PGA Tour: Golf Oddity: Notes from the Ballwasher

First topic message reminder :

1).Starman: Couldn't start anywhere else really. Jordan Spieth took Kapalua to its knees last week; difficult to imagine such a performance which, shot by shot can look ordinary, but the final product is so extraordinary. And it all added up to an eight stroke win over Reed.
But amidst all the commentating orgasms in Maui, it's easy to forget that these same broadcasters are on their way to Honolulu where Jimmy Walker won by NINE strokes last year.

2).The Young Americans made a splash at Kapalua, and that got NBC's Mark Rolfing, waxing lyrical about the the prospect of Koepka, Thomas, etc joining Spieth, Reed, Fowler and the rest in making the US Ryder Cup Team, in his words probably at the expense of "middle aged guys" like "Furyk". Zach Johnson turns 40 next month too, but wouldn't bet on Furyk, Johnson or Mickelson taking a back seat to All The Young Dudes; each is as competitive as they come.

3).Laughing Gnome: Yup, Rolfing is back, not from an alcoholic time out this time, but from cancer surgery. Good health to him, just keep away from my TV set.

4).Valentine's Day: My January Valentine is Dottie Pepper. Yes she's built like a linebacker, Yes she waves her stars-and-stripes knickers to a fault, but she's a superb commentator and it is confirmed she'll be part of the CBS commentary team at The Masters, the first woman to get that gig. She'll also receive a Golf Writers Of America award recognizing "an individual who has made an outstanding contribution to golf". Plus she's a good Saratoga girl, her family growing up in the same golfing circles as the Duvals, Philos among others.

5).Rebel Rebel: Who's the Tour's Number One "Rebel"? Imagine only Tim Finchem can answer that correctly, but even his eyes must spin like saucers when he sees Matt Every's results. Another wasted week for young Matt at Kapalua. Given his results, one wouldn't be surprised if he led the Tour in drug tests, following his indiscretions at the John Deere a few years ago, his occasionally outspoken comments and, most relevant here, his results over the past nine-ish months, following the successful defence of his Bay Hill title. Two more withdrawals (5) since a T42 at The Players than cuts made (3, all in no-cut events).
He's not wasting everyone's time at this week's Sony Open; good thing, last year he d/q'd. Moron.

6).Buddha of Suburbia: Yup, Tiger Woods has been pictured with a club in his hands. Stop press.

7).Under Pressure: Interesting article in the Telegraph (tks GPB) about Luke Donald contemplating his future in the game after some poor results last spring. Unusual for a professional sportsman to sound so vulnerable. Especially as his form since getting the spring has not been much better. New (old) coach, new caddie. New outlook? He's playing in Honolulu so hopefully he'll show some improvement; if not, it'll be a long year for Lukey.

8).Heroes: Ryder Cup Heroes teeing it up at the "Sony" include Luke Donald, Harrington, McDowell and Molinari. None is assured a ticket to Hazeltine, so an important few months for that lot, among others.

9).The Man Who Fell To Earth: Robert Allenby is making his return to Honolulu following last year's ignominious exit which left him battered and bruised, physically and psychologically.
Bad karma, most of his own making, has been with him ever since, but he's looking to turn over a new leaf, not to mention a new wife. And he needs to as he's playing this year on a career money exemption, his last chance saloon, though I'm sure he'd put it another way. I've enjoyed following him in the past so hope he plays well.

10).Blackstar: Not quite but our old friend, the "Undercover Pro" comes up with a fun story from the practice range where he slags off the hangers-on who offer "bad advice and meddling on the range".
"Not enough people appreciate Vijay Singh. He was the first golfer to figure out that if you were highly abrasive, you could reclaim the range as your office. Swing coaches, caddies, trainers, reps - pretty much everyone stopped approaching Vijay because they knew they were going to get told to go f--- themselves."

Ashes to Ashes. RIP.

Kwini

This wasn't an informed comment about who is and isn't available from the bbc, more a joke about their lack of live golf coverage. But I guess "they" would be Ken, Hazel, Cotter, Madill, Grady, James etc.

OK, Like Ken.
Can't stand Grady on Aussie broadcasts so imagine he's the same worldwide, and don't know enough about the rest, Hazel way too sugary commercial whenever I've heard her.

As I have said before I am a Cotter fan boy. Easily one of the best sports commentators in the UK.

Tables turned this week as European Tour stop in Abu Dhabi has a 50-ish owgr points (partly thanks to Spieth & Fowler) to the winner, the Career Builder "Bob Hope" about a low 40-something.
Decent fields in Qatar and Dubai also, but imagine San Diego and Pebble Beach will be more competitive.
Every indication that Riviera will have an especially strong field.

Any news on Allenby? Did he get mugged?

No reports yet pedro, though his stay was fleeting, not around for the weekend and may have chosen to depart early for Palm Springs as the better part of valour. "Hospitality" establishments presumably the poorer for his short visit.

Although it will never happen, I think Paul McGinley might be the best available man for the Fox job.

Darren Clarke is best man for the job, but he is kind of busy this summer.

McGinleys accent annoys me and he looks a bit goofy. I can't look past that, sorry.

I've never heard McGinley except in interviews - he's certainly got the US connections.
Would think they'll do whatever they can to get Azinger though; they'll love his opinions, won't give a monkey's that he's pretty shaky on most non-Americans, right up Fox's street. Plus he's good.

He is kind of old to be hired for Fox, but I would like to see them hire Butch Harmon.

How has he done on Sky Sports?

This is what Golf Digest thinks:

http://www.golfdigest.com/story/fox-sports-best-options-for-replacing-greg-norman-here-are-five-choices?mbid=nl_011816_daily_hitlist&CNDID=25665405&spMailingID=8445615&spUserID=MTA4NzI3MDIzMjU0S0&spJobID=841987284&spReportId=ODQxOTg3Mjg0S0

BRANDEL CHAMBLEE: "Loves to access history, his own experience as a player, and his desire to surprise with a new insight or premise own ego to shape the latest narrative"

He what now, with his what? Sack the proof reader.

I liked the commentary Jack Nicklaus did on Sky, but I didn't like the way Ewan Murray fawned all over him..."Let's tak about you Jack, not what's going on on the course".

Interesting speculation on "sponsorship dominoes" on the PGA Tour following news that Barclays will not renew their FedEx Play-Off contract after 2016:
http://www.golfchannel.com/news/doug-ferguson/northern-trust-moving-sponsorship-playoff-event/

Finchem is a genius at this sort of thing, tho' the issue of finding a sponsor to replace Cadillac at Drumpf's Doral might be something even he hadn't considered this time last year.

Do coke still sponsor the tour championship? If not they may want another event to compliment their spieth endorsement.

You have another man crush don't you Mac?

Mac,
Something for your fantasies...
http://www.golfchannel.com/news/grill-room/spieth-buys-mahans-old-dallas-area-mansion-7-million/

super_realist wrote:You have another man crush don't you Mac?

You hadn't noticed? The whole "simba" thing is typical man crush symptoms

That's why Tim makes the big money. I like his chances of finding the sponsorship he seeks.

Greg "the ego" Norman was awful on the Faux broadcast. I would think Chamblee would be the closest thing to Greg ... but would much prefer Azinger.

Wonder why Casey withdrew from the Career Builder tournament this week?
Since declaring his sole allegiance to the PGA Tour, he's played three official events, one on the PGA Tour, one WGC, one European Tour. That's in the past seventeen weeks.
With that heavy a schedule, it's easy to see why he spurned the European Tour; at this rate he'll be hard pressed to fulfil his minimum PGA Tour obligation . . . . . .