PGA Tour: Canada Dry: Notes from the Ballwasher

1).What a fantastic weekend of golf, what dominance by Mickelson and Stenson, better ball final round of 58 I believe. Not to mention that they had the day's lowest round on Thursday, Saturday & Sunday - Stenson's 68 tied for lowest on Friday. And Well Done to Troon also - back again soon I hope.

2).Some will say they benefitted a little from the luck of the draw. So who were the (unofficial) leaders from the Thursday morning / Friday afternoon wave?
-5: Stricker
-4: McIlroy
-1: Reed, Woodland
+1: Rose, Westwood, Day, Snedeker, Thongchai

3).Part-timer Stricker now gets to add some events to his schedule if he can drag himself away from hunting camp: The PGA Championship, then the Barclays this year (and then who knows what further FedEx action he'll get?), plus The Masters and Birkdale next year. He'll be a Champions Tour player by then!
JB Holmes also qualifies for The Masters and Birkdale; Hatton, Johnston, Kjeldsen and Haas will receive exemption for Birkdale.

4).A pretty good week too for Darren Clarke as he rolled to a T30 finish. His Ryder Cup Team appears now to have five certainties: Willett, McIlroy, Stenson, Rose & Garcia, plus Rafa C-B who looks almost sure of a place.
Wood's injury w/d is a big miss by him, especially if he is unable to play in next week's PGA. Apparently Clarke has told Wood he needs to prove his fitness regardless. Sullivan and Fitzpatrick round out the "automatic" qualifying places right now but Westwood and Kjeldsen are closing in. Whilst Kaymer flattered only to deceive, as has so often been the case this summer. McDool didn't even flatter.

5).Many of last week's Open contestants will have hitched a ride on a charter jet to Toronto and this week's "RBC Canadian Open" a few miles west of the City at Glen Abbey. But the Canadian Open is another tournament to have suffered collateral damage from the compression of the Tour calendar - this week's field features a handful or two of top players, almost without exception RBC "Ambassadors".
Let's hope the respective Golf Federations & Tours will learn from this year's shambles and devise a schedule that makes sense to all Tours and doesn't unfairly penalise certain tournaments.
Though Sergio's charity gig doesn't seem to have suffered.

6).Neither of last week's Tour winners will be playing, no Stenson understandably, and no Baddeley who continued his Scott Hamilton-inspired resurgence with the Championship trophy at the "Barbasol". He defied the burden of having the worst hair on Tour, apparently combed (or not) with lard, to win for the fourth time. Badds is fun to follow and the Tour is a better place when he's playing well.

7).Badds beat young South Korean Si Woo Kim, the same Kim who first qualified for the PGA Tour, via Q-School, at the age of 17; too young to take his place on Tour! But he graduated via the 2015 web.com Tour and now, a fortnight removed from his 21st birthday, has scored his 10th Top 25 finish of this season, up to 45th in FedEx points.
Good that KJ Choi was out there following the four play-off holes with Mr.Kim, KJ the "coach" of the South Korean Olympic crew and mentor to so many of his young countrymen. Kim could surpass his namesake KT and Ben An as the best young S.Korean - hopefully he'll bring some of KJ Choi's personality to the sport.
Odd to see Baddeley with no sponsor logo on his cap - but his caddie had one, perhaps they'll share the Valspar largesse?

8).At the risk of being totally anal about the Play-Offs, and especially the fact that it's the only way for players to retain their "cards", it's worth noting that last year's points threshold for qualifying for The Barclays was 481 pts. Can't see it being any higher than 475 pts this year, possibly slightly lower.
Those who secured their cards last week include Molinari, a beardless DeLaet, Weekley and Tringale. Greg Owen and Martin Laird wasted good opportunities to pile up some points and each passing week sees their situation become more dire.

9).So, who is playing this week? Defending Champ Jason Day for starters. Furyk, Hoffman, DJ, Kuchar, McDowell, Snedeker, plus tourists Fitzpatrick (could use a good result), Coetzee and KT Kim. Other Europeans include: Blixt, Cejka, Laird, Norlander, Owen, Pettersson and Jon Rahm.

10).The PGA starts at Baltusrol in nine days' time. Early betting seems to reflect US Open performance more than The Open. This is the latest from Paddy Power:
8/1: Rory, Day
9/1: DJ
10/1: Spieth
16/1: Stenson (weren't they watching?)
25/1: Scott (seems to be firing blanks), Phil (2005 PGA winner at Baltusrol), Rose (poor season so far), Bubba, Fowler (Top 4? Yer havin' a larf.)
33/1: Willett (still hungover?), Sergio, Koepka (injury doubt) and Grace (a long way off his 2015 Major form).

