PGA Tour: Viva Las Vegas: Notes from the Ballwasher

1).Wonderful performance last week in China from Hideki Matsuyama - proof if any is needed that, when his putter is behaving, he's up there among the very best in the world.
Surprising (is it?) that Americans only placed Daniel Berger (T2), Bill Haas (T4), Fowler (T6) and Kokrak (T16) in the Top 20.

2).Hideki will be one of the leaders, presumably, on next year's Presidents Cup Team. Current leaders in automatic qualification are:
Day, Matsuyama, Scott, Grace, Grillo, Louis, Charl, Ben An, Leishman, Thongchai. (10)

3).US Team points leaders are currently:
DJ, Justin Thomas (true dat, but I'm still not convinced about him), Spieth, Reed, Berger, Chappell, Moore, Na, Snedeker, Steele, Phil, Kuchar. (12, just to show Phil!)

4).Cody Gribble is 61st but he putted his way to a four-stroke win in Mississippi last week. Greg Owen was among three golfers tied for second, a terrific result from the prototypical Tour journeyman, and playing out of the bowels of the Players Exemption Categories, 150th on last season's ranking which means that he'll be lucky to scrape a dozen starts in 16/17.

5).But being a Tour "journeyman" is not all that bad, provided you're good enough to bounce back from every relegation to the web.com dungeon.
This is Owen's 3rd Tour runner-up finish, in his 250th career start. He's banked at least $1M in four separate seasons, almost $8M in all, plus another $630+K in web.com cameos.
At various times he's exhibited incomprehensible putting and course management aberrations, but actually seems to be mentally improving in his mid-40's and hopefully can keep this level of play going in the few opportunities he earns. Starting this week in Las Vegas.
Always a great ball-striker, but now showing signs of better putter behaviour. Imagine he'll play every tournament he gets into, whether web.com or PGA Tour, but it will be extraordinarily difficult to retrieve his Tour status out of his conditional status.

6).A few weeks ago the Tour named Dustin Johnson its Player of the Year and Grillo its ROTY. Steve Stricker won the Comeback Player award so many times the Tour retired it, but they might have considered Jason Dufner last season, perhaps even Jhonny Vegas. Though Jim Herman and Brian Stuard appeared from journeyman oblivion to win Tour events.

7).The Tour could also nominate candidates for a freefall award, top-ish players who have fallen apparently unaccountably. What about this crew, without even going to those who might be injured (Tim Clark, Van Pelt, Overton, Poulter, Ryo, Sabbatini, Watney)?

Brendon Todd: 50th on the money list in 2014/2015 to 211th. Won 2014 Byron Nelson, but now short and crooked, despite brilliant short game. Past Champion status and sponsor invites might get him 15 starts.

Matt Jones: From 44th to 127th - Coming off his Aussie Open win, you'd think he'd really kick on. But looks like he kicked back instead and now playing out of conditional status.

Mahan: From 61st to 188th - Ryder Cupper in 2014, now has one more year of exemption from his Barclays win. Hate to see Hunner's career go down the drain like this, seems like a good bloke.

de Jonge: From 62nd to 165th - Presidents Cup in 2013. May squeak ten "veteran member" starts.

Matt Every: From 68th to 199th - Looks like he's checked out, though still has full exemption for his Bay Hill wins, may actually have two more years. But his form has gone to pieces.

Carl Pettersson: From 82nd to 214th. $19K winnings last week was his best for more than a year. Don't blame the loss of his long putter, he's short off the tee and only hits 47% of fairways. Taking a one-time career money exemption. And then what?

8).Another player from the physio's table has announced his comeback at the Hero money-grab in his Bahamas back garden. Justin Rose of course. He wasn't close to his best for most of last year, whether because of injuries, putting woes or what. But here's wishing a return to good health in 2017.

9).We'll know who the new POTUS is this time next week, but three Senate Democrats have made a preemptive strike to urge the USGA to remove their 2017 Women's Open from Drumpf's course in New Jersey. Hope that won't be all he loses next week.

10).On to Las Vegas and this week's lyrically named "Shriners Hospitals for Children Open"; Martin Laird scored his first win here, plus lost in a play-off to a hole-in-one (Jonathan Byrd) and must be a good shout. Kevin Na and Ryan Moore usually play well here and Scott Piercy is a local who is probably due another win.

