PGA Tour: JustIn Time: Notes from the Ballwasher

1).Justin Thomas won convincingly at Kapalua and is in the form of his life; just like Hideki Matsuyama, the man he beat. Each player won on the "Asian" swing and go again this week, at Waialae Country Club and the Sony Open. Thomas has already shot a round of 61 at Waialae, though Hideki has yet to score a top 75 in four trips.

2).So: How good is Justin Thomas? His PGA Tour career was launched amid hyperbolic hoo ha (played his first PGA Tour event at age 16) but stalled when he struggled to "graduate" from the web.com Tour.
Since then, though, it's been a steady trajectory up the leaderboards and rankings. But the fact is that he's yet to win a full field event and has sometimes looked more likely to bottle winning opportunities rather than grasp them with both hands.
His Sunday experiences have shown both sides of his game:
~Shooting up leaderboards to earn "backdoor" top tens . . . . . .
~ . . . . but just as often relinquishing contending positions.
Not dissimilar to a young Duval and look what happened when he finally won one!

3).Thomas hits it as far as he wants, wildly sometimes but that increasingly won't matter on most courses he plays. His iron game is better than Tour average, but his short game about average, all a bit Dustin-esque.
Davis Love made no secret of the fact he wanted Justin to earn his way on to last year's Ryder Cup Team, but he came up short.
He has a good Walker Cup under his belt and is in prime position to play on Stricker's Presidents Cup Team. He'll be in all this year's Majors and WGC's so learning to compete and contend there may be his next step. Nothing better than a PGA Championship 18th and yet to contend in any WGC so far. But he's already tied Rickie Fowler in Tour wins and you'd think he should add to them this year, and be an owgr Top Ten fixture for at least the coming season. Only 23 and the golfing world at his feet.

4).Stricker's Presidents Cup Team will doubtless be a strong one and Dustin & Justin have already created some distance between them and the field in the qualifying table. Next eight automatic places currently filled by:
Spieth, Reed, Berger, Moore, Steele, Piercy, Chappell, Snedeker, with Koepka #11 and Jimmy Walker & Phil close behind.

5).Golf Digest has had a bad editorial year, but there have been a couple of interesting issues so far in 2017. "January" featured the blow-by-blow account of the Stenson/Mickelson duel at Troon and "February" has a short but compelling interview with Pete Cowen. It also has some intriguing lists:

6).Their selection of the Top 100 US Golf Courses is always fascinating reading. The Top 10 is largely unchanged from two years ago, but Pine Valley leapfrogs Augusta National as it reaches #1. The other Top ten:
Pine Valley, Augusta Nat, Cypress Point, Shinnecock, Oakmont, Merion, Pebble Beach, National GL, Sand Hills, Winged Foot. Other notables include:
Seminole (13), Muirfield Village (15), Oak Hill (20), Riviera (24), Erin Hills (44), TPC Sawgrass (51), (Shotrock's) Aronomink (78), Kapalua (112), Harbour Town (127).

7).And Golf Digest's "Money" list is also published, with Rory at the head of the field with $49+M.
On course earnings Top 5:
McIlroy: $17.5M
DJohnson: $12.7M
Day: $8.8M
Reed: $8.3M
Scott: $8.2M

8).Off-course earnings:
Palmer: $40M
Woods: $34.6M
Mickelson: $33.5M
McIlroy: $32M
Spieth: $24M

9).Waialae CC should see fine weather throughout this week's Sony Open, mostly very light winds and scoring will be low, possibly very low, showers possible but golden showers probably not.
It's a horses-for-courses, fairways and greens, Par-70, so it's predictable the sort of player who will finish well, not so easy to pick which ones will ride a hot putter, a la Russell Henley a few years ago, to victory.
I like Jason Dufner to have a good each-way kind of week, but the field is strong led by Spieth and Matsuyama, plus of course Justin Thomas. Russell Knox, Justin Rose and Paul Casey lead Team GB.

