PGA Tour: Times They Are A'Changing at Colonial: Notes from the Ballwasher

First topic message reminder :

1).Last week's final Byron Nelson tournament at Las Colinas, before the move to Dallas's "Trinity Forest GC", is followed by a short taxi ride to Colonial CC in Fort Worth where there seems to be a changing of the guard at one of the most highly regarded (ranked 5th of 50 in a 2011 poll of Tour Pros) courses on Tour. Ben Hogan is celebrated here annually, and not just by robopz, and the list of former winners and contenders reflects the legacy of the golfing great, and also the Colonial course itself:
Among reasonably contemporary players these all have at least 2 x Top Two placings:
Mickelson
Kenny Perry
Furyk
Tim Clark
Zach Johnson
Dufner
Spieth
Toms
Of which only Phil can reasonably be said to favour length over fairway.

2).Phil, Zach, Dufner and Spieth return while a largely new generation of ball-strikers is filling this year's field. Including Billy Horschel, so let's look back first at last week's action.

3).Very pleased to see Billy Ho back in the winner's enclosure, first "W" since winning the FedEx Cup in 2014. As posted earlier, the young Horschel was a horschel's arse but he's great to follow and seems to have mellowed with age, not to mention "life" stuff. He missed an absolute tiddler in last autumn's McGladrey play-off, has largely disappeared for 2017, but is clearly back with a bang. Notoriously streaky early in his career, watch out for Billy over the next coupla months, even the next few days.

4).Talk about disappearing . . . . . that's exactly what Jason Day has done, no Tour top 20's since Pebble Beach three months ago. Is he back? Certainly missed a few chances on the greens, but also holed some outrageous ("he'll be happy to get down in two from here") challenges, just the sort that usually separates winners from the rest. I still can't see that his nuke swing is ideal for a long career, and he seems not to care less about finesse when all out turbo charge is an option, but looks ready to break his one-year-plus absence from first place.

5).Dustin Johnson made a month's worth of bogeys over the weekend, otherwise he'd've been right there, and some others with decidedly iffy starts to the year are playing better, especially Danny Lee who finished T5, his first Top 8 result since Phoenix last year. Another streaky player, and a reminder of the old saying that the average Tour golfer makes 80% of his season's loot in 20% of his events. In Lee's case, a purple 3-month patch two years ago pretty much constitutes his career, otherwise a case of promise, as yet anyway, unfulfilled. Don't expect that to last.

6).With most of this week's attention for Europeans being focussed on Wentworth (not to mention Manchester   ), it's interesting to see Keith Pelley has been speculating on the golf world schedule in two years' time, with his anticipation that the 2019 Players will be returned to March and the PGA bumped up to May. That's a solution to a problem that I can't see meself, can only hope that the PGA's geniuses condescend to check out this year's May weather in the US North-East and Mid-West - think an average March in Manchester.
So order extra wellies and woollies if Bethpage's PGA Championship in 2019 is held in May. You'd've thought they'd've learned from 2009's waterlogged US Open. Oak Hill in 2023 doesn't bear thinking about, can't imagine how they can get the course championship-ready by mid-May, they certainly didn't in 2008 for the Senior PGA.

7).Steve Stricker is one of the few Tour players still to make his home in the northern tier of US States, in Wisconsin, venue for this year's US Open at Erin Hills. Given Stricker's contribution to US Golf over the past decade or so, you might think the USGA would look kindly at his request for a special invitation to Erin Hills. But not a bit of it, so Strick is trying to qualify the old-fashioned way, by earning it - starting at Colonial this week where he beat Tim Clark and Steve Marino in a 2009 play-off.

8).Unless they record fantastic results in Majors, I reckon the PGA Tour has seen the last of Andrew Johnston and Soren Kjeldsen as members unless they contest the web.com Finals later this summer. Beef doesn't seem to have got his brain around Tour scheduling, a la Lowry of years past, and Soren's solid streak of form missed out on the really high placings that would earn the bounty of FedEx points he needs. Too bad for him, but predictable when his ranking started to slide.