Europeans playing include McDowell, Molinari and Jon Rahm.
Is Rahm eligible for Rookie of the year? If so, you'd think he must be an even money favourite, even with Gribble's fast start. Player of the Year? Who do you fancy??

Speaking of POTUS.... The new CPGAT takes his place on Monday.

Jay Monahan officially takes the reins as PGA Tour Commissioner on Monday replacing Tim Finchem who held the job since 1994.
http://www.golfchannel.com/news/rex-hoggard/welcome-new-job-mr-commissioner/?cid=rr_editorial_p2



Guess we won't have Dick Nixon.... Err... I mean Tim Finchem to kick around any more...

Kwini... Good notes as usual

Matt Every... Yep he's got a winners exemption through the 2017-18 season via his API win. That was the first year of 3-year exemptions for Palmer and the Memorial.

Jon Rahm... No RoY for him. His qualifying for STM last season disqualifies him for this season... Even though he seems a helluva lot more a rookie than Siwoo Kim who was determined to be a last minute rookie last year due to an "interesting" interpretation of the rule.

Rookie rule at the bottom of this page... http://www.pgatour.com/fantasy/rookie-rankings.html

Thanks for the rookie explanation, robo.
Think I'll go for Brandon Hagy then, though even he may be pushing it. Good player in prospect though.

Early warning: The Alabama Stage 2 Q-School qualie is being led by a Gamecock named Dykes, Dykes Harbin.

Morning Drive crew is  bemoaning the PGA Tour's wrap around schedule again.   And I get "some" of their points, it really IS tough not having an off season.

But the point most critics of year round PGAT events (except December) seem to forget is the PGA Tour is NOT on an island. It operates within the realm of "World Golf" where other Tours will continue to play year round regardless if the PGA Tour does or doesn't.

If the PGA Tour were to shut down from say the Tour Championship until January, you'd have Euro and other Tour players continuing to play and earn OWGR points which could gain them qualification to early season WGC's and or Masters, etc.  Now the TOP names on the PGAT can still get invites (and even appearance fees) into those "other" world wide events... but the rank and file can't unless they can somehow qualify to join one of those other Tours.  

Plus the "Webbies", who have virtually no shot at getting into worldwide events, get opportunities to play in the fall PGAT schedule.  If you remove that, the better players participate even more in the events from January on... and Webbies have even less opportunities to play in the new year.   The only fair thing then, would be to in effect "shrink the tour" in numbers of players.  You either lower the exempt number or grant less Webbie cards, or both.

Bottom line: The PGAT's role is to serve it's members with playing opportunities, and that would naturally include a fair shot of qualifying for and competing on the "world" stage in the big events.  Cutting off the season when the other tours do not works entirely contrary to that objective for the vast majority of the membership.  My attitude is as long as the PGAT can find sponsors for these events up against football and to be broadcast on cable instead of network, then more power to them.  It's something they HAVE to do to best serve their membership.

Never ever watch GC except live golf, but agree with you robo. The top players have pretty much made their bed and, although it can seem clumsy, especially with the Asian expedition, it seems to work quite well.
Not too many top pros slumping in the rankings if they don't play, the only people who may feel they miss out may be the 35-y-o+ family guys who are looking to downsize their schedule, but still want a break - and certainly don't want to travel.

Interesting that NFL viewership is slumping significantly, perhaps they're all watching the CIMB - NOT.
But they'll be seeing plenty of red numbers if they tune in to the action from Las Vegas, led by Rod Pampling (a miserable sod to follow in my experience).

Bl00dy Hell!
59 watch!!
Rod Pampling!!!
Needs to go one under over his final 2 holes.
Anyone who says they saw that coming is telling whopping porkies.

Phew, That was close. Looks like a 12 footer slid by and Pampers cards a 60. Still pretty sporty.
'Course, he led at Carnoustie in 1999 only to miss the cut - didn't shoot a 60 though.

Kwini... Yeah if you're Spieth or Day or a handful of other top drawer PGAT players... So what? They have the luxury to take the fall or January or the month after the Masters or month between the Opens off.