10).Much is made of golfers who finished "High" school in 2011, Spieth, Grillo, Berger, Patrick Rodgers, not to mention other hot-shots who have so far not broken through. (No idea about corresponding golfers from other parts of the world who may or may not have even stayed in school until the age of 18.)
And Justin Thomas is another one, linked as mates and golfers inextricably with Jordan Spieth and time will tell if he proves to be sufficiently successful to create his own superstar identity. Jury still out in my opinion, but these guys are only 23 so, to paraphrase Counting Crows: "It's all a lot of oysters", but how many pearls?

Great article Kwini. You're on fire so far in 2017!

Justin Thomas is most famous in my mind for being part of Rickie Fowler's "squad". I noticed you got Rickie's lack of "W's" into your post, to parapharase James: "You may have oysters but you'll never find a pearl."

One thing I never understand is how these magazines come up with off-course earnings. Where do they get all the data from? Surely it's just speculation?

Easy when you copy half your material verbatim from a magazine ray . . . . .


I'm sure much of the off-course earnings stuff is speculative, but many of the endorsement contracts they sign are semi-public knowledge. Highly educated best guesses at the very least.
The bigger question to me is the definition of on-course earnings, just golf-related or does that include earnings (I'm thinking not) from business empires such as the one Greg Norman has built. As far as I can see the article doesn't help define the split.

PS: Furyk for Paris . . . . . . . . . .

I wonder if there's ever been a Captain, in recent times anyway, who's been more likely to qualify for his own Team - a very real possibility if Furyk's play since returning from injury is any guide. His VC appointments will be interesting, almost feel it will be a new generation of player.

Cheers kwini,
Thomas looked good at Kapalua. Hit it close all week. Despite his double on 14(?) he didn't look like he was choking. Hideki on the other hand didn't take his chance, missing crucial putts. Perhaps he was trying too hard after his hole out eagle.
Think Thomas may be the real deal, but agree it's still too early to tell.

Sony Open with a strong field. We could risk see a late night golden shower if Allenby is in the field.

Tbh, I'm a bit surprised cf Furyk. I know he was a bookie fav and will probably do a good job, but he's still highly competitive - so this will probably mean the end of his career as we know it. Can not imagine he won't be too distracted to qualify as a player.

Furyk is a bit of a puzzler.
Wonder if they went to him and told him they're giving "Whistling Straits" to local boy Stricker and after that the choice is Phil, then Woods. "Take it now or forever hold your peace."
robo had the scoop on this a week or so ago, so it would be good to hear what he thinks the rationale was.
Mystery to me why they black-balled Azinger . . . . . . .

Great stuff Kwini, i did enjoy Kapalua. Thomas' wobble just enough to increase the drama, glad to see him close it out in the end! Hopefully the showers stay away and there are no wee problems on that front.

Half the field got "British Opened" in the 1st round winds at the Web-com Bahamas event... The scoring turned out a 2.5 shot disadvantage for the Early 1st round starters with only 25 of them making the cut. 42 players from the Late 1st round starters made the cut (playing at least half if not all of their round the next day)

All credit to Kyle Thompson, the only player under par for the week, and playing out of the bad side of the draw. Lexi's brother Nicolas Thompson finishes T2.

Another great write up Kwini... Golf Clap

pedro wrote:Tbh, I'm a bit surprised cf Furyk. I know he was a bookie fav and will probably do a good job, but he's still highly competitive - so this will probably mean the end of his career as we know it. Can not imagine he won't be too distracted to qualify as a player.

I was too... but then thinking about it Stricker would be the only guy I'd put over him (possibly)... but no way they'd go with Stricks back to back PC and RC...  The right choice IMO.  Also... listening to the GC interview with Furyk after... he sounds like he's accepted his days of playing RC's are over, with him planning to play only 18-19 events per year going forward, it'll be harder than ever to qualify for top-8 against all the up and comers...

robo,
Isn't Kyle T turning in to a web.com lifer? When checking out some lifetime records I noticed the name of Michael Christie, another Gamecock who I had completely forgotten about but apparently killed himself at a young age. What was the scoop there? Depression from health problems?

