PGA Tour: WGC Dell Match Play: No Notes from the Ballwasher

Anything to start a thread for this week, but no notes as out of town and out of touch (even more than usual).

Let the matches, and comments, begin:

May as well post the draw again. From Princedrac



Hope you are having a good time whatever you are up to kwini.

I can't really recall having seen Austin CC before but a look on their website has given me some hope.

"With its deep pot bunkers, undulating turf, and dramatic 18th hole fairway fall, the course is reminiscent of those Scottish classics Royal Dornoch and Gullane Hill"


If it lives up to Dornoch and Gullane we are in for a treat this week.

It's really common for modern courses to claim they are reminiscent of Scottish links courses. Rarely is it true.

raycastleunited wrote:It's really common for modern courses to claim they are reminiscent of Scottish links courses. Rarely is it true.

In a lot of cases, why would they want to claim that?

Ray

I was being sarcastic. I have seen some photos of ACC and in no way does it resemble a Scottish links. It has a bit more elevation change compared to some of the courses seen on tour by hardly gullane hill like.


Super

I think you would agree that were a course to resemble Dornoch or gullane it would be a good thing?

Of course, but what's wrong with a course being original? Why do they always have to try and compare themselves to something they evidently aren't?

Americans have a fetish for all things Irish and Scottish.

Not all things.

For one thing, we appreciate good food.

That's why you go to Scotland and Ireland . . . . . .

Can't understand why somewhere in Austin might be compared to a links course - they're missing the sea for starters.

GPB wrote:Not all things.

For one thing, we appreciate good food.

Far too much.

Kwini

As noted above it seems to be essential marketing fluff for any new course opened in the US.

Have the pro's ever visited ACC before? (I gather this is about the 3rd course the club has had)

News that Nick Watney is out for the rest of the season, trying to rehab a bad back.

Oh yes Mac, I just visited the website to see the description and photos you mention. Looks just like Gullane to me...

And the bridge in the background could easily be the Forth bridge. Although I don't know if any links courses have a view of the Forth bridge.

Looks like it'll be getting quite windy as the day goes on, Thursday too.

No big leads yet.

Mac,
Don't know of any pro tournaments at ACC, but sure some college guys (Spieth for instance) have played there.

Not often you hear about a course built in GB&I marketed as being reminiscent of Winged Foot, Medinah, Cherry Hills, you name it, they don't model courses after those elsewhere . . . . . .

Kwini

I have come across a few parkland/inland courses in the UK that use the tag line "course x is the Augusta of Area A".

But you are correct, not a comparison made very often.

Letham Grange does that Mac.

Super, thanks for the example. I know I have read it quite a few times but couldn't remember exactly what clubs did it.

kwinigolfer wrote:
Not often you hear about a course built in GB&I marketed as being reminiscent of Winged Foot, Medinah, Cherry Hills, you name it, they don't model courses after those elsewhere . . . . . .

Isn't Trump International named after Trump National?

Just about time for Poults to rev up the IJP corporate Tiger Moth and head to Puerto Rico.

Jason Day stretching his back; Poults wouldn't be thrilled if he withdrew after one match . . . . . .

I wonder what the rule would be if Day has to w/d?
I can't see that he should be credited with any win if he's unable to compete tomorrow; obviously if you w/d after Round 1 of a stroke-play event your round is nullified and no money/points/whatever even if you shot a 57.
Wonder what the precedent is?

Would it be counted as two concessions? Two wins by walkover?

kwinigolfer wrote:Just about time for Poults to rev up the IJP corporate Tiger Moth and head to Puerto Rico.

Jason Day stretching his back; Poults wouldn't be thrilled if he withdrew after one match . . . . . .

Pretty sure Poulter was obligated to play a Wednesday Pro-Am in Puerto Rico unless he made other arrangements.

kwinigolfer wrote:I wonder what the rule would be if Day has to w/d?
I can't see that he should be credited with any win if he's unable to compete tomorrow; obviously if you w/d after Round 1 of a stroke-play event your round is nullified and no money/points/whatever even if you shot a 57.
Wonder what the precedent is?

From Bob Harig of ESPN

https://twitter.com/BobHarig/status/712735932722585600


It looks like Tiger texted Jason Day on how to flinch after a bad drive.

You'd think so, Inw, but that seems very unfair on the bloke that lost in the first match.
Not sure, but hope the Tours have thought this through.

GPB,
That's ludicrous; anyone could then decide to take a day off. More grist to the golfers-aren't-athletes mill.

I don't see anything wrong with it.  Its not to J-Day's advantage to forfeit his match to Jaidee tomorrow.

Jaidee will be 2-0 and wins a two-man tie-breaker against should Jaidee lost to GMAC on Friday and J-Day beats Paul Casey on Friday.


Edit:  Because it is Paul Casey in that pod, and not Danny Lee.

Stenson must be wondering why he didn't think of that . . . . . . .

What's Danny Lee got to do with it?

kwinigolfer wrote:Stenson must be wondering why he didn't think of that . . . . . . .

What's Danny Lee got to do with it?

 My post was edited.