But those #30-100 non dual tour PGAT players who have a legitimate shot at qualifying for WGC's or majors can't afford to sit on their thumbs all fall and watch their rankings waste away to the rest of the world's players. And again can't stress enough how important every start is for those webbie's.

It just baffles me that all those media guys who complain about no off season seem to miss the big picture. They should know better.

And wow... What about Pampers, huh? PGAT live streamed his 18th hole on Facebook... He gave 59 a legit roll and chance... Just missed right... Anyway, good on him.

What's happened to Rev Spieth by the way?

I think you'll see him preaching in Australia soon enough.

kwinigolfer wrote:I think you'll see him preaching in Australia soon enough.

Isn't that where he made his "science or religion" comment? Maybe he's going back to repent?

super_realist wrote:What's happened to Rev Spieth by the way?

Kind of surprised to hear you refer to him that way, he's never been one to wear his religion on his sleeve... but has answered a few times when asked

Anyway...  Taking a break until the AUS Open and World Challenge I suppose.  Last year he said he though he overdid it schedule wise... so this year he seems to be dialing it way back in the off season.  But I hope he's taking all this time and working on his driver.  Last year looked like a classic, almost but not quite "Kamer-ish", case of making changes to get some extra length, but it screwed him up way more than helped him.

I refer to everyone of that disposition as Rev or corresponding ecumenical name, Deacon Simpson, Pastor Watson, Parson Johnson etc.

Anyway, Rev Gordon Spieth must be on the verge of a massive rankings slide.

super_realist wrote:I refer to everyone of that disposition as Rev or corresponding ecumenical name, Deacon Simpson, Pastor Watson, Parson Johnson etc.

Anyway, Rev Gordon Spieth must be on the verge of a massive rankings slide.

Well.... I prefer to keep my thoughts on race, religion and politics separate and apart from my discussions of golf. IMO nothing reveals the unpleasant sides of peoples character any more than compulsive obsessions with those topics.

But that said.... if the religiophobes are still so obsessed by Spieth's very infrequent casual mentions of faith... that that in itself overshadows their thoughts of everything else about the guy and his golf game.... then as far as I'm concerned he can't get back to #1 and hopefully rub his faith in the their collective judgmental noses quick enough.

Obviously race is not something to criticise something for, but bad ideas and credulous delusion are. It's something which demands ridicule, no wonder he tries to hide it. Who'd want to broadcast that? No different to claiming he's been abducted by aliens and bestowed with new golf skills.

Anyway, not's get into another one of these or the off topic police will lock the thread.

. . . . . Nice segue to Bernhard Langer, high priest of the Champions Tour who plays today in Richmond, Virginia in Round 2 of the Champions Tour faux play-off. 53 golfers compete (top 54 less layman Lehman) and the season's top 36 points-getters move on to the finale in Arizona, hopefully as the desert turns from red to blue.

Montgomerie (2nd) & Jimenez (4th) both well-placed, and Parnevik (29th) & Broadhurst (30th) are also arithmetic certainties to move on while Woosie (40th) will be heading to the bar unless he makes the Top 3 or 4 this week.

Champions Tour made a big deal about John Daly's debut as a senior but his season has predictably fizzled. He can go back to Asia on appearance fee money-grabs; good riddance.

Religion has throughout history generated more tragedy than any other human 'attribute'. Therefore it is worthy of both criticism and ridicule.

pedro wrote:Religion has throughout history contributed to more tragedy than any other human 'attribute'. Therefore it is worthy of both criticism and ridicule.

and makes no contribution to golf in any way, so if any player mentions it, should be laughed at for it.

pedro wrote:Religion has throughout history generated more tragedy than any other human 'attribute'. Therefore it is worthy of both criticism and ridicule.

Wooosh.....

Arguable, but that's enough religion here.

super_realist wrote:

pedro wrote:Religion has throughout history contributed to more tragedy than any other human 'attribute'. Therefore it is worthy of both criticism and ridicule.

and makes no contribution to golf in any way, so if any player mentions it, should be laughed at for it.

 

Hey... Like I said, I prefer religion apart from athletics... So when Spieth starts doing Hail Mary's after errant drives and praising Jesus for made putts, or giving his victories to God, or bombing abortion clinics... Then have at it.

