PGA Tour: Canadian Open (but closed to Canadians?): Notes from the Ballwasher

1).That's what it seems like anyway. No native-born Canadian has won his home tournament since WWI, not Moe Norman, not Al Balding, not George Knudsen and not Mike Weir. But, arguably, Canada has never had a stronger hand of likely lads than now, led by Adam Hadwin, Graham DeLaet and David Hearn, and now Mackenzie Hughes.
Weir came closest in a 2004 heartbreaker, squandering a lead on the back nine and missing a 25-footer, a ten-footer and a five-footer, all of which would have won before putting his approach into the drink on the third play-off hole and capitulating to Vijay Singh. I've never seen a more reluctant winner. Or a more unconsolable runner up.

2).David Hearn had himself a two stroke lead after 54 holes in 2015 before finishing third, steamrollered by Jason Day, but surely one of Canada's finest will break through soon.

3).I missed Rounds 3 and 4 from Birkdale and am still catching up, but sounds like a remarkable win by Jordan Spieth - who was coming off a freakishly fortunate victory at Hartford. Dustin Johnson has been in the slow lane for long enough, but if he doesn't look in his mirror soon he'll miss Spieth overtaking him on his way back to Number One.

4).And then there's Grayson Murray - I see he's rabbitting on about the young generation picking up so many wins, but from a slightly different perspective, it's really the Americans who are dominating this Tour season. And Europeans, Rahm, Sergio and a half from Jonas Blixt excepted, have been shut out. Spieth and Murray were the 10th and 11th consecutive American winners since Si Woo Kim at The Players. No idea what the longest streak of US wins in the "modern era" might be, but eleven is a lot and you wouldn't bet on that run ending this week at Glen Abbey.

5).Murray has tweeted some utterly gormless garbage recently (not the only one of course), but now he's in the owgr Top 100 and can have no excuses if his career doesn't move forward from here.

6).Another good, but not great, weekend from Seamus Power - this week at the RBC Canadian Open will be pivotal for the seasons of three Irishmen, North & South as Power, Lowry and McDowell all need strong weeks to give themselves a decent chance of making the FedEx Play-Offs. Even money they get shut out, not the end of the world for Lowry & McDool as they're exempt for another year, but Power still has a chance to keep his card so good luck to him.

7).No sign of Kjeldsen and/or Johnston this week and neither of them are in next week's Bridgestone. They should both qualify for the PGA Championship, but realistically it looks like Europe only for them next year. Don't look now, but Europeans will be very poorly represented on next year's PGA Tour, something we kinda predicted with the advent of new Tour qualifying criteria.

8).And so to Glen Abbey, a Jack Nicklaus course in the Toronto suburbs (I prefer Montreal's version of The Suburbs). No-one pretends that Glen Abbey is the best course in Canada, or even in the top dozen, but it's the most commercially successful venue and that's why 75% of recent Canadian Opens have been staged there. Next year's too by the sounds of it. Never mind that its destiny is as a housing development.
No idea of likely winners this week, but if Ireland doesn't supply the winner, I hope Canada does. It's been Canada Dry for too long.

Is that an Arcade Fire reference?

How do you figure "Beef" is going to qualify for the PGA?

dont they just start adding people if they are short of the 156?

Alternates start from this list, IIRC

http://www.pgatour.com/stats/stat.132.html

beninho wrote:Is that an Arcade Fire reference?

Love that album. And really like Win Butler and the rest of them.


GPB,
Beef reckoned he might get in, they've gone into the 1teens before so perhaps he has a 50/50 chance? Not sure he'd've said that if he didn't have some cause for optimism.
PS: They'll go to the alternate list after they've filled up the field of 155-ish, not before.

Dustin Johnson seems to have got himself in gear after a few wasted months, four under par after 8 holes, and three Par 5's still to go.

Poulter also has his motor running, early days yet though.

Ireland report:
Lowry's 69 is the least he needs, McDowell's 74 on a day for low scoring is pretty abject, and Power has just got off to a promising start.
Once any showers have cleared through today, the weather should be pristine for the weekend, good for low scoring and a low cut-line.

Hate to see that Jarrod Lyle is battling leukaemia for the third time - if there's any justice out/up there, he'll get through this, good health to him.