I wonder if there would be as much angst about J-Day's injury on this board if he had lost his match today to GMAC.

GPB

I also don't understand the angst because if day wishes to concede a match then surely that is his own problem? I understand that it gifts a win to one of the players in the group but sport is often filled with fortunate/unfortunate injury situations. Just ask Chris Brunt.

Fair enough, but it's against the fundamental principles of golf. Can't imagine any other circumstance whereby a golfer fails to meet his tee time one day, yet can compete the day after.
The Chris Brunt analogy is, well, not an analogy - completely different.

Kwini

It is a bit of quirk that you can fail to tee it up but remain in a tournament but I guess the WGC matchplay format makes it possible.

Although if he can't play tomorrow what chance does he have of being fit again for his next match?


I guess a better analogy would be a tennis player getting a bye when their opponent pulls out injured after a couple of games. It can happen and the rest of the field is disadvantaged but you just have to accept injuries can happen in sport.



What about the mess Thorbjorn made of his match against Rory.

Did he have money on a McIlroy win?

Didn't see the last 90 minutes so if Thunderbear was struck by lightening I missed it. Glad Rors won though; there have been some horrendous "efforts" on 16, 17 and 18.

Also don't think the tennis player analogy works, although I see yr point. But the tennis player doesn't re-enter the tournament when it suits him, so there is less incentive to take a (pun unintended) day off.

Kwini

I agree, it is weird but I don't much care for the round robin format for many more reasons. Sod it if some people don't enjoy watching just a few matches on the TV give me proper knockout matchplay any day.


Thorbjorn finished with a shanked chip. Need I say more.

Oh dear, just like Danny Lee.
Plus Westwood got down in four from just off the green on 16 & 18. Horrendous stuff.

Completely agree the round robin doesn't work; don't like the halves either, if it's just to keep more matches relevant.

Good day for favourites.

Who is Patton Kizzire?

Be honest, other than our resident experts like Kwini and GPB has anyone ever heard of this guy?

He chalked up owgr points by dominating last year's web.com Tour, then played well in the autumn events. Roll him and Kisner together and you come up with Lucas Glover.

Honours even at the end of the first day, I think:
USA 13, non-USA 13, with 6 halved.
Come-uppance for Matty Fitz and Chris Wood, among others.

Patton Kizzire lives in the Sea Island, Georgia area (same region as Kuchar, Sneds, Kisner, Love, Harman).  And also a college buddy of mine.

My buddy says that Kizzire has been winning most the money matches against the local talent, but he hadn't played well when he went to Tour School.

He was the leading money winner on the Web-com tour last year.

==========

I think Tennis has (or had) Round Robin Tennis tournaments so I guess a player could forfeit one of matches and still proceed to the knockout round.

I am not a fan of Jason Day as I think he is prima donna (and someone who my father would say "enjoys bad health"). But I have no problem with him forfeiting his match tomorrow and coming back to play Casey on Friday.

Alabama boys catching up on the Georgia, Carolina and Florida lads: McDool, Smylie, DuffDaddy, Kizzire, Thomas and the rest.

Sounds like Thongchai may be the big winner in the match of the Day.

Just a reminder that there's PGA Tour action this week in Puerto Rico where an ailing Alex Cejka defends his title.
Not a deep field but plenty of good players including Luke Donald, Poults, Freddie Jac, Aiken, Coetzee, etc.
Brian Davis also getting a rare start.

Perhaps this event is a bit Old Kent Road compared to the riches of the WGC, but Mayfair won't be having that. He's leading!

EDIT: Hadn't spotted that Bourdy and Zanotti are in the PR field as well. Scoring early is pretty sporty.

What's the Hivemind's collective opinion on the Austin CC course? We haven't got to see huge amounts of it on Sky - extensive coverage seems limited to about 6 holes with long shots for the rest, but I for one like what I see.

Agree with you Bob. There's been no flow to the coverage so far, they seem intent on showing 16 thru 18, to hell with the rest.

I don't like that bank on the right-hand side of #17 that kicks wide-right shots towards the hole but good shots just to the right of yesterday's hole position are repelled off the green.

Haven't seen enough to spot any resemblance to Scottish courses - looks like Texas to moi.

I like the looks of Austin Country Club but the driving range net is an eyesore.

Surely if you are not on the tee for a match you are dq'd.
It is a sport after all?

Kwini: I guess in matchplay you'd expect most of the matches to finish on 16, 17 or 18 so they concentrated the cameras there, but I think they must be short on roving crews.

GPB: I was thinking exactly the same about the net when seeing the 17th from the tee box. There are a couple of courses that happens on - Crans sur Sierre on the European tour springs to mind - otherwise incredibly scenic but one hole is spoiled by the driving range net.

Bob

Again, haven't seen enough of the course to draw a very sound conclusion, but as I mentioned yesterday about the photos I had seen of the course it seems to have a little more elevation change compared to what we normally see on tour. I think this adds a bit of interest.

Eight favourites winning early, vs only one underdog.

Haven't heard yet what Day plans to do this afternoon, but agree with puligny - if he's not on the first tee he should be dq'd.