But since he doesn't do that, nor hardly, if ever brings it up on his own... I can't fathom how your obsessed relegiophobia contributes to any discussion of him.

I'd reply to that Robo, but don't want to incur the wrath of Navy.

super_realist wrote:I'd reply to that Robo, but don't want to incur the wrath of Navy.

I don't think Navy will mind me asking this question. Just HOW do you believe hanging the "Rev" label on Spieth whenever you mention him forwards the discussion of his golf or golf in general? And to be clear (and for Navy), I'm not asking for a treatise on the positives or negatives on religion in society and/or world history... That's not the point. I'm asking simply HOW does that kind of stuff forward GOLF discussion.

super_realist wrote:I'd reply to that Robo, but don't want to incur the wrath of Navy.

it's called a fatwa..

It's just a JOKE Robopz which highlights the absurdity of a minority of golfers. It's precisely because the REV doesn't belong there that highlights what ridiculous and absurd things you can get away with believing (without criticism) as long as you are called Rev.

"fatwa"? Let's not turn this into another debate on Lowry's weight . . . . . Good lord - oops, sorry navy.

Round 1 in Las Vegas should resume shortly with Jon Rahm on the 17th green with a 20-footer for his 5th straight bird. You'd think he'd be at home with desert golf after his college days.

Very good Kwini.

Rahm is looking a very good prospect indeed

kwinigolfer wrote:"fatwa"? Let's not turn this into another debate on Lowry's weight . . . . . Good lord gutlord - oops, sorry navy.

fixed your typo

super,
I see you've been edited. Or should I say circumsized?

thought he didn't like shortcuts?

Geeeeeeeeez, once again. Un-fricking believable. I have followed Spieth fairly closely in the last 4 years. I never heard one comment from him on the topic that won't be named. Not one

Looks like the Sun set on the Shriners with at least one hour of play left on the course.

Yup, Rahm in with a 65, good for T5.

Ho-hum from other Europeans, all of whom need a good Round 2 to reach the weekend, very good in Shaymuss's case.

There's been a few GPB. Why does it matter though? It's widely known which credulous way his bread is buttered.

Westwood has never talked about being picked because of nepotism, but there's a whole thread raging about it. It's called a talking point and just because the protagonist is quiet on a subject, doesn't mean that it closes the matter for discussion. Furthermore, I only referred to him as Rev Spieth, I didn't say anymore about it.

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Super... I'll leave it at this... From my view, the "topic at hand", is not nearly as much about their personal beliefs as it is with your own. Even the most devout of the faithful among the players seem to bring it up with about 1% of the frequency with which you do. I like joking around on topics as much as the next guy... But IMHO, there comes a point when it continually gets brought up for no reason its not joking, it's just a personal compulsion... Not theirs.. YOURS... Just sayin...

Robo, I wouldn't bring it up at all, if they didn't, and I didn't. In fact, if they did as their "good book" told them, we wouldn't even know about it. I simply referred to Spieth as Rev Spieth, hardly blasphemous, and then you went on the defensive as if somehow being religious means you are immune from being joked about or that it was somehow "religiophobic" to make such a comment. Codswallop.

This Rahm guy is gonna be a keeper methinks. A soon as he gets a little better handle on his emotions while in contention, I think he's gonna be a force someday. By far the best looking new member prospect out there, regardless if some rule classifies him a rookie or not.

If he wins on Tour, Robo, does it really matter whether he gets called rookie of the year or not? I'm sure he'd rather have the job security and kick on from there

Let's not talk about Tom Pernice's victory interviews last Sunday . . . . . .

Anyone following the Champions Tour "Play-Offs"?
It seems to me the purse's are not big enough to generate much movement from one week to the next; only two players moved from outside the top 54 last week, and can't see more than 2 or 3 moving this week. Is that what they planned? If so their arithmetic is pretty poor - raise the purse by 50% and volatility will increase and there'll be more than the weekly pension to play for.

PS: Agree that Rahm is the real deal, though, like Lowry perhaps, he looks as if he should pick and choose his spots (courses). Followed them both at Hartford last year and the course seemed to negate the strengths of each.

