PGA Tour: Listing Towards Season's End at Greensboro: Notes from the Ballwasher

1).Well done Justin Thomas! Lucky sod many times during your round, but the birdie on #17 was worthy of the Championship, especially with just about everyone else stumbling. So, another twenty-something wins a Major, and the World Top Ten is dominated by pros in their 20's. With multiple wins this season by Thomas, Spieth and Hideki, I imagine some bright spark will produce a stat to show the average age of Tour winners is a record low, early Tiger notwithstanding (pun not intended). Although 2000 might be close.

2).Thomas is probably the first Tour pro to win his first four events away from the mainland U.S.. I've always been a Thomas Doubter, largely because of the number of times his putter seemed to fail him when in contention. But his putting, and chipping in, and squirrels, held his round together on Sunday when he was spraying it off the tee.

3).Just a thought about this generation of young Americans: Is it that they're that good or that their predecessors, those pros following Tiger, underachieved?
Only Dustin Johnson (15) among American pros currently in their thirties has won more than Bubba's 9 PGA tournaments, whereas Spieth has already chalked up 11 (and Rory 13, Scott 13, Day and Sergio 10 apiece).
Other US 30+ year olds with at least 5 wins are: Sneds (8), Kuchar (7), Haas 6), Mahan (6), Walker (6), Byrd (5), Moore (5), Watney (5), only Jimmy Walker's PGA being a Major. Not surprising they routinely got duffed up at Ryder Cup time.

4).Very happy to see Molinari plod his way to a T2, and Louis complete his Major runner-up Grand Slam.
And shocked to see Patrick Reed enjoy by far his best event of the year in his 9th straight week of work, incl three in Europe. He must be knackered and is playing at home this week whilst the Tour travels 90 odd miles down Interstate 85 towards Tobacco Road and Greensboro's Sedgefield CC, a Donald Ross classic where the young Reed beat a younger Spieth in a play-off for his first win.
But here's an opportunity for another list. Pros that Louis joined with the Major runner-up Grand Slam are:
Nicklaus, Norman, Craig Wood, Watson, Palmer, Mickelson.

5).Quail Hollow's re-do seemed to receive mixed reviews with the Par-3 fourth hole in for widespread criticism. I don't understand why the PGA thought it was a good idea to co-commission a redesign with brand new greens that had to be completed in 15 months. They sexed up #16 a few years ago - no idea why they wouldn't have done the rest of their redesign and tweaks then. As it was they had hard, lightning fast greens until rain softened them up, and lowered the scores which seemed overall to help the bombers.

6).Brooks Koepka won the year-long, unofficial "major" championship (sponsored by sportform?), posting -21, one shot better than Kuchar & Matsuyama. Fowler shot -16, Spieth -10, Casey -9, Hoffman -3. Others who played all 16 rounds but in over-par golf were Leishman, Stricker (not a bad swansong), Holmes, Henley, Kisner & Westwood.

7).Whilst Ernie Els and Phil Mickelson were the T13 in reaching the 100 Majors played threshhold. Nicklaus (164) leads the list from Player, Watson, Palmer, Floyd, Snead, Crenshaw, Sarazen, Kite, O'Meara (didn't expect that), Langer and Faldo. Others will join them soon by virtue of past champion status: Love (99), Couples (98) and Singh (93). Next most as far as I can see is Furyk with 87 appearances - and he needs a career renaissance to play any more unless he receives a sentimental invite next year.

8).Lots of aggro in these (dis)United States recently; if there was to be a statue toppled this week, albeit metaphorically, it would be that of the rotund self-styled "Red Neck Swede", Carl Pettersson. Carl has been as instrumental as anyone in keeping the old GGO in Greensboro, a great "community" tournament. But Carl is having a shockingly poor season and, at the relatively early age of 40, this could be his last event as a fully exempt Tour Member.
Unfortunately, his efforts, and those of sponsor Wyndham and the local community, are rewarded by a weak field, even recent winners here like Sergio & Reed choosing to stay away. The owgr points for Sunday's winner will be 32 or 34, whereas last year SiWoo Kim earned 46 points - that's a lot of Top 50 defectors and disgraceful that Kim is not here to defend. What goes around comes around SiWoo.
Since winning The Players, he has 2 w/d's (as well as withdrawn commitments), four missed cuts, a T13 at Erin Hills where presumably he tried and a T50.