(Will Curtis Thompson succeed where Nicholas T has so far failed - to live up to potential?)

Btb

kwinigolfer wrote:robo,
Isn't Kyle T turning in to a web.com lifer? When checking out some lifetime records I noticed the name of Michael Christie, another Gamecock who I had completely forgotten about but apparently killed himself at a young age. What was the scoop there? Depression from health problems?

(Will Curtis Thompson succeed where Nicholas T has so far failed - to live up to potential?)

Btb

That looks about right on Kyle...  and word always was Curtis was supposedly the best of Thompson kids... I'm not exactly seeing anything to support that though.  

Interesting you should bring up Christie... I came across his name just a month or so ago and had the same questions myself... Found a Golfweek article about it, but wouldn't you know it... GW site is down as they're rolling out all their new format this week.

Speaking of GolfWeek... Golfweek will retain it's name, but now GolfMONTH would probably be more apropos as it's going to 12 issues a year plus their occasional "specials". Print's dying (ask me I know, I'm a still photographer). Under the leadership of Gannett (who bought GW last year)... GW is revamping their website with more content though... trying to stay relevant.  

I wish them the best. IMO they were the best of the weekly's all along, and was actually surprised they held out as a weekly as long as they did... IMO they have a legit shot now to unseat Golf Digest (which has pretty much lost it IMO) as the leading print monthly... They got my subscription $... so that's a start.... :-)

robopz wrote:

pedro wrote:Tbh, I'm a bit surprised cf Furyk. I know he was a bookie fav and will probably do a good job, but he's still highly competitive - so this will probably mean the end of his career as we know it. Can not imagine he won't be too distracted to qualify as a player.

I was too... but then thinking about it Stricker would be the only guy I'd put over him (possibly)... but no way they'd go with Stricks back to back PC and RC...  The right choice IMO.  Also... listening to the GC interview with Furyk after... he sounds like he's accepted his days of playing RC's are over, with him planning to play only 18-19 events per year going forward,  it'll be harder than ever to qualify for top-8 against all the up and comers...

A real risk Strick will never get it then. It may be that 2020 is reserved for Phil, especially if he stops being competitive as a player within the next 1-2 years. Otherwise why didn't they take Strick for 2018 and reserve 2020 for Furyk. Is the PC really that big a deal? Strick is getting more and more detached from the tour, so his odds are already worsening dramatically for every day. And in 2022 he may be forgotten.
But looking at the shortlist of candidates and their age/form, you should of course think there'd be room for Strick, Phil and Woods in 2020, 2022, 2024.
Apparently Couples is not a PGA type of guy, so he's definitely toast now.

peds,
The sentiment seems to be that Stricker would take 2020 because that's going to be staged close to his hometown (relatively speaking) in Wisconsin.
Not sure I'd put all my eggs in the Stricker basket though . . . . . .. Furyk may not win, but he'd be competitive as hell.

(Couples doesn't care . . . . . so long as he has his TV and his remote.)

Yeah I get the Wisconsin home town thing, but that ain't gonna win them the cup any more than if it'd be played in Ohio. Thought they were done with the sentimental 'ole boys club' thing. Could be Europes gain though.

Maybe they should've been called 'Speed One':

http://www.golf.com/equipment/jordan-spieth-announces-new-under-armour-golf-shoe-called-spieth-one

pedro wrote:Maybe they should've been called 'Speed One':

I'm sure he and Greller went over that, and then went over it again... Threw up some grass to test the wind, then discussed it some more... And finally settled on Spieth One.... :-)

kwinigolfer wrote:peds,
The sentiment seems to be that Stricker would take 2020 because that's going to be staged close to his hometown (relatively speaking) in Wisconsin.
Not sure I'd put all my eggs in the Stricker basket though . . . . . .. Furyk may not win, but he'd be competitive as hell.

(Couples doesn't care . . . . . so long as he has his TV and his remote.)

Pretty much agree with all that, I'd forgotten about the Wisconsin connection, but it makes sense.

