PGA Tour: The Play-Offs Begin: Notes from the Ballwasher

1).Here we go with the lyrically named "The Northern Trust" tournament, formerly known as "The Barclays". And we have a brand new venue, for the PGA Tour anyway, to go with a new sponsor as the boys will be playing at Glen Oaks Club on the western (New York City) end of Long Island.
Craig Currier, one time Superintendent at Bethpage, and Cedar Lake native, led a renovation a few years ago of the 1924 Joe Finger design. It's a Par-70, 7,300+ yard course which would probably be called "broad shouldered" if it was in the Chicago area, featuring 7 x Par-4's of 450 yards or more, a 625 yd Par-5, and two x 235 yd Par-3's, among other things. In other words, one shouldn't expect Luke Donald to contend.

2).The next venues for the "New York" Round 1 of the Play-Offs will be:
2018: Ridgewood, New Jersey
2019: Liberty National, NJ
2020: Plainfield, NJ
2021: Bethpage, NY
etc.

3).After last year's win, Rory moved to second place in the all-time FedEx bonus pool beneficiaries. The leaders are $M:
25.3M: Woods
15.5:   McIlroy
15.2:   Furyk
!3.5:    Stenson
12.1:   Snedeker
11.5:   Spieth
11.33: Haas
11.27: Singh
10.5:   Horschel
Followed by non-winners Stricker (8.6),  Mickelson (8.2), Dustin (7.6), Kuchar (6.2), Donald (5.4).

4).There was a compelling finish to last week's Wyndham Championship in Greensboro, with Henrik Stenson scoring a win for the 40-somethings and an equally rare W for the Europeans.
There was plenty of movement in and out of the Top 125 where Seamus Power missed the 54-hole cut and now needs to return to web.com Finals, along with Zac Blair (who played the most events on Tour this season), Hearn and Summerhays (who must rue the squandered strokes at the end of Memorial Sunday all the way past the bank). The lucky lads who chose to reserve their best until last were Sabbatini (doesn't every Tour need a Sabbatini?, not that he's getting better looking with age), Varner, Henry and Flores.
Lowry missed out again but at least he has a Tour card for the coming season, and $32K of bonus pool money. Get your scheduling sorted out, Shane; you're too good to be scratching around outside the Top 125, but not quite good enough to play a minimum-ish number of events and think you can turn it on at will. These guys are good. Remember?

5).Outside of Stenson's effort last week, the most impressive performance came from Schneiderjans, hitting low bullets and getting away with good fortune with Spieth-like equanimity. Could fancy him in the Play Offs.

That's it. Round 2 will be next week, the Dell Technologies Championship at TPC Boston, followed after a week's rest by the Beemer in Chicagoland, then the Tour Championship at East Lake.

Cheers kwin. Quite impressed with Schneiderjans, gutsy and had that extra gear.

Agreed pedro,
Played with no fear last week and seems motivated; not always his strongest suit in the past.

It's probably common knowledge but I hadn't seen before this evening that Rory has Diamond on the bag this week and as long as he lasts in the Play-Offs.

Saw tweet from ESPN that Rory plans to play all the playoff events, and then Dunhill Links, and then shut it down until the Middle East Swing next year.

At least play as many Playoff events that he is eligible for.

I don't Bjorn will like using a Captain's Pick on Rory which might happen with Rory taking 3.5 months off.

Don't you think Bjorn would like a fully fit Rory more than two or three tournaments' worth of RC points?
Remember, he's on the clock for World points starting next week.

GT have a strong hand to play in these Play Offs . . . . . . . . kinda like Werenski to do enough to move on as well as the others.

pedro wrote:Cheers kwin. Quite impressed with Schneiderjans, gutsy and had that extra gear.

Was he playing without a cap/hat last week? Wonder if that was deliberate or he just hasn't got a sponsor. Might be costing him a ton of money. But each to his own.

