PGA Tour: web.com Finals Get Underway: Notes from the Ballwasher

First topic message reminder :

1).Opinions clearly divided as to whether Stenson bottled his opportunity to win the DeutscheBank Championship - I would suggest poor decision-making and, possibly, club selection, but that Stenson at his best is a winner!
Regardless, he certainly missed a great chance for a confidence-boosting return to the very high table of World Golf and opened the door for Rickie Fowler to lobby for Top Four contention.

2).The usual garbage (even from the estimable Doug Ferguson) in the US media this week about "Number One" and some lack of understanding how the owgr's work. What cannot be in dispute is the league table of World Golf achievement so far in 2015. Here is the Top Nine as measured in owgr points:
Spieth (525)
Day (372)
McIlroy (293)
Fowler (275)
Dustin (243)
Rose (234)
Watson (230)
Stenson (228)
Zach (216)
Tenth is Walker, a long way behind with 174 points followed closely by Grace, Oosthuizen, Holmes, Reed, Koepka, Casey.

3).The FedEx Play-Offs are taking the week off to allow the survivors to take a breather. Those departing the scene include Europeans Cejka, Donald, Laird, Pettersson plus Camilo, Leishman and Matt Every.
Round 3, the BMW Championship, will be staged at Conway Farms in Chicago starting Thursday, Sept 17th.

4).While the European Tour takes centre-stage at the very excellent Kennemer and the KLM Dutch Open, the US attention moves to Round 1 of the web.com Tour Finals (WTF's), played in Fort Wayne, Indiana, with Rounds 2, 3 and 4 to follow in N.Carolina, Ohio and Florida. These have been good tournaments in their own right over the past couple of years and last year's 25 "graduates" included golfers who made the FedEx Play-Offs on the "Big Tour". e.g.: John Peterson, Sean O'Hair, Knost, Lingmerth, Blair, Owen, Pinckney, JJ Henry, Swafford, Chad Collins and Nick Taylor.  

5).This year, 25 web.com Members have already earned Tour cards for 2015/16 including Golden Oldies like Dicky Pride, Pampling and Steve Marino; one-time Golden Boy Jamie Lovemark, and promising rookies like money-winner Patton Kizzire (what were the Kizzires thinking?), Michael Kim and Smylie (I know!) Kaufman.

6)."Notables" contesting the WTF's include:
Aussie old lags Allenby, Appleby, Baddeley, Goggin, Steve Allan, Percy, Chalmers,
Major Champion: Lucas Glover
US Tour winners: Byrd, Michael Thompson, John Merrick, Herron, Petrovic, Garrigus, Gainey, Axley, Chris Smith, Vaughn Taylor, Reavie, Points, Lunde, Rollins
Europeans: Brian Davis, Greg Eason, Gonzo, Norlander, Seamus Power, Siem
International players: Aiken, Grillo, Iwata, Lahiri
It's not clear to moi how many other non-Americans were eligible to compete but chose not to, but some qualified for PGA Tour Membership via the excellence of their golf thru' the "15 season: Grace, Lowry and, I think, Cameron Smith among them. Patrick Rodgers also qualified, primarily because of his T2 at Quail Hollow.
One youngster to watch this week is Austin Cook who went the Patrick Reed route and Monday qualified for 6 of the 7 qualies he entered and turned most in to Tour Top 25's.

7).The PGA Of America confirmed Oak Hill, Rochester, NY, as the site of the 2023 PGA Championship and stated there are currently no plans to relocate their 2022 PGA from Trump's Bedminster course in New Jersey. (Though there's every chance that Trump's mouth will have the last say in that decision.)

8).Last note, promise. Those already eliminated from FedEx Play-Off competition earn significant bonuses so are not going home empty-handed:
Positions #126 - 150 receive $32K.
101 - 125 receive $70K
81 - 100 receive $75K
and 71 - 80 leave with $80K
The minimum for qualifying for Round 3 (BMW) is $110K, the minimum for reaching East Lake's Tour Championship is $175K.
And that's when the really big money opportunities begin!

