PGA Tour: Viva Las Vegas: Notes from the Ballwasher

First topic message reminder :

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??

GPB wrote:At least two teams have been announced for the Zurich Classic

Rickie Fowler and Jason Day

Justin Rose and Henrik Stenson

I think this will fulfill Stenson's new tournament obligation.

Good point on the "new tournament" requirement. But what a coincidence... Day, Fowler & Rose just happen to be Zurich "Ambassadors". And I'd still guess the odds are strongly in favor that Stenson will find himself sporting a nifty Zurich logo on his shirt real soon as well... that is if he can find a spot for it (and I don't think it would conflict with Mutual of Omaha).

But to be 100% clear... It would be simply a mere coincidence if Stenson were to become a Zurich Ambassador, seeing as how the PGA Tour strictly prohibits appearance fees and all..... {{{cough, cough, wink, wink}}}

Anyone seen how they purse will be divvied up?
Prize money
OWGR Points
FedEx Points?

Not sure of next year's Champions Tour schedule yet, but they'll have to dig pretty deep into the exemption categories to fill 80 teams . . . . . . .
Talking of which, Champo Tour Q-School must begin this week. Can't find anything on pgatour.com about the fields.
They need to have a good hard look at how they've butchered the navigation on pgatour.com. Almost impossible now without googling - and nothing on CT QS, even using Dr.Google.

Prize money will be split

FEDEX pts to the winners will be 400 pts apiece. I am sure the rest of the placings will be 80% of a regular event

400 pts / 500 pts (regular event) = 80% for those that are math challenged.

I don't think there will be any OWGR points available, and obviously nor do I think the event will count on their resume.

Winners will not get a Masters invite, but will be exempted into the PGA Championship and Tournament of Champions. and they get a two year PGATour exemption.

kwinigolfer wrote:Anyone seen how they purse will be divvied up?
Prize money
OWGR Points
FedEx Points?

Not sure of next year's Champions Tour schedule yet, but they'll have to dig pretty deep into the exemption categories to fill 80 teams . . . . . . .
Talking of which, Champo Tour Q-School must begin this week. Can't find anything on pgatour.com about the fields.
They need to have a good hard look at how they've butchered the navigation on pgatour.com. Almost impossible now without googling - and nothing on CT QS, even using Dr.Google.

Not sure on the purse... but each member of the winning team will get 400 FedEx Points. (currently "regular" events get 500, and "alternate" events get 300).  So basically 800 total FE points to the winning team (under the current point structure 1st and 2nd combined would also be 800 points) 

I'm only guessing, but I don't think the event can be OWGR rated.  As far as I'm aware, the OWGR doesn't now, nor has in the past rated team events... But they have rated "individual portions" of events like the most recent World Cup which was combined individual stroke play.  But they will not be ranking this year's World Cup because there are two rounds each of Fourball and Foursomes.

Kwini, I agree that the PGATour website is FUBAR.

GPB wrote:Kwini, I agree that the PGATour website is FUBAR.

ME THREE.... Man... PGATour.com used to be so good in regard to finding what you were looking for and getting there quickly... but they've thrown all that out the window.  I can't even follow the leaderboards on my laptop or desktop any more... so I follow those on mobile (and shot tracker is actually MORE full featured on devices than it is on the desktop version).  Stats take forever to load on a desktop browser, but you can't use Android to look up stats and such because they eliminate half or sometimes even more of the relevant columns.    Like you guys said.... FUBAR....

Thanks chaps!

McDowell played very well for 3 rounds at Mayakoba, a rare glimpse of good form. Surprised he's not signed up for McGladrey, 3rd there last year.
Daly playing Father/Son
Reed back on the European Tour. Does that mean Graeme Storm loses his card again?

kwinigolfer wrote:
Reed back on the European Tour. Does that mean Graeme Storm loses his card again?

Awesome... Maybe if Spieth can say "God Bless the French Open" real fast twice... It'll count as two ET starts and he can be a member too...

PGA Tour Champions Q-School FINAL Nov 29 - Dec 2

Leaderboard - http://www.pgatour.com/champions/tournaments/pgatour-champions-q-school.html

Currently shows last year's results... should populate with new results when they start this year.

- - -

Field:
http://www.pgatour.com/champions/tournaments/pgatour-champions-q-school/field.html

Currently Blank.... but should populate the Friday before. I'm no longer "authorized" to view the field on the PGAT internals until it becomes public.

- - - -

Zip... Zero... Nada... I can find on Champo stage qualifying or anything else...