9).Jim Furyk always says Colonial is one of his favourite two or three tournaments so it's surprising to note his absence this week - family obligations presumably. And surprised that David Toms is also absent, playing the Champions Tour PGA instead.
One golfer who comes in to Colonial in a funk (no, not Fred) is Zach Johnson, twice a winner here where the course seems to be made for him. Only nine Top Ten finishes since his St.Andrews win, and seems to be in a Luke Donald-like decline. Still competitive on a small handful of courses, such as Colonial, but fighting losing battles elsewhere. No Presidents Cup for him this year unless he turns things round in a hurry, but don't see that starting this week.

10).Sergio Garcia won Colonial in 2001 for his first PGA Tour win and, if his putter is back to Augusta form, he'd be a strong favourite this week. Big IF though.
Similarly for last year's winner Spieth, who rode ungodly putting and chipping to last year's win. Trouble is, his driver is as temperamental as Sergio's putter, but if he can keep it on the straight and narrow, this place is made for him.
Ryan Palmer is this week's local lad and must have a great each-way chance. Kinda like McGirt also.
My picks for Grumpy's game if he was not playing in England would be:

A).Garcia, Spieth, Kuchar
B).Dufner, McGirt, Palmer
C).Lee, Chad Campbell, Pampling

And, completely irrelevant: Happy Birthday to Bob Dylan  

The best way to turn a small injury into a career ending injury is to keep playing on it. Tiger would probably still be playing without back surgery today if he'd listenen to his body more. I don't think it would be in anyone's best interest if Rory ended up bandjaxed. I would like to think Rory adds to the PGA Tour, I'm sure he'll do everything in his power to fulfil his obligations. Providing he doesn't injure himself more.

Agree B_t_b,
Sometimes one wonders whether there's a (not so) hidden agenda here.

Nice to see the Colonial leaders making a few early birdies - should make for some good viewing.

The thing about Rory is that he already had his Rory-gate on the ET.
His ballsyness could be writing out checks his image can't cash.

Web Simpson's golf swing would be imo one of the polar opposites to a Hogan swing, However, I say HOWEVER he's comfortably leadin at Colonial and has a US Open in his back pocket. Golf is such a mad game, there are so many ways to get it done, thats why I love it.

Allegedly, Rory hurt himself in an early round in South Africa. Yet he continued to play on.

Then he was out for 6 weeks.

and he re-aggravated the injury at the Players, and then Played on. Looks to be out for 5 weeks (assuming he plays US Open)

Injuries are not so bad that he can continue playing the tournament. But so bad that he can't play weeks later.

This is just not adding up. He is getting more and more like an entitled prima donna.

If he is hurt, stay away get well. If he plays the US Open, Irish Open, Birkdale, Akron and the PGA....and nothing else....RED FLAG. And the new commish will have to make a hard decision.

Meh...

GPB wrote:Allegedly, Rory hurt himself in an early round in South Africa.  Yet he continued to play on.

Then he was out for 6 weeks.

and he re-aggravated the injury at the Players, and then Played on.  Looks to be out for 5 weeks (assuming he plays US Open)

Injuries are not so bad that he can continue playing the tournament.  But so bad that he can't play weeks later.

This is just not adding up.  He is getting more and more like an entitled prima donna.

If he is hurt, stay away get well.  If he plays the US Open, Irish Open, Birkdale, Akron and the PGA....and nothing else....RED FLAG. And the new commish will have to make a hard decision.

The other interpretation might be that he played on to do the right thing by the sponsors and galleries - Rory has committed to Hartford and I'm sure he'll play there provided he plays Erin Hills.
Let's see how it all plays out - I look forward to your mea culpa if he recuperates satisfactorily and is fit for a respectable normal schedule. I'd be astonished if he cherry-picked any more than the gallacticos normally do anyway.

Good leaderboard at Colonial; should be much more user-friendly weather and hopefully some low scoring.

I'm probably with GPB on this one. Based on his demeanor and the Rory-gate on the ET I think we have a reason to suspect he'd be expecting preferential treatment.

Maybe.
But to me, that's not the central issue.
It's whether he would be granted preferential treatment based upon his history of supporting sponsors and the Tour(s) during his careers.

Back to the two-tee, three-ball groupings for Round 4 at Colonial; there may be a well-kept secret in forecasting models that provokes such a slow-play, gallery unfriendly format, but if so it's not in the public domain.

GPB,
Are you in the firing line for tomorrow's stormy blitz?

kwinigolfer wrote:
It's whether he would be granted preferential treatment based upon his history of supporting sponsors and the Tour(s) during his careers.