9).To Play-Offs or Not To Play-Offs, that is the question. The Wyndham Championship is the last chance to find the answer. "Notables" at risk of not reaching the Tour's estimate of 363 FedEx Points include:
Ogilvy (125th)
Ryan Palmer (128th)
McDowell (131st) - Exempt 2017/18
Badds (133rd) - Exempt 17/18
Smylie (135th) - Exempt 17/18
Lowry (145th) - Exempt 17/18
Kjeldsen (154th)
Furyk (156th) - Exempt 17/18
Ishikawa (175th)
Mahan (197th)
Harrington (199th) - Exempt 17/18

And it's also the last chance to keep one's Fully Exempt Tour Membership. In additions to those listed:
120th: Blair
121st: Hearn
122nd: Werenski
123rd: Seamus Power
124th: Summerhays (how many chances of securing his status has he blown since his tee shot on Memorial's 72nd hole?)
126th: Tringale
127th: Saunders
136th: Greg Owen (kinda tough to have 2 x Runner Up finishes on Tour in one season and lose your card - if anyone's going to pull that trick, you'd bet on Owen).
138th: Varner
etc, etc. Of course, these would be eligible for web.com Final action if they miss out this week.

10). No Fantasy Game this week but if the Grumpy Casino was open I'd bet on:
A).Kis, Haas, Moore - interested to see which Henrik Stenson shows up)
B).Glover, Streelman, Murray (wash my mouth out, but reckon he's a decent bet this week, might pay for his front tooth)
C).Varner, Kaufman, Ben Martin

Last year's leaderboard included SiWoo Kim, Matsuyama, Sneds, McDool, Donald, Rafa C-B, Billy Ho, Furyk and Kisner - safe to say we won't see quality like that contending this week. Sadly.

US Amateur Match Play begins today.

Jack Singh Brar, Connor Syme, Robert MacIntyre all definitely advance from Stroke Play qualification, Harry Ellis one of 13 golfers (incl 2015 runner up Derek Bard, Scottie Scheffler and Braden Thornberry - 4th in Memphis in June!) returning this morning to "play off" for 8 places.
Scott Gregory and Alfie Plant among those to miss out.

Good stuff Kwini. I like your analysis of the year long "major". I'm sure Kuchar, Hideki and Fowler would take 3 MC's if it meant they won one.

Patrick Reed came out of nowhere, although his final day outfit looked he came out of a 70s disco. White trousers and black shoes, more Saturday Night Fever than Sunday night major.

Noticeable this year is that the major winners can all knock it a long way with the driver. Spieth isn't any where near the top of the rankings, but he's still sneaky long.

Great write up Kwin.

As mentioned on another thread, I listened to the entire tournament on the radio. Sounded like Matsuyama had plenty of chances, but simply could not keep it together when needed. Give Thomas his due. And what a way to win on the "mainland". (PS - Golf on the radio isn't very enjoyable.)

Ray - Agree with you 100%. They would all take one major over those the MCs anyday.

So, Yanks go three in a row ... I think a healthy Rory will have something to do with stopping that streak at Augusta next year.

In the meantime, let's see if Pettersen plays in the Solheim cup this weekend (heard she may be injured) and if she's getting any more generous with conceding putts.

Cheers chaps,

Here are some pics of US Solheimers designed to make their president bristle with pride:

http://www.golfchannel.com/news/grill-room/us-solheim-team-rocking-very-patriotic-apparel-hair/?cid=Email_WednesdayNL_20170816

Juli Inkster has designated a putt-giverer for each fourball and foursome match!

kwinigolfer wrote:US Amateur Match Play begins today.

Jack Singh Brar, Connor Syme, Robert MacIntyre all definitely advance from Stroke Play qualification, Harry Ellis one of 13 golfers (incl 2015 runner up Derek Bard, Scottie Scheffler and Braden Thornberry - 4th in Memphis in June!) returning this morning to "play off" for 8 places.
Scott Gregory and Alfie Plant among those to miss out.