One thing you can bet on: Baltusrol won't be ploughed under to make way for condos or luxury homes any time soon. But that still seems to be the destiny for Glen Abbey, which makes it slightly odd that they continue to use it as the go-to venue for the RBC Canadian Open.

I'm sure I read that Beef had an invite to the Canuck Open, any idea whether he accepted it? Bet the MAsters are looking forward to seeing him rolling up next April!

No sign of Beef in this week's field - probably left the week blank just in case he won at Troon and had to get "hammered". Which is not to say he wasn't invited.
He should be at Baltusrol next week, but still awaiting final confirmation of that - the PGA has rather made a Horlicks of announcing its field.
My comment above regarding Masters invite is in error, showed Masters when it was intended to read The Open. Will edit!

Confirmation of the full field of runners and riders for Baltusrol:

http://www.pga.com/pgachampionship/news/2016-pga-championship-field

We already know one threesome: Willett, Dustin, Stenson.
Wouldn't be surprised if they also group Jason Day, Rory and Phil.

This week's "Canada" winner earns 48 owgr pts, more than I would have expected. That's what having #'s 1 & 2 at your event does for you.
princedrac reckoned that Sergio's shindig was only worth about 40, surprisingly low I thought given the number of Top 11 golfers he attracted.

Does Stenson have the form and the game to do a Paddy Harrington and win the PGA?  Given they are so close together does this give him a better chance than usual to continue major winning form into the next major?


PS, poor paddy just isn't the full shilling. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gQyPsSPH5Ks and what tasteless decor!

Talking crap about Paddy again I see Mac, what a surprise. The media and others suggest Paddy is one of the best players to interview and amongst the most intellectual on tour, wouldn't imagine a large degree of golfers have a degree like he does.

Paddy has a degree? Not that is means much these days ... is it a tin pot one?

Beef (and Kjeldson and Hatton) earned top 10 exemptions to play Canada this week.

They just didn't want to play.

I think a significant number of American pros have College degrees.

Chucky Three Sticks is out of the PGA. Replaced by Jonas Blixt.

So Clarke is pulling a page from Seve's playbook. Make a (tentative) Ryder Cup Qualifier prove his fitness. Just like Seve did to Miguel Angel Martin.

McLaren wrote:Does Stenson have the form and the game to do a Paddy Harrington and win the PGA?  Given they are so close together does this give him a better chance than usual to continue major winning form into the next major?


PS, poor paddy just isn't the full shilling. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gQyPsSPH5Ks and what tasteless decor!

This plaque was kind of funny at the 5 min 17 second spot



"British Open Champion" ???

Think Paddy was/is a qualified accountant so it would be a finance degree.

GPB

"British Open Champion" ???

Good question, who made him that and why didn't he send it back.

Also why no wanamaker replica in his kitchen?

RBC has re-upped for a six year extension, from 2018 - 2023, for both the Heritage and Canadian Open.
You've got to admire Finchem with the way he accumulates tournament contracts - brilliant really that he can shaft the Canadian Open with crappy old dates and still extract more business from them.

I can't think of too many tournaments that are still in long-term question. DeutscheBank might be one, and not sure about the Beemer, but most of the rest are secure. Wonder if he has anything for the Miami market given that he's opted to play no trumps.

IIRC, Maui doesn't have a long term sponsorship since Hyundai took over Los Angeles.

GPB wrote:I think a significant number of American pros have College degrees.

This is rather like youth footballers who get 2 hours teaching a month, and come away with a CSE in woodwork.

MontysMerkin wrote:

GPB wrote:I think a significant number of American pros have College degrees.

This is rather like youth footballers who get 2 hours teaching a month, and come away with a CSE in woodwork.

Everyone needs spice racks Monty.

Hi,

I am new here so a big Hello to everyone.

You have no idea how pleased I am to have found a forum where people want to talk about golf

Welcome wiretapper!

GPB,
Yup, good spot about the TOC; I wasn't sure whether or not Kia was taking that over. You aware of any others?

I think it's a large part of Finchem's legacy that he can roll out such a steady stream of committed sponsors.
O'Grady obviously never took note, hopefully Pelley can and tap the European sponsors for long-term deals. In Europe!

Balls in the air at Glen Abbey, Should be a stonking day with warm temps and enough wind to make it interesting. A bit blustrous Friday perhaps.

