PGA Tour: WGC:MatchPlay & Dominican: Notes from the Ballwasher

First topic message reminder :

1).Bay Hill saw another wonderful tournament to add to a string of them on Tour this year. Great to see a glimpse of the Rory we used to take for granted, and amazing that he's already chalked up 14 PGA Tour wins. He has a pretty good success rate, too. Of those Pros under the age of 50 who have 8 or more wins on Tour, Rory's hit rate is 2nd only to Tiger:

2).Top Ten:
Woods earned the "W" at a rate of 23.7% of the tournaments he's played.
Rory: 10.3
Spieth: 8.2
Thomas: 7.8
Dustin: 7.5
Phil: 7.4
Day: 5.1
Scott: 4.5
Ernie: 4.2
Bubba: 3.6

3).There were a number of notable caddie/player divorces last season and it's perhaps noteworthy that Day, Mickelson and McIlroy have now all won since dispensing with Swatton, Bones and JP. Not sure if that's significant or not!

4).Tiger Woods is back as a force on the PGA Tour. I'd say he's been extremely impressive, great work by him and his surgeon, though interesting that the recent Golf Digest piece about Tiger's chances at Augusta included one or two aspersions cast by "insiders" about fact or fiction regarding his medical history.
Who knows, but I'd expect that the Woods we saw in Florida would be a serious contender whenever he teed it up. Plus, just as Cantlay and Rahm did last year, Tont will continue to rocket up the world golf rankings even without a win. Consistently good finishes will bring him into the Top 50 (and the "Bridgestone" for instance) by virtue of his low "divisor", and he'll likely stay there unless his form deteriorates sharply.

5).I can't warm to DeChambeau. Dread the idea of following him and Tyrrell Hatton in any tournament, too many amateur dramatics, plus he's so bl00dy slow - he and Stenson told to get a shift on during both weekend rounds at Bay Hill.

6).As mused on Sunday, don't think Stenson does well playing with someone who plays even slower than him - not sure who he was with, but he was paired with someone who was getting bad times at Bay Hill one of the years that Every won, and H started to get out of rhythm that year just as he clearly did on Sunday. And he hasn't done well playing with Spieth either.
Regardless, Henrik's record at Bay Hill is remarkable: The past six years he's finished T8, T5, 2nd, T3, cut, 4th.

7).It seems as if we're coming to the end of the foreplay of the Tour season - we've seen almost all of the Top 15 strut their stuff in the run up to The Masters, with only Spieth & Rickie and the injured Hideki & Koepka not really showing much form. But I'm always interested in the next level down and several golfers (who would be under the bookies' radar) below the top level had decent weeks at Bay Hill; Charley Hoffman (could fancy him to make another of his runs at Augusta), Chris Kirk and Ryan Moore will be worth keeping an eye on, and Kevin Chappell is quietly having a fine spell of form: Only out of the Top 31 once (missed cut) so far, and could see him winning again soon.

8).Let's hope there'll be new dates for both March WGC's when the revised Tour calendar is published later this year. As it is we're stuck with a diminished field for the MatchPlay, whether because of players' schedules or the format is difficult to say. As it is, we've lost Round 1 of the MatchPlay which I, for one, thought was one of the more compelling days of the season's golf.
The only two in this year's field who have qualified for (EDIT:) both of the last 16's in Austin are Johnsons, Dustin & Zach. No idea for likely contenders, but hope Casey & Rahm have good weeks.