Round 1 of the Match Play now determined.
Harry Ellis and Scheffler of those mentioned are eliminated, Derek Bard & Thornberry "live to fight another day"; actually today.

A top hat would go well with those jumpsuits  

And I thought the trumpster would prefer a Russian flag or a swa.....  

Anyway, in other news Sneds out for the season http://www.golfchannel.com/news/golf-central-blog/injured-snedeker-done-season/

Shotrock wrote:
In the meantime, let's see if Pettersen plays in the Solheim cup this weekend (heard she may be injured) and if she's getting any more generous with conceding putts.

No Matthews is in.

With Snedeker out, that's at least two no-shows for the first round of FedEx Play-Offs following Scott's paternity leave. Question marks against some others also, Rory for one, whilst Scott Piercy hasn't played for 2 months.
Not to mention the habitually fickle nature of one or two who are fit as a fiddle such as Sergio, and possibly Justin Rose.

Beginning to look like the ATP.

Sentry Insurance announced as sponsor of the Tournament of Champions on a five year contract. Hopefully they'll keep it at Kapalua for the duration, a welcome early January tonic for those of us with four more months of winter to go . . . . . . .

Those outfits look like they were designed by Trump's hairdresser. I guess they want to keep the Euro team laughing.

The "Euros" will miss Pettersen.

Shotrock wrote:Those outfits look like they were designed by Trump's hairdresser. I guess they want to keep the Euro team laughing.

The "Euros" will miss Pettersen.

Pity they don't all wear Drumpf yellow/orange wigs.

I think Hurricane Catriona will be the first playing Vice Captain in recent cup play, women or men - she should pass the armband to Suzann, get some of her fire out there on the course.

Shotrock wrote:Those outfits look like they were designed by Trump's hairdresser. I guess they want to keep the Euro team laughing.

As long as they don't drive it into the crowd..

Not sure if GPB or robo are watching, but the Canadian/Dallasite Austin Connelly is off to another good start. In Fiji.
He's getting Koepka-like experience, but no idea whether or not he has the tools to be that good.

On a related subject, surely time for Peter Uihlein to make up his mind where his future might lie?

Self DQ in US Am

Hats off to you

Roller_Coaster wrote:Self DQ in US Am

Hats off to you

Agreed. But what was the slope component they are talking about? Is it the degree of difficulty of the course, or the actual slope on greens etc?

Powerful start from Seamus: -3 after 3 holes. More please

I'm never wrong wrote:

Roller_Coaster wrote:Self DQ in US Am

Hats off to you

Agreed. But what was the slope component they are talking about? Is it the degree of difficulty of the course, or the actual slope on greens etc?

I believe (not having one with a slope function) that it is a function that takes into account how much above or below you your target is and comes up with an adjusted yardage as if the shot were on the level.

So if you are playing uphill and the direct yardage is 175, the range finder gives you something like a "plays like" number such as 185 (or tells you the "slope" factor is equivalent to an extra 10 yards). At least that's what I think it does.

I do not think it relates to the "slope" score of the course/hole.

Again, I don't have anything with that function but that's my understanding.

Roller_Coaster wrote:

I'm never wrong wrote:

Roller_Coaster wrote:Self DQ in US Am

Hats off to you

Agreed. But what was the slope component they are talking about? Is it the degree of difficulty of the course, or the actual slope on greens etc?

I believe (not having one with a slope function) that it is a function that takes into account how much above or below you your target is and comes up with an adjusted yardage as if the shot were on the level.

So if you are playing uphill and the direct yardage is 175, the range finder gives you something like a "plays like" number such as 185 (or tells you the "slope" factor is equivalent to an extra 10 yards). At least that's what I think it does.

I do not think it relates to the "slope" score of the course/hole.

Again, I don't have anything with that function but that's my understanding.

Correct Roller, it factors in elevation from the straight line distance to give an adjusted distance. Wouldn't work for me as I can't hold the damn things steady enough.

Thanks chaps

Decent rounds from Lowry and Power, but they need to do better in their next three (hopefully) rounds.
McDowell one over par and will need a -5 Round 2 just to be sure of making the cut - Harrington off to a good start but needs to keep his foot down.