Ollie S never wears a hat or visor, but imagine a dermatologist somewhere will advise that's not necessarily a good idea.

kwinigolfer wrote:....Craig Currier, one time Superintendent at Bethpage, and Cedar Lake native, led a renovation a few years ago of the 1924 Joe Finger design. It's a Par-70, 7,300+ yard course which would probably be called "broad shouldered" if it was in the Chicago area, featuring 7 x Par-4's of 450 yards or more, a 625 yd Par-5, and two x 235 yd Par-3's, among other things. In other words, one shouldn't expect Luke Donald to contend....

Thanks for the write-up again Kwini.

Re. the above, what pathetic 'design'. It's not all about bombing from the tee, but then I guess too many don't know that.

kwinigolfer wrote:Ollie S never wears a hat or visor, but imagine a dermatologist somewhere will advise that's not necessarily a good idea.

is he bald? Does he not use any sun cream?

navy,
Just speaking from experience . . . . . . .

navyblueshorts wrote:

kwinigolfer wrote:....Craig Currier, one time Superintendent at Bethpage, and Cedar Lake native, led a renovation a few years ago of the 1924 Joe Finger design. It's a Par-70, 7,300+ yard course which would probably be called "broad shouldered" if it was in the Chicago area, featuring 7 x Par-4's of 450 yards or more, a 625 yd Par-5, and two x 235 yd Par-3's, among other things. In other words, one shouldn't expect Luke Donald to contend....

Thanks for the write-up again Kwini.

Re. the above, what pathetic 'design'. It's not all about bombing from the tee, but then I guess too many don't know that.

navy,
I think some of the apparently excessive length might be mitigated in part by elevation changes - the graphics look good so hoping to see a top tournament, not overly dominated by the bombers (which they mostly all are now anyway).

Anyone been brave enough to have a peek at the Tiger and Vonn nudes?

nope, nope, nope, nope, nope, nope, nope, nope, nope.

McLaren wrote:Anyone been brave enough to have a peek at the Tiger and Vonn nudes?

You clearly have. I hadn't even heard there were any. Newsflash! Tiger Woods and Lyndsey Vonn had a relationship and had sex! Jeessuss, what a world.

Navy 

I actually haven't seen them. But if you have a link....

kwinigolfer wrote:Ollie S never wears a hat or visor, but imagine a dermatologist somewhere will advise that's not necessarily a good idea.

Looking at vintage golf films from the 60's and 70's, many of the pros are not wearing hats.

GPB wrote:

kwinigolfer wrote:Ollie S never wears a hat or visor, but imagine a dermatologist somewhere will advise that's not necessarily a good idea.

Looking at vintage golf films from the 60's and 70's, many of the pros are not wearing hats.

Yep. But they weren't walking advertising hoardings then I guess...

Great stuff kwini, don't know if this has been mentioned already elsewhere but looks like Shane is begining to heed your advice. Focus on PGA Tour for next year only, finally realising all the pond hopping too much to handle. Robert Roch another that doesn't bother with a cap, both he and Ollie should get sponsorship form L'oreal, their mgt missing a trick there. (Because they're worth it! ).

I'm never wrong wrote:

pedro wrote:Cheers kwin. Quite impressed with Schneiderjans, gutsy and had that extra gear.

Was he playing without a cap/hat last week? Wonder if that was deliberate or he just hasn't got a sponsor.  Might be costing him a ton of money. But each to his own.

I wouldn't wear one if I was a pro either. Robert Rock looks the coolest man on course without a hat, and the hats that golfers wear aren't going to protect much more than your scalp and forehead from the sun anyway. So not like they're a top protection against UV.

Looks like the end of the road for Billy Payne at Augusta National - stepping down and replaced by Fred Ridley (pity his first name isn't Jimmy), the bloke who gave Ernie Els a favourable ruling on the first(?) hole of his final round at Oakmont, and with never a hair out of place, though it looks more waxy than some Tussauds exhibits.

If any golfer is turning down money by not wearing a hat, they are clearly idiots.

kwinigolfer wrote:Looks like the end of the road for Billy Payne at Augusta National - stepping down and replaced by Fred Ridley (pity his first name isn't Jimmy), the bloke who gave Ernie Els a favourable ruling on the first(?) hole of his final round at Oakmont, and with never a hair out of place, though it looks more waxy than some Tussauds exhibits.