9).There's the opportunity for a trip to the Caribbean for those outside the owgr Top 70, as the "opposite Field" event takes the Tour to the Dominican Republic, and the Corales Championship, formerly a web.com venue. There's a decent turn-out for about the Top 120 players, but many of the remaining dozen places are filled by guys ("veteran players" admittedly) who can't make it on the Champions Tour to the exclusion of some Tour nearly men who had a poor year in 2017. Arguments pro and con, I know, but I don't like it!
But Chris Wood is in the house, plus Zanotti, Grillo, Paul Dunne and McDowell. Kinda surprised more ET members didn't wangle invites.
One of the Tour's "bright young things" who came out of the US College system with accolades (plus 2 x Walker Cup appearances) and sponsor exemptions lavished upon him is playing, Patrick Rodgers. He ranked T3 in weekend play at Bay Hill, behind Rory (-13) and Rosey (-10) and tied with O'Hair at -7. (Woods was -6 for perspective.) Still only 25, I can see him breaking through this season. Grillo for me though, this week anyway.

10).OK, Golfers who haven't won on the European or PGA Tours since their last Major win in the past 40 years:
10 x Multiple winners: North, Trevino, Green, Nicklaus, Strange, Crenshaw, Janzen, O'Meara, Stewart, Spieth.
13 with one win: Grady, Baker Finch, Brooks, Duval, Beem, Micheel, Hamilton, Immelman, Cink, Clarke, Willett, Walker, Koepka.
Grady and IB-F both won in Australia, Duval in Japan and Immelman when relegated to web.com action.
Would think there are a few good candidates for a worse record than Danny Willett, but I'll leave that to you!

Seems like he’ll be returning to the city with ‘that tower’..

Something about kisner that makes him hard to like. Maybe it’s because he looks so miserable when he’s getting paid buckets of cash to play golf.

I’m really glad he’s getting battered. Shame Noren couldn’t do it.

It may belie my apparent "anti-American bias", but there's more to Kisner than meets the eye, good to follow and very competitive. A bit Poulterish.

It's a funny thing Kwini, I think there is actually a lot less to Poulter than meets the eye, or that he'd have us imagine. No idea about Kisner, but if I never see him hit a golf ball again I don't feel I'll have missed out.

I’m finding the commentary of Roe and McGinley really annoying. The other commentators are ok.

Sunday at the Match Play might be the worst day of golf on the PGATour.

NBS: I don't have video documentation that apparently you are looking for. Tyrrell Hatton acted like a prima donna D-Bag at the Mexico Match Play. And it was not the first time I have seen him acted this way.

My opinion is apparently shared by at least couple of other bloggers on this board. and some broadcasters (even though they are have anti-European bias, ironically, with no citation given). I don't like Hatton.

And FWIW, I don't like Bubba either. But it is because of the his prima donna behavior. Not some superficial reasons like his name or his religious beliefs. Sometimes the criticisms here are like bullying Mean Teenage Girls at the Mall.

I don't like Tiger either, but it is not because he has 9-Chins or wears red shirts on Sundays.

Don't think you need areason to randomly dislike golfers. Poulter serms like a prik. Really can't take to him. If I knew him I may like him though.

Good win for Bubba he has to be a favourite for Augusta

GPB wrote:Sunday at the Match Play might be the worst day of golf on the PGATour.

NBS:  I don't have video documentation that apparently you are looking for.  Tyrrell Hatton acted like a prima donna D-Bag at the Mexico Match Play.  And it was not the first time I have seen him acted this way.

My opinion is apparently shared by at least couple of other bloggers on this board.  and some broadcasters (even though they are have anti-European bias, ironically, with no citation given).  I don't like Hatton.  

And FWIW, I don't like Bubba either.  But it is because of the his prima donna behavior.  Not some superficial reasons like his name or his religious beliefs.  Sometimes the criticisms here are like bullying Mean Teenage Girls at the Mall.  

I don't like Tiger either, but it is not because he has 9-Chins or wears red shirts on Sundays.

BEEP BEEP BEEP.
Stop backtracking GPB. You said you didn't like Hatton because he walks funny.  I'm fine if that's the reason you don't like him. We don't know these guys and never will. It's perfectly fine to have silly reasons to like or dislike someone. They're either "heroes" or pantomime villains.

Good effort by Pochahontas Watson though.  "I'm just a boy from Baghdad, Florida, and I've never had a lesson, blub blub blub"

GPB wrote:Sunday at the Match Play might be the worst day of golf on the PGATour.

