?

Are you giving your han som?

3 eagles today for Johnson, looking good as i backed him each way before the round. Huge hitter, draw, if he can get to 9 he's more than good enough to catch Spieth is there's an opportunity.

The excitement has dipped off a bit hasn't it? I don't mind a player putting a high class exhibition, just as long as I get to see it! Hopefully, dustin, casey and rose can push on a bit here. Although, we might not see it for the Crenshaw procession that's happening.

DC tied for the Nor'n Ireland lead, as things stand right now. He'll go rocketing in the owgr's.

If DJ cam par it in, can we still hope for some excitement over the weekend as he tries to catch spieth?

Mac,
Good point, at least he's not scared of going low.
Unforced error from Rory on #12.

Another birdie for DJ 

If dustin gets in the last group he could put pressure on. Will always be out driving jordan. When you watch the red button liveish coverage you see that some of these players are slow. Jb to name one.

DJ has gone from a double to -8, he has to be the main challenger now?

Kwini

There is no thought in the way rory is playing, be all means be aggressive but at least think about what you are doing. Rory is just firing at pins instead of getting creative.


It maybe isn't the time for this debate but is rory's caddie really all that good? I have certainly questioned his influence in the past.

If Rory does not make the cut ... well, RIP every one of my Master's pools.

C'mon Rory!

Justin Rose lost weight?

Mac, agreed. I think JP really does just carry the clubs.

Lairdy

Good spot, Rose is looking a little gaunt.

The wife said earlier she thinks rose looks really thin.

Rose has been featured in some TaylorMade ads doing very physical workouts; have wondered whether that might be what he's actually doing, in which case, perhaps it accounts for his loss of form/weight?

+3's definitely going home then; Luke and Furyk can hone their games for Hilton Head.

What a shot by rory. That should give him a bit of breathing space. Why haven't sky got rich beem to commentate. Monty and butch are terrible.

I kinda like butch. He at least seems to know some insider info about some of the players swings and playing styles.

Brilliant yardage from JP.

He didn't come out well in my "process of elimination" drivel, but I really thought Snedeker had a great chance this week. Needs to find a birdie or two or all my fanto games are in trouble.

I can't stand Bruce Critchley with his "one of ours" crap and pompous attitude. Boring as hell as well, i like Butch except when he goes "attaboy" whoever, or refers to players as Rors or Poults! 

I think Claude is the best Harmon on sky.

I don't get the whole support the English guys because they are English nonsense

I saw ryan moore quote that he thinks he was put with Phil and rory to help get tv ratings.

According to Monty Tiger or Phil have never been in the top 200 on driving accuracy! 

Mac, how do you like Adam Scott's Forrest Gump hair cut?

monty junior wrote:According to Monty Tiger or Phil have never been in the top 200 on driving accuracy! 

I don't think that's true though.

beninho wrote:I don't get the whole support the English guys because they are English nonsense

Exactly, he seems to refer to every European like we should support them, I've met Garcia and Casey and my god i will never support them because of what they are like as people. Garcia's petulance makes it hard to warm to him anyway.

beninho wrote:I don't get the whole support the English guys because they are English nonsense

Why?? Im Irish and support the Irish guys (that includes NI )

As long as adam hasn't turned into a right wing idol, its all good with me.

Scottrf wrote:

monty junior wrote:According to Monty Tiger or Phil have never been in the top 200 on driving accuracy! 

I don't think that's true though.

Nope, Tiger was no.1 in total driving for the first half of 2013, never mind what he was like from 1997 to 2002 when he was an awesome driver.

I'm sure JP is a great caddy but Rory mightn't be too keen on listening to him.

Montgomerie doesn't know what he doesn't know. Insufferable blowhard whose voice raises in decibels the more ignorant he is.

Brain fart from Rory on 14.

monty junior wrote:According to Monty Tiger or Phil have never been in the top 200 on driving accuracy! 

Monty has never been in the top 200 in drivel accuracy.

beninho wrote:I don't get the whole support the English guys because they are English nonsense

Don't be silly. It's good to support players from your own nation. Anyway it doesn't stop me supporting other golfers from other nationalities.

beninho wrote:I don't get the whole support the English guys because they are English nonsense

Patriotism- the idea that your country is better than everyone else's because you were born there