I get the impression working with the PGA of A would make Couples about as uncomfortable as he is in those Mitsubishi commercials.

Those Mitsubishi commercials are uniformly awful, all of them, embarrassing to watch. What were they thinking?

I'm glad for him that he's got the Pres Cup, but not sure I see Stricker as the captaincy type; especially in the cauldron of Ryder Cup action. Nice Q&A w/Nick Price on Pres Cup captaincy on pgatour.com - if you can find it.

Nice summary of JTs career Kwini. Maybe this is stating the obvious but I see JT in the category of player that wouldn't surprise you if he ended up a really top player. I certainly see him winning a major before Rickie.

kwinigolfer wrote:Those Mitsubishi commercials are uniformly awful, all of them, embarrassing to watch. What were they thinking?

IMO the fact they are so intentionally awkward, it makes 'em hilarious. And if you remember them, then they worked.

Kwini... IMO the most important attributes for a successful American Ryder Cup captain today would be someone whos smart, has Cup experience (regardless of record), and can check his ego at the door enough to learn from others/history and listen to his players. IMO there are any number of those qualified... And that very much includes Stricker. I don't believe the heat of RC battle would negatively affect him at all.

robo,
You won't be surprised to know that if I don't care for a product's ads, then I don't buy that product. Can't think of any exceptions!

Interesting take on Stricker, can't argue with your rationale, and he's largely stood up well as an RC competitor. Just can't imagine he'd want his personal (non-golf) life, which he protects fiercely, consumed by RC pressures.


Mac,
Re Thomas: Just haven't seen the under-the-gun fortitude that Spieth, for instance, exudes.
He's got to improve with his "scoring clubs" for me to put him close to that level. I would say he's behind Jason Day at a similar age for instance. Day made himself into a good putter, short game player, to match his ball-striking - can Thomas do that? Dunno, but not placing bets on him yet.

Furyk making the media rounds yesterday and today, maybe even tomorrow.

He will be doing a lot of this in the next 20 months as the PGAofA's poster boy.

I really don't think Stricker will be that interested in doing much ancillary work p!mping for the PGAofA. I think Mickelson will be 2020 Ryder Cup. He will be age 50 at the time.

So if your favorite car is a Cadillac, and they make an ad you don't like, you are not going to buy a Cadillac?

Ok, but it sounds like cutting off your nose to spite your face.

GPB wrote:So if your favorite car is a Cadillac, and they make an ad you don't like, you are not going to buy a Cadillac?  

Ok, but it sounds like cutting off your nose to spite your face.

Do people still buy Cadillac?

Nope, no one buys any Cadillacs. That is why they are still in business.

Most car companies' national campaigns are reasonably respectful of the intelligence of the consumer.

GPB wrote:Furyk making the media rounds yesterday and today, maybe even tomorrow.

He will be doing a lot of this in the next 20 months as the PGAofA's poster boy.

I really don't think Stricker will be that interested in doing much ancillary work p!mping for the PGAofA.  I think Mickelson will be 2020 Ryder Cup.  He will be age 50 at the time.

If Stricker is willing to do it for the PC... then why not RC? IMO those who are in consideration for the post believe it such an honor they'd be more than willing to pay the price of the time and energy needed to do the job. That is WHEN it makes sense in relation to their playing career.

As for Phil in 2020... great as far as I'm concerned... but for some reason, I'm having the feeling he's not gonna be ready to take the job. IMO he's still going to be surprisingly competitive then, and unlike Furyk, I don't see him doing anything that might hold him back from even one more win...

GPB wrote:Nope, no one buys any Cadillacs.  That is why they are still in business.

They've still got a massive image problem though haven't they? Which is why hardly anyone buys them in the rest of the world. Very much focussed at a particular market and a particular demographic of that market

Massive image problem? Nope, not in my part of the world.

IME, companies that have a "Massive Image Problem" don't typically stay in business very long.

"Money Talks and Bullsh** Walks"

Robo: IMO, there is far more promotion duties for the RC than the PC. I would guess by the time next week, Furyk will have already done more promotion for the RC than Stricker has for the PC. And the PC is 9 months away and the RC is 21 months away.