For anyone thats seen the recent movie "Get Out", the members of AN remind me of them. If you haven't seen it, it's brilliant watch it.

beninho wrote:If any golfer is turning down money by not wearing a hat, they are clearly idiots.

Why? Many golfers are so rich that the endorsement from wearing a hat would hardly touch the sides.

super_realist wrote:

beninho wrote:If any golfer is turning down money by not wearing a hat, they are clearly idiots.

Why? Many golfers are so rich that the endorsement from wearing a hat would hardly touch the sides.

But hardly Rob Rock and Schneiderjans?

navyblueshorts wrote:

McLaren wrote:Anyone been brave enough to have a peek at the Tiger and Vonn nudes?

You clearly have. I hadn't even heard there were any. Newsflash! Tiger Woods and Lyndsey Vonn had a relationship and had sex! Jeessuss, what a world.

I think they could be useful to settle the dispute on whether he's black or not..

kwinigolfer wrote:Looks like the end of the road for Billy Payne at Augusta National - stepping down and replaced by Fred Ridley (pity his first name isn't Jimmy), the bloke who gave Ernie Els a favourable ruling on the first(?) hole of his final round at Oakmont, and with never a hair out of place, though it looks more waxy than some Tussauds exhibits.

Don't believe it was Ridley involved in the Els deal in 1994... It was Trey Holland.  Ridley is more famous (or infamous) as Augusta rules chairman a few years ago during the Tiger Woods Masters dropgate and Rule 33-7 controversy... (which by the way, bizarre as it seemed at the time... was the correct ruling)

robopz wrote:

kwinigolfer wrote:Looks like the end of the road for Billy Payne at Augusta National - stepping down and replaced by Fred Ridley (pity his first name isn't Jimmy), the bloke who gave Ernie Els a favourable ruling on the first(?) hole of his final round at Oakmont, and with never a hair out of place, though it looks more waxy than some Tussauds exhibits.

Don't believe it was Ridley involved in the Els deal in 1994... It was Trey Holland.  Ridley is more famous (or infamous) as Augusta rules chairman a few years ago during the Tiger Woods Masters dropgate and Rule 33-1 controversy... (which by the way, bizarre as it seemed at the time... was the correct ruling)

robo,
I'm sure you're correct on that - both without a hair out of place.

Looks like you'll soon be whacked by a hurricane. Keep safe and keep your snorkel handy. Good luck.

PS: Ridley is still a prat.

Kwini... thanks for the well wishes on the hurricane... we're worried a LOT more about the rain than the wind on this one... Conditions are ripe for the system to come ashore and stall over us. We've had that before to devastating flooding effects...

Personally... my property is high and if flooding ever got to me (which has never come close) it would mean "beyond cataclysmic" issues for the general Houston area...

Good luck with that . . . . . can't imagine.

Hopefully the next Chairman is less of a twit than Payne.

Billy Payne memorable moment - https://youtu.be/hhIeE5u6OEg

Aah Bubba

Should be perfect weather for Northern Trust play, a lovely spell of autumn in store.

kwinigolfer wrote:
PS: Ridley is still a prat.

Not sure I understand that one... Guy seems to have paid his dues... stellar amateur career, did his time at USGA... seems very well liked and respected.

No-one shooting lights out at The Northern Trust, Scott Brown leading @ -4, followed by a motley trio of wannabes.

Russell Knox trying hard to shoot himself out of it, and Rory struggling just as he did with JP - at least two 3-putts so far, plus a water ball.

And Rafa propping up the field, could have to grind to break 80.

Despite some of the names already in with fine rounds, the cream is mostly rising towards the top - or those out of form are sinking.
Only two players in the bottom third (40 / 120) of the field are in the top 30 in FedEx points.

25 pros will go home this week, some of them after just two rounds.

Among those in jeopardy are Luke Donald, whose round yesterday fizzled after a great start, Jimmy Walker, Harris English, whose fine start to his PGA Tour career is becoming a distant memory. Branden Grace could miss out and Bubba needs three more good rounds to match his Thursday 67.