Got that but there's usually a 3-venue first stage. I think that's held this week, probably in FLA, TEX & CAL. Often some interesting names included. Imagine details will be posted when results filter in.

kwinigolfer wrote:Got that    but there's usually a 3-venue first stage. I think that's held this week, probably in FLA, TEX & CAL. Often some interesting names included. Imagine details will be posted when results filter in.

Yeah... like I said... I can't find anything on stage qualifying anywhere either.

Field for the Cal Q-School stage now on the Champions Tour page, including some that I's surprised aren't exempt from this stage, Rutledge for instance and VDV.
Also Mark Wurtz; had completely forgotten about him!
Imagine the other sites will get their carrier pigeons home in the coming day or so.

kwinigolfer wrote:Field for the Cal Q-School stage now on the Champions Tour page, including some that I's surprised aren't exempt from this stage, Rutledge for instance and VDV.
Also Mark Wurtz; had completely forgotten about him!
Imagine the other sites will get their carrier pigeons home in the coming day or so.

Do you have a link?

Yup, Nothing exciting though:

http://www.pgatour.com/champions/news/2016/11/13/q-school-california-regional-qualifying-tournament.html

Thanks Kwini

sheesh, that is not very many players. 49 players if my counting is correct.

Jean Van de Velde in the qualifier.

Sean Murphy is also in the field. about 20 years ago, I blogged in a golf channel chat room with his mother. He is from Roswell NM, land of the UFO's. He won 6 tournaments on the Hogan/Nike tour in the 90's, 4 of them in one year. Kind of followed his career from afar. By the way. Westy's father used to blog on that Chat room too.

Can't imagine why the Two-somes are playing in the last group.

I remember Sean Murphy hosting an Inside the PGA Tour way back when. Followed him from Hawaii to the Bob Hope. Little did we know that he'd not make it much beyond the old Nike/Hogan winners circle.

If a poster on pgatour.com is to be believed, only 28 aspiring Champions turned up at the TX qualifier, Barry Lane and Clark Dennis leading the way.
Perhaps all will be revealed later?

There's a fabulous forecast for this week's RSM/McGladrey action. Lucky old Sea Island!

kwinigolfer wrote:Yup, Nothing exciting though:

http://www.pgatour.com/champions/news/2016/11/13/q-school-california-regional-qualifying-tournament.html

No ex tennis players in the field?

Not yet!
Wonder if Mardy Fish entered preliminary Q-School for the web.com. That's what he does now!
But strange how tennis families morph into golf (Korda, Lendl, Kafelnikov in his own unique way, Fish) but never the other way around.

kwinigolfer wrote:Not yet!
Wonder if Mardy Fish entered preliminary Q-School for the web.com. That's what he does now!
But strange how tennis families morph into golf (Korda, Lendl, Kafelnikov in his own unique way, Fish) but never the other way around.

You forgot the (Daniel) Berger family. And the (Aaron) Krickstein family. Morgan Pressel is Aaron's niece.

Yes, You're right! The Pressell/Krickstein relationship at the heart of a favourite trivia question.

Champions Tour Q-School results now posted - what a strong field in Florida, very ho-hum in California, and terrible in Texas. Not quite sure how the fields became so unbalanced. Ridiculous.

But Messrs Lane, V-D-V, Kingston, Herrara, McGinley, Dodd & Phillip Price all off to good starts. And a guest appearance by Tommy Tolles.

Frank Conner and Ellsworth Vines are answers to one of my favorite trivia questions.

Smylie, Brooks, Emiliano, and Justin Thomas are taking a working holiday this week in Japan, to play the Dunlop Phoenix.

Hideki & Ryo are not playing, presumably getting ready for the World Cup next week.

Yup, More migrants - Frank Conner had Popeye arms before anyone ever heard of Craig Parry or Casey.

One of my old golf acquaintances is playing in the Florida Qualifier. Gibby Gilbert III.

Back when I lived near Chattanooga, there was always a BIG Game on Monday during the winter (when the weather cooperated). All the Club pros played along with invited guests. I was good friends with my club pro and I was invited when I was off on Mondays.

We would have about 50-60 players and I frequently go put on one of the Gibby teams because I was one of the "worst" players (about 10 handicap). Standard game played Best Ball. double best ball, and triple best ball for $20 bucks a piece and you get as many side games as you could stand.

Those were good times. Lanny Wadkins even joined us a couple of times and I got to play with him for an "emergency nine".

Played a couple of times with this guy too. Talk about a TRIVIA Question. Putter of the decade-1960's

http://www.proputters.com/NewFebPlayers/pros/vance_randall.htm

Pardon me boy.