Haven't seen anything about Andres Romero's Tour status after smashing his hand in Reno. As far as I can see he'll have no status next year other than PGA Tour Past Champion which will squeeze him into a few events but not many. Otherwise assume it's the web.com for him unless he recovers in time to play the final two WTF's.

Seamus Power -1 halfway thru' Round 3. More on Mr.Power in this Q&A:

http://www.pgatour.com/webcom/news/2015/04/14/q-a-seamus-power.html

Gonzalo -6 after 7 holes - keep it going Gonzo!

GB&I threatening to relinquishing a dominant position in the WC - need to at least square these singles, hopefully go another one up. coygb&i

This is a status recap of top-50 PGA Tour Career earners who do not have PGA Tour status in place for next year... The first number before each is their career earnings rank (for top-25 and top-50 career earnings purposes)

7 - David Toms - Age 48 - At seasons end, it appeared as though Toms finished 126th on the money list, but the Tour found it had erroneously been crediting Shane Lowry with "official money" instead of unofficial. So by removing Lowery, Tom's moved up to #125 on the money list and does not need to use either of his remaining Top-25- or Top-50 Career Money exemptions

14 - Justin Leonard - Age 43 - Eligible but not playing in WTF series - Has used top-25 exemption, but has top-50 still available. I do not know if Leonard has notified the Tour of his intent to use it, but he also has the option of playing off the unlimited sponsors exemptions he would be eligible for. My guess is he'd be successful in getting most the exemptions he applied for.

17 - Kenny Perry - Age 55 - Used his top-25 exemption early in this past season and still has his top-50 available if he were to choose to use it.

49 - Bo Van Pelt - Age 40 - Not Playing WTF - Has notified Tour he'll use his top-50 exemption for next year

- - - -

These two players are participating in the WTF series

31 - Robert Allenby - Age 44 - Playing WTF - Has used his top-25 exemption but has the safety net of his top-50 exemption still available

25 - Stuart Appleby - Age 44 - Playing WTF - Already used both his top-25 & 50 exemptions, so he in effect is playing WTF with no safety net to status

- - - -

These are players in the career money top-50 that are not eligible for the WTF series, and they are out of career money exemptions. Doesn't matter for most though, as most are already on the Champions Tour or very close to it

27 - Mike Weir - Age 45 - Not Eligible for WTF - on leave - Already used both top-25 & 50 exemptions
29 - Scott Verplank - Age 51 - Not Eligible for WTF - Already used both top-25 & 50 exemptions
34 - Mark Calcavecchia - Age 55 - Not Eligible for WTF - Already used both top-25 & 50 exemptions
40 - Chris DiMarco - Age 47 - Not Eligible for WTF - Already used both top-25 & 50 exemptions
41 - Fred Couples - Age 55 - Not Eligible for WTF - Already used both top-25 & 50 exemptions
43 - Bob Estes - Age 49 - Not Eligible for WTF - Already used top-50 exemption
44 - Tom Lehman - Age 56 - Not Eligible for WTF - Already used both top-25 & 50 exemptions
45 - Fred Funk - Age 59 - Not Eligible for WTF - Already used top-50 exemption
47 - Nick Price - Age 58 - Not Eligible for WTF - Already used top-50 exemption
50 - Billy Mayfair - Age 49 - Not Eligible for WTF - Already used top-50 exemption (and already out of top-50)

Cheers robo; think Appleby will receive a lengthy medical extension. Allenby needs all the help he can get . . . . . . .

Another decent crop of players migrating to the Champo Tour this coming year, a bit like 2014. Estes in Feb, then Petkovic and his Hartford buddy Jerry Kelly, with Stricker and Toms to follow in early 2017. A few more less distinguished as well.

Daly turns 50 next Spring.

That's what I mean, "less distinguished"! True enough GPB, I knew there were a few that slipped the mind.

GB&I carry a lead in to Sunday - decent comeback by the US, could have (should've?) been even further adrift.

What's with the use of laser sights in the Walker Cup?

IIRC, its only a local rule that Lasers cannot be used on the pro tours.

Allegedly, it speeds up play.

Yeah, right. Thanks GPB

Some laser-like play from the GB&I boys this morning; going in to the singles in a very good position, but stranger things have happened.
coygb&i . . . . . .