But hasn't his schedule been way too light on the PGAT to claim he goes the extra mile compared to others on the tour when it comes to supporting a great deal of the tours sponsors? Maybe if he racked up 15-20 regular pgat events a year he could present the case you are making.

Mac,
His tournament record the past few years has been:
2012: 16 played
2013: 16
2014: 17
2015: 12 but injured and missed several weeks
2018: 18

Last time I checked, that record was squarely in the 15 - 20 tournament range. Your arguments with complete disregard to the facts are becoming Drumpf-like.


Weather should be fine for today's Colonial action; big chance for Paul Casey to win his second PGA Tournament, 8-years after his first.

kwinigolfer wrote:
GPB,
Are you in the firing line for tomorrow's stormy blitz?

I was in the firing line for yesterday's stormy blitz. Tornado Sirens went off about 6:30 pm, but fortunately, nothing happened here. A few small limbs dropped from the trees. The worst of the bad stuff was North of me.

Nothing severe expected today.

GPB wrote:

kwinigolfer wrote:
GPB,
Are you in the firing line for tomorrow's stormy blitz?

I was in the firing line for yesterday's stormy blitz.  Tornado Sirens went off about 6:30 pm, but fortunately, nothing happened here.  A few small limbs dropped from the trees.  The worst of the bad stuff was North of me.

Nothing severe expected today.

Seems there's been a lot of it about.
Should all have cleared through (or completely missed!) the DFW area for today's play - hopefully with you too.

Sounds like Zach Johnson was a little miffed at being put on the clock yesterday.

https://twitter.com/michaelmartinut/status/868511363471204352

Kwini

I said "15-20 regular pgat events", to reflect dedication to the "smaller" events and sponsors that are the heart of the tour.

But anyway I don't see us agreeing on this but would you concede that it would massively boost the legitimacy of any dispensation asked for/given if he added a few regular PGAT events to his summer schedule?




In other news Gary Player has been whinging about his Senior opens not counting towards his senior major total.

http://www.golfdigest.com/story/gary-player-insists-that-theyve-got-the-career-senior-major-count-all-wrong?mbid=social_twitter

For those that follow the senior tour what are your thoughts on whether Senior open championship wins should be retrospectively added to players senior major totals?

Mac,
All I know about Rory is that he's committed to one "smaller" event, The Travelers; not sure after that.


Of more immediate concern, who will come out of the Colonial field with a ten-under-par and burst everyone's balloon, a la Alex Noren?
Stricker with the day's best round in progress, four under par after seven holes; McDowell off to a promising start.

Stricker now 8-under!

See Note 10).!!!!
Not a great week for picking winners, but you can see that Colonial is also a Kisner course - just made for guys like him, fairways and greens, used to playing on Bermuda even though the greens are bent grass.

Disappointing for Casey & Sergio and a fizzling Sunday for McDowell.
Rahm still at the top of his game . . . . . .

. . . . . . and so is Bernhard Langer, winner of the Senior PGA in Virginia and now the all-time winner of Senior Majors. The man is amazing.

Away from the leaderboard, we haven't heard much lately from Jeff Overton, a Ryder Cupper at Celtic Manor but more recently better known for some dumbf8ck incidents and subsequent disappearance from competitive golf.

Turns out he's had surgery for a herniated disc and a "life threatening" infection that he's now recuperating from. Can't speak to the accuracy of that information but we're living vicariously here through the excrutiatingly painful tribulation that an eminent basketball coach (whose father was assassinated in Lebanon) has been enduring.  
Hope Overton's straits are less dire and he might enjoy a successful return to Tour leaderboards.

Wasn't it Overton who made similar claims of the Eurotour that Gayson Murray did?

Overton still has the same number of tournament wins as any of us. One of the biggest losers in the professional game.

Kwini, no thoughts on Players concerns?

Anyway the BBC are crediting Gary with 9 senior majors even if the champions tour won't.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/golf/40082365

"Langer's victory also saw the two-time Masters champion equal Gary Player's record of nine senior major titles."

Mac,
I hadn't read your link.
I would say Player is correct, but would also think the record-holder discussion will become moot as Langer will see to it that he wins another. Just because he can.