The pros are continuing to have their way with Glen Abbey as the cut-line moves to -3 on its almost certain way to -4.

Early birds see Poults into the Round 2 Top 10 and Power into the Top 25, but a long way to go for each.
Lowry now on the cut-line and McDowell falling further adrift; he'll need 66 this afternoon just to have a chance at playing on Saturday.

Lee Westwood and Luke Donald among the dignitaries attending Sergio's wedding in Austin Texas tomorrow.

A much better field in Reno than Alabama coughed up last week; Harrington (hope he's at Sergio's matrimonials) and Power in attendance, but no Lowry or McDowell.

With their respective missed cuts this week, you'd have to think they've given up on the Play-Offs. Johnston & Kjeldsen also.

And: How did Paul Lawrie's Dimension Data win trump (pun not intended) Alex Levy's European Open win??

Levy's European Open win had only an SoF of 87

The Dimension Data Pro-Am was the B-Stone designated event from the Sunshine Tour. Probably because it was not co-sanctioned.

McDowell could have late registered for Reno after his round concluded today, and it would not show up in this update.

But there are at least two from the Japan Tour (Norris & Kodaira) with weaker fields.

Levy's one of those golfers who seems to get the short straw, hopefully for not much longer.

Just saw yr McDool message - I'd probably bet against it. Imagine he'll give Greensboro a whirl after playing well there last year and then put his feet up for a month. Isn't his lady due to give birth soon? Might explain his disinterest.

https://www.irishgolfdesk.com/news-files/2017/7/29/mcdowell-receives-us-pga-invitation

GMAC already given his PGA invite....They will probably even go down to as far as 110/115 in the world the way they've done it the last few years right?

I think that's about right, sirb, Johnston right on the edge I'd imagine.
McDool popular over here so I'm sure the PGA are happy to have him.
Hoping a return to Quail Hollow will inspire Rory.

Meanwhile, Garrigus going crazy at Glen Abbey; a birdie at the last would be enough to break the course record of 62. Power playing well again, but needs to get much more out of this decent week than just another Top 20-ish result.

Power in with a 68, but that's only about one under par given the way Glen Abbey has been playing. Still, good springboard for Sunday.

Poults at 2-under with 3 x Par 5's to play.

GPB wrote:Lee Westwood and Luke Donald among the dignitaries attending Sergio's wedding in Austin Texas tomorrow.

What are the odds on fried chicken tex mex being served..?

That'll be Sergio's career down the toilet then.

super_realist wrote:That'll be Sergio's career down the toilet then.

Why do you think that?

Odds on a twelfth consecutive Tour win for Americans - can't see the closest non-Americans troubling the two most recent Texas Open champs, Hoffman/Chappell or bombers Garrigus & Woodland for that matter.

Just hope for a strong Sunday service from Poults & Power. Another great day for scoring.

The nerves are at me now, Waterfords finest possibly heading for a top 10 and IJP reminding the world he's a bit of a tough nut.

Thanks for this weeks Notes Kwini, disaster for McD and Shane, Serious questions need to be considered for Shane. I like Adam Hadwin and thought he'd do better this week, but its hard playing in front of your home fans 1 week of the year.... and even harder in front of your absolute homers every two years

Poults now tied for 3rd - stranger things have happened . . . . .

And just that blot on his scorecard at #17 for Mr.Waterford - should have bags of confidence for the modified stableford next week.

Jhonny Vegas & Poults could stop that American run.

Poulter!!!!!!!

Ooh,

Good round by Poults. Guaranteed a top ten possibly top five. May even be more by the time it's over.

Podium for Poults - starting to look pretty good. Not totally insignificant is the fact that he (and Casey too) is closing in on the Top 50 career earnings ranking, both well inside $3M away now.

And the twenty-something win streak stops at 8 - how about the American win streak of 11?

Poults up to low 40's in FedEx standings. Wonder if playing a lot of golf helps him?

Rory and JP part ways - or he was sacked depending how you want to frame it.

I always thought if he was to do it he would have by now and comes at a strange time given Rory's comments last week.

JP has certainly made a pretty penny in his nine years with Rory peaking with the FedEx cup bonus last year and I doubt he'll struggle to get another bag but for some reason this still saddens me.