Nelson, Beaverbrook, Churchill, Eden, Atlee, Henry Cooper, Lady Di, Maggie Thatcher (OK not Thatcher, put in DeValera), can have a moment of redemption as GB&I win a big one.

Ashley Chesters must be quite the golfer - led from the front. Luke Donald of the 2020's?

US never recovered from leaving Derek Bard out of their Team.
It might change with a couple of matches to go, but US included two x McCoys - so far, no points. The real McCoy!

Believe 16 1/2 to 9 1/2 is GB&I's widest winning margin. Now to do the business at LA CC in 2017.
Golf Channel scribe bemoaning US play in foursomes (a popular narrative), but fails to mention the singles line-up also took a thumping - 8-5 plus five halves.
Well done to Nigel Edwards.

63 holes in the book for the WTF leaders; Top 6, at least, should earn sufficient loot to be in the top 25 at series end and qualify for next season's PGA Tour.
"International" players Norlander, Iwata and Lahiri all in the top 6 with up to nine holes to play; Grillo another shot back.

Good round today from Brian Davis gets him well inside the all-important top 25, Leicester City's Greg Eason too, though he still has holes to play - he needs to summon echoes of The Tinkerer to move higher.

kwinigolfer wrote:Believe 16 1/2 to 9 1/2 is GB&I's widest winning margin. Now to do the business at LA CC in 2017.
Golf Channel scribe bemoaning US play in foursomes (a popular narrative), but fails to mention the singles line-up also took a thumping - 8-5 plus five halves.
Well done to Nigel Edwards.

I am pretty sure the big one for the Americans is the presidents cup. As long as the win that they will take any number of Walker and RC defeats.

McLaren wrote:

kwinigolfer wrote:Believe 16 1/2 to 9 1/2 is GB&I's widest winning margin. Now to do the business at LA CC in 2017.
Golf Channel scribe bemoaning US play in foursomes (a popular narrative), but fails to mention the singles line-up also took a thumping - 8-5 plus five halves.
Well done to Nigel Edwards.

I am pretty sure the big one for the Americans is the presidents cup.  As long as the win that they will take any number of Walker and RC defeats.

GPB wrote:IIRC, its only a local rule that Lasers cannot be used on the pro tours.

Allegedly, it speeds up play.

I went to a practice day at the Open a few years ago and most of the pro's or their caddies were using lasers.

You can use Lasers on the EuroproTour.

Didn't see the Walker Cup, but congrats to GBI! Yes, Kwin, looks like the US would have been no worse with Bard and my fellow club member and experienced Walker Cupper Jay Sigel might have made this more of a contest!

Saw some Lydia Ko highlights. VERY impressive.

super_realist wrote:

McLaren wrote:

kwinigolfer wrote:Believe 16 1/2 to 9 1/2 is GB&I's widest winning margin. Now to do the business at LA CC in 2017.
Golf Channel scribe bemoaning US play in foursomes (a popular narrative), but fails to mention the singles line-up also took a thumping - 8-5 plus five halves.
Well done to Nigel Edwards.

I am pretty sure the big one for the Americans is the presidents cup.  As long as the win that they will take any number of Walker and RC defeats.

Is that the tin cup thing where Trump is looking for a 4 year exemption?

some news on the irish 5

http://www.irishgolfdesk.com/news-files/2015/9/14/hurley-joins-dj-at-hambric-dunne-heading-for-4sports

Thanks hend0,
Anyone know what the plans are for Chesters and Mullen?


Weird story about Sam Saunders who almost certainly retrieved his Tour card with a high WTF finish last weekend:
It seems he spent a couple of nights in hospital recently with a severe concussion and what is being reported as a "fractured skull", after falling off his motor bike. If he wasn't wearing a helmet, which it is inferred he wasn't, it would seem that he's lacking Arnie's common sense as well as his charisma. He's taking this week off to nurse his headache.

Confirmation from golfchannel.com that David Feherty has signed a deal with NBC Sports as well as his Golf Channel gig.
Not surprising, but it perhaps illustrates how difficult it is for Fox to attract talent for their Golf Championship coverage.
Perhaps they'll get Trump?