Spieth must feel he's getting the hang of this course, birdie, birdie, birdie, birdie, birdie. Whatever next.
Rory could use a run like that.

Cream rising in this tournament that's for sure. I saw O'Hair playing last weekend and good to see he'll be playing this weekend (at least).

WTF field next week.

http://www.pgatour.com/webcom/tournaments/nationwide-children-s-hospital-championship/field.html

Notables include Mahan, Hend, Uihlein and Matthew Southgate.

Yup, interesting field, seems to get stronger every year.
I think Hend might live in Florida; must be about ten years ago that he last played the Tour.
Curran & Davis back from the sick room, Willie Mac too, though not quite sure why he hasn't been playing.

Interested to know what people think about Southgate's chances . . . . . .


Meanwhile, Rory & Poults paired in Round 3 of TNT; hoping to recapture some RC magic?

Just heard from Robo on another blog. He is OK. Hurricane went south of Houston and he is North of Houston.

GPB wrote:Just heard from Robo on another blog.  He is OK. Hurricane went south of Houston and he is North of Houston.

robo seemed pretty confident he was on high enough ground - but this thing is scary. Keep your head down robo

But I love the irony that most extreme weather catastrophes descend on States represented Congressionally by climate-change deniers - what is it about increased levels of devastation that they don't get?

Yep, because they never had hurricanes before 1900.

GPB wrote:Yep, because they never had hurricanes before 1900.

You denying climate change as well, GPB? Dear oh dear!

But another fabulous autumn day in NY, more of the same tomorrow.
Some great pairings out there. Apart from Poults & Rory, we've got Day/Koepka, Rose/Rahm, Phil/Charl, Dufnering/Keegs etc, and the final pairs are all top notch.

I am saying there has been climate changes for thousands if not millions of year.

I am not one to blame any aberration in weather patterns on climate change.

GPB wrote:I am saying there has been climate changes for thousands if not millions of year.

I am not one to blame any aberration in weather patterns on climate change.

And not on man's recent contributions to accelerating it? And the fact that it will only get worse??

No-one better than one-under-par after two hours of action this morning; Poults and Rory struggling.

It either gets worse or better. Because the earth is a dynamic entity. I know big hurricanes hit the coast of Texas way before Man starting creating copious amount of greenhouse gases (or whatever "flavor of the month" crisis the tree huggers are currently blaming armageddon on)

I know the midwest is having its coolest summer in years this year. and some climatologist blamed it global warming.

Seems like the tree huggers can claim any weather anomaly on climate.

Too cold ====> Blame it on Global Warming
Too Hot ====> Blame it on Global Warming
Too Wet ====> Blame it on Global Warming
Too Dry ====> Blame it on Global Warming

Heads I win, Tails you lose.

GPB wrote:It either gets worse or better.  Because the earth is a dynamic entity.  I know big hurricanes hit the coast of Texas way before Man starting creating copious amount of greenhouse gases (or whatever "flavor of the month" crisis the tree huggers are currently blaming armageddon on)

I know the midwest is having its coolest summer in years this year.  and some climatologist blamed it global warming.

Seems like the tree huggers can claim any weather anomaly on climate.

Too cold ====> Blame it on Global Warming
Too Hot ====>  Blame it on Global Warming
Too Wet ====> Blame it on Global Warming
Too Dry ====> Blame it on Global Warming

Heads I win, Tails you lose.

The temps and melting glaciers speak for themselves, and so does your Rick Perry climatology!

Birdie for Rory, time to set 'em alight!

Adam Scott among the commitments for next week in Boston - that's a surprise! Sergio there too, but not Piercy and we know that Snedeker is done for a while.

Luke Donald makes a comprehensive horlicks of his final two holes after playing himself in with a chance of reaching Boston. He'll need a Sunday miracle now.

GPB wrote:I am saying there has been climate changes for thousands if not millions of year.

I am not one to blame any aberration in weather patterns on climate change.

Of course, if we didn't, there would be only one geological epoch.