If Matt Every (61 today) was a racehorse, his trainer would be warned off

Nice to see Henrik going through his gears - wonder if he fancies a win and then take next week off?
Doesn't always work like that of course, but a promising start.

Strange happenings in Greensboro - Martin Laird shot 66 in Round 1, has withdrawn prior to Round 2. Can't find an explanation yet, hope everything's OK.

EDIT: Personal reasons cited - currently scheduled to compete in next week's Northern Trust . . . . . . . certain to qualify also for the following week at TPC Boston.

Very low scoring in Round 1; Round 2 underway, and there will be players missing the 36-hole cut who could lose their Tour Membership. Others will be consigned to the web.com Finals from which only 25 pros will advance to the PGA Tour in 17/18. Moving Day!

McIlroy looks likely to continue his season despite his toothache injury concerns. Perhaps he has to get his tournament quota up.

http://m.bbc.com/sport/golf/40982122

Having watched him carrying it through the back of the practice ground last week I never did buy that he had any kind of injury.

Looks like Kjeldsen and Lowry are trying to make up for lost/wasted time as they shoot 63/64 respectively today.
Luke Donald will miss another cut - second here last year but he's on a terrible downward spiral since Harbour Town. Has to improve a lot next week for his season to continue.

And another missed cut for McDowell. He can tend bar at Nona Blue for the next six weeks.

Michele Wie has one of the oddest pre-shot routines I've ever seen. My back hurts looking at it.

But, the Yanks blank the "Euros" this afternoon to make up for this morning's loss. Maybe they break out the wacky outfits tomorrow or whenever Captain Pettersen declares no gimmies.

36 yuuugely important hours in Seamus Power's career underway - impossible to say exactly what he needs to secure his card for next year but a Top 20 finish should do the trick. Off to a good start with an early bird.

Some pros who'll have to go to web.com Finals to retrieve their Tour membership include:

Matt Jones - again
Bryce Molder - brilliant short game offset by short and crooked off the tee.
Ryan Palmer - may be due a short "extension" for compassionate reasons.
Tringale
Reifers
Mullinax - good news for Power who was one place behind Mullinax
Greg Owen - situation normal
etc.

Pettersson and Jason Bohn among those who don't have any exemptions remaining and did not qualify for web.com Finals.

Seamus Power's minimum objective in Round 3 should have been: Do No Harm.
Three bogeys in four holes will result in an MDF missed opportunity to improve in Round 4 UNLESS he can conjure up at least a couple of birdies 15 thru 18.

EDIT: Double bogey on the Par-5 16th cooks his goose, PGA Tour season at an end for him - WTFinals beckon. Disappointing end.

So my plan of staying off the internet, in an effort to not jinx him hasn't worked then... damn it!

Aah well - https://youtu.be/Hjpx136lgLk

Kwini: Rumor has it that Ryan Palmer has been granted 5 extra starts to get inside the Top 125.

Looks like Zac Blair is the ultimate bubble boy. Started the week #120, guaranteed to MDF today and projected to be #125 as of 2:25 pm Wyndham Time.

David Hearn's Canada Goose looks to be cooked....started the week #121 and most likely needs to birdie #18 to play tomorrow.

No birdie for Hearn, reckon it's even money whether he gets another chance.

Fair do's for Palmer, that's only right; possibly should (professionally anyway) have taken more of a break as he never really got his season moving.

Ogilvy, Varner & Wagner will determine the fate of Hearn and Power.

Rick Lamb's 11th hole. 7 shots from 50' away

Warning, its pretty BAAAAAAAAAAd.

Rick Lamb's 11th hole:

The Shane & Soren show is heating up. About time boys, but lots to play for. EAGLE!

Tough in the Solheim Cup when we effectively lose Pettersen and Hull, plus Nordqvist is recovering from mono.
Not enough depth. It'll be interesting to read what Annika has to say after the final whistle.

Na and Stenson playing in Sunday's final pairing.
Offers for the over/under in how long their round takes?
4 hrs 15 mins??
Helps that they follow Wyndham Simpson's dad.

kwinigolfer wrote:Tough in the Solheim Cup when we effectively lose Pettersen and Hull, plus Nordqvist is recovering from mono.
Not enough depth. It'll be interesting to read what Annika has to say after the final whistle.