Super... One comment, or even occasional ones do not an obsession make.  It's just that it's such a running theme with you it seems you're always looking for a way to work it in when there's no apparent reason to do so. Like today for instance. Did Spieth give a sermon at some golf tournament this week, or this month or this year I missed? Yeah...I didn't think so.

Maybe you don't realize how often you do it...like the other day when you described you visit to Katy and of all the things you could have discussed about the people you met, one of the top-3 on your list was a slam at some of them for their religion.  I let it pass then because apparently ferreting out the religious is just an important part to who you are.  

1GrumpyGolfer wrote:If he wins on Tour, Robo, does it really matter whether he gets called rookie of the year or not? I'm sure he'd rather have the job security and kick on from there

agree completely... My rookie comments was in reference to a conversation from the other day

I remember that Robo, although I have to say I didn't go to the link on how they classify rookies. I was just wondering how big a deal rookie of the year is? I'm sure there's plenty who have won that title and struggled and plenty that could have, or should have, won that title and prospered.

Kwini... Didn't see Pernice's interview so I don't know what he said. But if some of his comments were what I suspect they were, they would have probably had the same impact on me as they apparently did you. IE... not worth bringing up.

1GrumpyGolfer wrote:I remember that Robo, although I have to say I didn't go to the link on how they classify rookies.  I was just wondering how big a deal rookie of the year is?  I'm sure there's plenty who have won that title and struggled and plenty that could have, or should have, won that title and prospered.

I couldn't imagine a rookie out there NOT wanting to earn the ROY award... but I also wouldn't think any of them lose any sleep over it if they don't.... and I agree that winning or not winning ROY is necessary a harbinger of things to come. It matters when they're a rookie, but in context of a 20+ year career, it's hardly a blip on the radar....

super_realist googling the Pernice interview...

https://67.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_mal8g9X2BZ1qi0ew2o1_500.gif

robo,
Just very tiresome, that's all. He might just as well thank the man on the moon.
One would want to pull for Pernice, but his public persona makes that very difficult.

In other news, is Keegan Bradley really in the throes of a comeback. Becoming quite a form horse these past few months.
Vegas cut going to -3 before long.

kwinigolfer wrote:robo,
Just very tiresome, that's all. He might just as well thank the man on the moon.
One would want to pull for Pernice, but his public persona makes that very difficult.

Kwini... trust me... I understand how the agnostics, atheists and religiophobes feel. Tune in here most any week and we get a refresher course just incase we've forgotten.  But you know what I NEVER, EVER, EVER, NOT ONCE, NOT EVER see is anyone on golf boards, here there or anywhere, talking about how wonderful it is that some golfer is talking about his God. But HEAVEN forbid.... should any golfer mention his faith (and even when they don't), the anti-religion bent comes pouring forth...  talk about tiresome... Now THAT'S tiresome...

And as for Pernice.... I agree about his public persona.... although his personal beliefs have exactly ZERO bearing on my opinion.

Yes, But if he came on and said vote for Hillary, Barack is great, bring on Bernie, he'd be castigated all the way down the front nine and back up the back nine.
Or if he said ban all guns.
Or used someone else's microphone as a soapbox for other partisan causes.
Can't have it both ways. Best leave all that stuff unsaid, which is probably all super has been saying.

I see Bob Estes is playing, sort of using the PGA Tour as a rehab start until next year I suppose. He comes from Graham; went there once to see an aunt & cousin. On my way to the La Jet as it happens. About the most miserable place I've ever been. But Estes should make a fortune on the CT.

Kwini... I guess if the religious discussion was being held in some sort of proportion to how often it's actually brought up out there it would be one thing...  but from my observations the anti religion fixations on this board are about 100x more frequent than any pro religion positions being espoused by golfers or any golf coverage I see. The fixation on it among some here is just bizarre.  I dunno. Maybe ibeing so obsessed by it is simply the fashionable Euro thing to do and being an American I didn't get the memo.

Maybe it's time for a running "Golfers against Jesus" thread on this board so maybe it can be posted there instead of screwing up otherwise sensible golf discussion.

I didn't realize Estes was from Graham. Not a pleasant place, but certainly not as bad as the most mis-aptly named town in Texas... Garden City