And too all: I was using Cadillac as an example of my point. I was not saying that Kwini like Cadillacs or doesn't like Cadillac commercials.

The product could have been Jonnie Walker, or Jack Daniels, or Guiness Beer, or TaylorMade golf clubs

I can't imagine dislike for a commercial taint my preference for a quality, reasonably price product.

GPB wrote:Massive image problem?  Nope, not in my part of the world.

IME, companies that have a "Massive Image Problem" don't typically stay in business very long.

"Money Talks and Bullsh** Walks"

Robo:  IMO, there is far more promotion duties for the RC than the PC.  I would guess by the time next week, Furyk will have already done more promotion for the RC than Stricker has for the PC.  And the PC is 9 months away and the RC is 21 months away.

And too all:  I was using Cadillac as an example of my point.  I was not saying that Kwini like Cadillacs or doesn't like Cadillac commercials.

The product could have been Jonnie Walker, or Jack Daniels, or Guiness Beer, or TaylorMade golf clubs

I can't imagine dislike for a commercial taint my preference for a quality, reasonably price product.  

I'm not saying they don't have a market, just an image of being a coffin dodgers car. They've never really shaken that off the way Jaguar have for example.

Although a few adverts annoy me so much I'd never buy the product.

He's on a hot streak . . . . .
If shot tracker is anything to go by, Justin Thomas just eagled his first hole, a Par-4!
(Bogeyed the second though.)

Cadillacs I've had as rentals have been pretty sweet.

sr, Would say you have to temper any opinion of US-market cars with the fact that performance is often way down the list of attributes buyers look for. Something adequate on the road with lots of (often unnecessary) bells and whistles usually does the trick.

Andy Farrell ex England and now Ireland rugby coach was behind me in the driving range this evening....

If you like Loaner cars from the Jaguar Dealership Service department, Jaguar is the car for you!

Admittedly I live in the boonies, but the nearest Jaguar dealership is a 2.5 hour drive from me.

Jaguars are great Indian cars! I like the F type convertible.

Be_the_ball wrote:Andy Farrell ex England and now Ireland rugby coach was behind me in the driving range this evening....

Did you duck?

How about those great Italian marques Jeep, Dodge, Chrysler and RAM.

Be_the_ball wrote:Andy Farrell ex England and now Ireland rugby coach was behind me in the driving range this evening....

Behind you? I prefer golfers to be beside me rather than behind me at the range

super_realist wrote:

Be_the_ball wrote:Andy Farrell ex England and now Ireland rugby coach was behind me in the driving range this evening....

Behind you? I prefer golfers to be beside me rather than behind me at the range

Hence my comment. Or maybe we just witnessed btb coming out?

Doubting Thomas?
Driving it straight and lights out putting = -7 after 10 holes. 59 watch?

-8 after 11 holes . . . . . . . . .

pedro wrote:

super_realist wrote:

Be_the_ball wrote:Andy Farrell ex England and now Ireland rugby coach was behind me in the driving range this evening....

Behind you? I prefer golfers to be beside me rather than behind me at the range

Hence my comment. Or maybe we just witnessed btb coming out?

Very good lads, very good...

Looks like Justin Thomas was reading your article for a bit of motivation Kwini, if he needed any more.

Maybe I should scribble about Paul Casey next week? Or Seamus Power??

-9 after 13 holes - and his final hole is a short Par-5.

No, defo don't criticise Paul Casey (I) we don't want him winning two weeks in a row...Maybe write Paddy off as far as winning another major (Although sadly it's 99 percent true)

There you go, 59!
Starts and finishes with eagles.
You couldn't make it up. #timing.

And not a shot of it shown live here :/

Perhaps the GC showed snippets, dunno, never watch it except live golf, but coverage here doesn't start until midnight Wexford time . . . . . . .

Too late for me I'm afraid, what a week for someone to shoot a 59 #timing ?!?! I'll have to catch a repeat tomorrow evening. Enjoy!!