Beanie has won two of her matches, so a missing Suzann can't be that much of a loss.

US Team is playing outstanding. It was superb golf this afternoon. Love that they are playing in the summer rather than September. European hosted Solheims have been plagued by bad weather. In Ireland, I don't think it ever stopped raining and Germany was a quagmire.

I haven't seen a date for the 2019 matches in Scotland, but I sure hope they move it up. Ladies Golf in rainsuits and umbrellas and towels is not compelling. Mel Reid in tight spandex shorts is worth watching!

Georgia Hall looks like she is next Brit hope.

I hope the LET can get their act together but the tour is withering on the vine. Leona Maguire and Virginia Elena Carta look like they might qualify in 2019.

Except that "Beanie" and Charley have missed three matches. Not the be all and end all but leadership on the course counts for a lot in these things.
Perhaps not enough to compensate for lack of depth however.

As for weather:
Lucas Glover said it best:
"I don't care. Golf is an outdoor sport."

You are making a big assumption that Pettersen was going to play all five sessions. She didn't go five sessions in Germany in 2015, she didn't play five matches in Colorado in 2013, and she didn't go five matches in Ireland in 2011.

I really don't care what Glover said, Golf played in cr@ppy weather is not compelling

We lost Jessica Korda to injury. And I think Pettersen would have only helped the Yanks focus even more given her antics at the last Solheim Cup.

Could be the comeback of all time this afternoon.

Very true about Korda, Czech if you will!

A bit of a thumping so far, though, and just a shame that arguably our three leaders are not firing on all cylinders, or in some cases any cylinders.

Intriguing day in store at Sedgefield - hopefully Stenson will get it done, but also hoping that Hunter Mahan returns to his Round 1 & 2 form, too good a player not to bounce back from his adversity.

Kwin - Wikipedia claims Jessica Korda was born in Florida. That's as 'Merican as this nation of immigrants (at least until the wall is built) gets. She's just like me, an immigrant father.

But, ole' ole', if "Euro" wins this, no need for excuses of injury or distant lineage!

3 ft putt missed on the last by David Hearn - could be the difference between Northern Trust and the WTF's.

Saunders, Varner, Wagner, perhaps one or two more, hold the fate of guys like Hearn & Ogilvy (who can at least determine his own fate) in their hands; must be nerve-racking.

Signs of life from Shane . . . . . . .

Brief rally in Des Moines but now just a matter of time; lessons need to be learnt, whether by the LET or their Solheim selection process I'm not sure. Probably both.

Im not big on ladies golf, but whenever I do catch it, the Europeans rarely have mire tgan ine or two players challenging. I would not expect them to beat the usa, and it looks as one sided as you would expect. Though they could probably club together and still lose yo Asia.

A bit like the RC really ben, our good guys have got to play great, our second XI have to chip in with points or halves when you least expect them.

Meanwhile, Na & Henrik on the clock in Greensboro.

This is a test of TV commentators' arithmetic/logic.
Not their best attributes and they're sure to declare someone safe only to see them fall out of the top 125.

Great Solheim Cup for Matthew.

Hopefully Henrik will now be energised for the Play-Offs.
Shane a dollar short for the second year running. Got to figure out your schedule mate.

5 players were inside the Top 125 money list but outside the Top 125 FEX list

Tringale, Hearn, Blair, Summerhays and Lowry.

This year, the PGATour eliminated the loophole were Top 125 on the money list are exempt for next year.  So Tringale, Hearn, Blair and Summerhays will have navigate the WTF.  Lowry is exempt next year.

Lowry is joined by GMac, Hurley, Kaufman, Baddeley, Malnati, Every, Chalmers who have residual exemptions from winning tournaments.

Furyk, Els, Mahan, and Goosen have Lifetime Earnings exemptions should they choose to use them

Harrington also has a lifetime earnings exemption but he should have some starts from a medical exemption

Ryan Palmer has 5 (not confirmed yet) starts left to earn 29 FEX points.

GPB,

pgatour.com says Bowditch has run out of exemptions but I feel he must have another year.
What do you think?