Hi Wire

Not a bad little place for golf based (and non-golf based) discourse. Ballwasher notes are a weekly highlight and well worth regular perusal. As with all forums the sublime to the ridiculous comes out and is respectively ridiculous and sublime to others.

Welcome and enjoy.

Thanks Guys,

The other forum I am on is good for Scottish football but has been getting worse and worse for golf. The Open thread only got 16 replies, half of which were from me.

I remember Kwini and his excellent ballwasher posts from the old BBC 606, hence why I am here

Jeff Overton walked off the course before completing his first nine holes today. His 3rd w/d this season. Pathetic.
He's not qualified for the PGA and needs spectacular results if he's able to play Hartford, the John Deere and Greensboro. Otherwise, his next recourse will be the web.com Finals. Failing that, he will be left with "veteran player" status on Tour and that will gain him entries to precious few tournaments.

Such a promising early career with all those runner-up finishes, incl Ryder Cup, in 2010, possibly washed up at 33.

He's always seemed a good golfer to follow, albeit one who's exhibited more than isolated doses of bad judgement off the course. Hope he's still got some of his $12M prizemoney left - he might start needing it earlier than he may have planned.

And there goes Cabrera; first round lead last week, followed by 36 miserable holes and an MDF; then +8 over his first 8 holes today. Whatever will become of him?

Hi Kwini
Great notes as usual.
Couple of questions for you? Is DeChambeaux close to getting his card for next year or will he have the WTF to contend with? Would be a shame if he ends up on the Web.com next year.
Other one is, what has happened to Brendon Todd? His form over the past 12 months is almost as bad as Jin Jeong on the Euro Tour!!

Shank from DeLaet there!!

Cheers MD,
'Orrible from DeLaet!

As for DeChambeau, I'm not sure; not an expert on the vagaries of his status. He's won $460K but not sure how many "virtual" FedEx pts - he's certainly qualified for the web.com Finals, but not sure exactly what he needs to secure his full card. Going in the wrong direction early today though. But much windier this afternoon than for the morning guys.

No idea about Todd. His short game stats are off-the-charts good! But long game stinks. I've suggested perhaps a lifestyle problem in the past, but that's purely circumstantial, just judging on the clowns in his gallery. He won't even secure a web.com Finals spot unless he manages a strong result or two in his last three tournaments. x-certificate stuff again today.

Thanks for the reply Kwini.
Just wondered about Todd as he was close to getting a Ryder Cup spot in 2014 but ever since then he's missed almost every cut he's played in!!
Steady start for Laird, here's hoping he can keep it up for the 4 days.

I watched a bit last night, the course looked very hard and fast and as the wind got up for the afternoon starters they definitely had it tougher.

So well done to DJ for shooting a 66 in those conditions especially after his double at 14 and also John Rahm, putting his Open debut behind him to shoot 67. After all the DeChambeau chat could Rahm be the next to go from amateur to PGA tour winner in the same season?

As for Cabrera, anyone think he is going through the motions before he becomes eligible for the Champions Tour?

wire,
Normally I'd agree about Cabrera, but he's still three years away, needs to find somewhere to play these next three years.

Apolocalypse from Greg Owen: Birdies his first three holes, then +10 the rest of the way. Not very good.
Poor also from Fitzpatrick & McDowell, and a long hard slog for them before they gain any much-needed Ryder Cup points.

It's going to be HOT at Glen Abbey today and, like yesterday, the morning starters will seemingly have much the best of the conditions. Good point then about Rahm, he and Dustin could be over the hill and far away by lunchtime.

So-so from Martin Laird and you'd think he needs a sub-par round to make the weekend, take advantage of his morning tee-time.

Conditions will be hard and fast again, windy this afternoon. Course doesn't look in the greatest shape, does it?

I haven't watched the Canadian open for the last few seasons, given the praise for the course above I assume they have abandoned the bowling alley fairways bordered by thick rough that the used at one point?

Which course are you referring to Mac?
The Glen Abbey set-up is usually very fair (except the grandstands over the 18th green which are too close) and Royal Montreal certainly has been when they've held it there recently. The Hamilton & Vancouver courses also received rave reviews so not sure where you're coming from.

There was a year where they had very tight fairways, maybe 2011 when Bucky O'Hare won it?

Shaughnessy G&CC. Yup, it was set up tough, but the players ranked it 7th out of 50+ used on Tour that year, in the GolfWorld poll. In between Muirfield Village and Aronomink.