Walton Heath US Open sectional qualifying score.

http://www.usopen.com/qualifying/sectional/surrey.html#!&tab=results

David Boote, Welsh Amateur, shot 62 in the first 18. Never heard of him, and I don't know how he got exempted into Sectional Qualifying because I don't see him as advancing through local qualifying.

Googling, it says he just graduated from Stanford last year. and his hometown is Surrey England. But he has a Welsh flag next to his name.

I expect some of our friends know him.

And: I could represent Wales also, after graduating from the Fratton Park Academy of Fine Arts and living in VT.
Surrey not actually a town.

I don't see IJP in the field . . . . . . suppose he'll be competing in a US Qualie.

PS: Congrats on navigating the maze that is the USGA US Open site - I couldn't find the scores!

GPB wrote:and his hometown is Surrey England.

....his home course is Walton Heath. Won their club championship there recently.

Confirmation that Justin Rose has withdrawn from this week's Memorial Tournament, haven't yet seen the reason, but hopefully not a recurrence of his back problems.

And confirmation also that the Top 50 owgr cut-off for Open Championship qualifying sees Jon Rahm, Perez, Fleetwood, Wes Bryan, Hadwin, Horschel and Leishman gain admission to the Birkdale field. Brian Harman missed out by a fraction of a point.

Tiger caught drink driving.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-40087317

Driving has never been one of Tiger's strengths

Pretty daft to get a dwi at 7.00 a.m. . . . . . . . . Perhaps he'll borrow Steven Bowditch's lawyer?

Kwini

I think he was picked up at about 3 am then held for a while and charged at 7 am. Sadly a further unraveling of his life/career.

McLaren wrote:Tiger caught drink driving.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-40087317

Maybe he's trying to charm himself into the pants of fellow dipso Mrs Billy Horschels pants.

Getting drunk must be great for his back recovery.

kwinigolfer wrote:I expect some of our friends know him.

And: I could represent Wales also, after graduating from the Fratton Park Academy of Fine Arts and living in VT.
Surrey not actually a town.

I don't see IJP in the field . . . . . . suppose he'll be competing in a US Qualie.

PS: Congrats on navigating the maze that is the USGA US Open site - I couldn't find the scores!

Poulter is scheduled for the Memphis Sectional.

http://www.usopen.com/qualifying/sectional/memphis.html#!&tab=preview

GPB wrote:Driving has never been one of Tiger's strengths

He shoots, he scores!

You would have thought he'd be chauffeur driven everywhere?!?! especially after his fire hydrant escapades. It's becoming really sad now.

GPB wrote:Driving has never been one of Tiger's strengths

But he has always been good at draining it..

Beef made it in to the US Open, along with a few other names I recognise. Don't know the "winner" Aaron Rai, but 66/64 isn't bad scoring.

GPB wrote:Walton Heath US Open sectional qualifying score.

http://www.usopen.com/qualifying/sectional/surrey.html#!&tab=results

David Boote, Welsh Amateur, shot 62 in the first 18.  Never heard of him, and I don't know how he got exempted into Sectional Qualifying because I don't see him as advancing through local qualifying.

Googling, it says he just graduated from Stanford last year. and his hometown is Surrey England.  But he has a Welsh flag next to his name.

Four out of seven qualified, David got the Boote.
And so did Gregory Bourdy which is a shame after how well he played at Oakmont.

kwinigolfer wrote:

GPB wrote:Walton Heath US Open sectional qualifying score.

http://www.usopen.com/qualifying/sectional/surrey.html#!&tab=results

David Boote, Welsh Amateur, shot 62 in the first 18.  Never heard of him, and I don't know how he got exempted into Sectional Qualifying because I don't see him as advancing through local qualifying.

Googling, it says he just graduated from Stanford last year. and his hometown is Surrey England.  But he has a Welsh flag next to his name.

Four  out of seven qualified, David got the Boote.
And so did Gregory Bourdy which is a shame after how well he played at Oakmont.

Paul Dunne qualified too, happy days!

Bourdy first alternate so maybe won't book a flight yet, but I reckon he makes it!
Padraig 77 in rd1, but stuck around and shot 68 in rd2. Many others went home after rd1. Well done PH, that's how you get your reps!

puligny wrote: Padraig 77 in rd1, but stuck around and shot 68 in rd2. Many others went home after rd1. Well done PH, that's how you get your reps!

Well, saved himself a green fee