Blame the Caddie syndrome strikes with Rory. Though a lot of people, more qualified than me, have blamed JP for a long time. Be interesting to see what happens.

I remember some comments from a few years back that JP was holding Rory back and that he should get in a "career" caddie which I always felt was unfair on JP. Rory himself came out and said JP was close friend and having someone like that with him was more important than anything else.

Something has clearly changed but given that Rory stated that JP played a huge part in his turn around last week the timing does seem a bit off.

If you are someone who believes that the caddy can actually influence the way a player plays then you probably have to accept JP didn't provide the correct advice or that Rory wasn't listening to him. As I said when comparing Spieth and Rory after the open, Spieth can grind out a round to stay in contention whereas Rory only seems to score well when everything is going well.

If a caddy can influence a players course management to help them get the best score in tricky conditions it seems JP has not been able to do this for Rory.

Some of the posters who know about caddies can suggest specific names but whoever it is they should be able to better coerce Rory into better shot choices.

That's a bit of a shock to wake up to; Wonder if Rory's thought of using Bones thru the FedEx Play-Offs? Whilst looking around for a permanent solution.
Presumably Dave Clark's out there when Adam Scott replaces him with Williams . . . . . . .

Kwini

Good call, a Bones and Rory combo would be a good test of how much difference a caddy can make.

Bones signed a contract with NBC/GC to work the playoffs. Definitely could be an "OUT" for Bones in the contract.

Do know there is a high profile caddie in New Jersey that has been on the sidelines while his boss is recuperating from multiple back surgeries and pain killer addiction.

Joe LaCava might be a good caddie for Rory.

He must already have someone in place as he plays this week. I read that his friend, Harry Diamond, is the favourite. Maybe he doesnt need to be a great caddie. DJ has his brother, Wasnt Greller a teacher before hooking up with Spieth, Day has his coach I think.

The only thing with La Cava: Rory probably hasn't seen him for a couple of years . . . . . .

Sick Room report from Akron action:

Kaymer out resting a shoulder injury for a few weeks (incl PGA)
Sneds continues to rest his ribs - no word yet as to whether he'll be fit for Quail Hollow and then the Wyndham - Wyndham being a major sponsor.

Wonder if these absences affects princedrac's assessment of 76 pts for the Bridgestone champ?

beninho wrote:He must already have someone in place as he plays this week.

ben, I wonder if he'd hire Conboy as a stop-gap? McDowell won't be playing Bridgestone after all.

You would also assume its someone he has been working with recently. Maybe someone not employed. Danny Willetts guy?

Greller was a teacher but also worked part-time as a caddie at Chambers Bay

I've seen a few people say it will be his close friend Harry Diamond for a short while!
https://www.pga.com/events/pgachampionship/full-live-2017-pga-championship-united-kingdom-broadcast-schedule Also more info regarding the PGA!

https://sports.paddypower.mobi/#sport/7/competition/8583/event/12642922 Here are odds on his next caddie

Jeez betting on who the caddie will be  

*Temporary appointments do not count - that's a bookie get out if ever I've seen one

wiretapper wrote:Jeez betting on who the caddie will be  

*Temporary appointments do not count - that's a bookie get out if ever I've seen one

Wonder if their Washington office would have paid out on Scaramucci . . . .

Heard an interesting story about a local Fife lad who had been caddying for Koepka before he really hit the big time. Like a lot of Scottish morons, the guy was rather too fond of the drink. Following a tournament somewhere in America he went out, got smashed and was taken home to a familiar looking neighbourhood, but which looked the same as every other street. After waking up naked on the couch in someone else house and being lambasted and shrieked at by the irate knife wielding owner he ran out stark bollock naked into the street where he was arrested.
He jumped bail and fled the country. Now he can't go back to the USA and Koepka subsequently won the US Open.
His massive loss is someone elses considerable gain. Only a Scot would let this happen.

What an utter arse.

Sounds like Diamond has the gig for a while - like your boy from Fife, super, will he shine on like a crazy diamond or have a look in his eyes like black holes in the sky??!!

At least Firestone and Quail Hollow are courses Rory knows better than most of the caddies, before Harry has to start the real work if he's still on the job at The Barclays on a course that neither may have seen.

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