The Canadian Open usually goes to top-class courses, but have to say that Glen Abbey looks a bit burned out this week.

De Laet's chipping yips...yikes!

Burned out is a good description Kwini, it was looking very brown in parts. Rob Lee commenting on Sky said it was very unusual to see a PGA course in that condition.

As for Angel unless things change dramatically it will be sponsor exemptions and the PGA Latinoamerica for the next 3 years

If letting the course get a little burned out on the greens in particular gives us something other than the usual target golf it has to be a good thing?

I hate the look of the over manicured courses you see almost every week on tour. I am sure you are all sick of hearing this but I will always support fast and firm conditions. (and that doesn't mean 14 on the stimp)

DJ in reverse.
Cut-line at +1; difficult to tell yet, but forecast suggests the afternoon wind will pick up and make life more difficult.

Mac,
That's all very well, but the course needs to be designed for "firm and fast", as links courses usually are. But "parkland" courses usually aren't - happy medium best, TPC Sawgrass at Round 3 of the Players a poster child for the Tour getting it hopelessly wrong.

MontysMerkin wrote:

GPB wrote:I think a significant number of American pros have College degrees.

This is rather like youth footballers who get 2 hours teaching a month, and come away with a CSE in woodwork.

If all college athletes were given degrees, all college athletes would have degrees.

Newsflash. Not all college athletes get degrees.

Easy enough to stay eligible. Not easy to get up on the stage and get a degree. Ask Matt Fitzpatick who couldn't last 6 months at Northwestern. He was told that he would have to do school work.

GPB,
Do I see a 5+ hour round from the lead-off group of Iwata, Garrigus and Michael Kim? Hope there were some penalty strokes in there.

Chad Campbell having quite the comeback season, happy to see that.

Is Jon Rahm a member of the ET? Ryder Cup pick? Impressive stuff.

Check again Kwin ... DJ reverses his reverse.

Yup, DJ puts a fresh spin to the four-seasons-in-one-day stuff. Looks like he's overpowering the course, average drive 330+ yards.

Hope DC is watching Rahm; bet Fitz and McDool is hoping he's not watching them.

Low scores in the senior Open at Carnoustie, a swede lurking as well. Not seen any of the action just the leaderboard.

Often wondered if the PGA champs should bet he birdie fest major but looks like the R and A are playing with the idea that its Opens will be the place to see low scores win majors.

Early flight to Baltusrol for Fitzpatrick & McDowell, but nice round by Martin Laird. Two more 69's and his job is secure for another year.

Mickelson - McIlroy - Day paired together next week along with the tradtional pairing of Willett - Johnson - Stenson

Kwini - was not paying attention to playing times today. I tend to ignore it when it is split tees.

Gutty golf from Mel Reid in the LPGA Int'l Crown. Can't believe Charley Hull didn't even attempt to play. Take a Claritin!

I take it you've never suffered from asthma, GPB . . . . .

Hey, I wonder if Fowler, Kuchar & Reed have been given the nod they're on DLIII's team for Hazeltine? Bubba & Reed are in the early declarations for Hartford the week before.

Alright lads

Any one you fancy for PGA

thinking grace may do it

Not sure that Grace has done much recently.
I think Rory will take some beating, though very little rain in the forecast and Baltusrol could be baked out. Perhaps not wildly dissimilar conditions to Glen Abbey unless they've been soaking the entire course.

Your buddy Apples had a nightmare double bogey, double bogey finish to slip to +2, just on the wrong side of the cut-line as things stand halfway thru the afternooners. He can't afford to throw opportunities away, even the Top 150 at season's end is worth a lot to him.

he was doing so well earlier horrible finish

Sergio in good form just not sure if he has the nerve to get over the line in a major

As an outsider thoughts on Emiliano Grillo

Cut-line now +2 and may stay there, could be Appleby's lucky day.

I like Grillo but he must be running on fumes, he's played so much golf.

Here are the tee-times GPB referred to:

http://i.cdn.turner.com/dr/golf/golfm/release/pgachampionship/sites/pgachampionship/files/docs/2016_PGA_Championship_Tee_Times_Pairings.pdf

GPB wrote: Ask Matt Fitzpatick who couldn't last 6 months at Northwestern.

Come on. He's only 14 years old.

pedro wrote:

GPB wrote: Ask Matt Fitzpatick who couldn't last 6 months at Northwestern.

Come on. He's only 14 years old.

And he kept sh***ing the bed.