NBS:  I don't have video documentation that apparently you are looking for.  Tyrrell Hatton acted like a prima donna D-Bag at the Mexico Match Play.  And it was not the first time I have seen him acted this way.

My opinion is apparently shared by at least couple of other bloggers on this board.  and some broadcasters (even though they are have anti-European bias, ironically, with no citation given).  I don't like Hatton.  

And FWIW, I don't like Bubba either.  But it is because of the his prima donna behavior.  Not some superficial reasons like his name or his religious beliefs.  Sometimes the criticisms here are like bullying Mean Teenage Girls at the Mall.  

I don't like Tiger either, but it is not because he has 9-Chins or wears red shirts on Sundays.

Fair enough I guess. I was curious as I haven't seen/heard anything definitive re. Hatton to warrant labelling as you do. I was hoping for some specifics, but it doesn't matter.

The problem with the final day of the match play is that there are such large gaps* to fill between shots, especially with the distance Bubba was hitting it... it was a 10 minute walk to his ball.

I though Bubba did really well to stay focused, must have been difficult to retain concentration when you are standing in the middle of the fairway for ages waiting for your opponent to hack it out of the deep rough. Kisner was lucky there were marshalls, if he had been playing the monthly medal he would have been back to the tee several times  to reload.

*Note to Sky: next year I don't want those gaps filled with McGinley waffling on and on about the time he beat Tiger in the Ryder cup. Well done, move on.

Hazeltine + RC 2028. Again?

Poulter has made a snarky post on princedrac's Twitter account - think some things are better left unsaid, Ian James . . . . . . . a shame all round, but no-one other than you were swinging the clubs.

super_realist wrote:BEEP BEEP BEEP.
Stop backtracking GPB. You said you didn't like Hatton because he walks funny.  I'm fine if that's the reason you don't like him. We don't know these guys and never will. It's perfectly fine to have silly reasons to like or dislike someone. They're either "heroes" or pantomime villains.

Did you fail reading comprehension in school?

This is exactly what I said about Hatton

GPB wrote:If Hatton would take out the stick out of his bum, he would walk a little more normally and he might not act like a d0uche-bag

I don't like Hatton, but it is because I think he acts like a D-Bag. Not because he has an odd strut. Paddy has a strut too, and I like him. Mainly because Harrington doesn't act like a D-Bag.

Disliking players because of superficial reason like red shirts on Sundays, religious beliefs, and multiple chins is something I would expect from a bunch of tween girls in middle school, not a grown adult.

Confirmation that Paul Dunne is in the published field for Houston. Irish well represented with Harrington, Lowry & Power also playing.

This won't be the most difficult trivia question ever, but interesting nevertheless:

Bubba became the 5th golfer to win multiple Majors as well as multiple WGC's.

The other four are:

?
?
?
?

kwinigolfer wrote:This won't be the most difficult trivia question ever, but interesting nevertheless:

Bubba became the 5th golfer to win multiple Majors as well as multiple WGC's.

The other four are:

?
?
?
?

Tiger
Phil
Ernie
Rory

And I haven't even googled it (so could be wrong)!

Not wrong!

Elite group.

GPB wrote:

super_realist wrote:BEEP BEEP BEEP.
Stop backtracking GPB. You said you didn't like Hatton because he walks funny.  I'm fine if that's the reason you don't like him. We don't know these guys and never will. It's perfectly fine to have silly reasons to like or dislike someone. They're either "heroes" or pantomime villains.

Did you fail reading comprehension in school?

This is exactly what I said about Hatton

GPB wrote:If Hatton would take out the stick out of his bum, he would walk a little more normally and he might not act like a d0uche-bag

I don't like Hatton, but it is because I think he acts like a D-Bag.  Not because he has an odd strut.  Paddy has a strut too, and I like him.  Mainly because Harrington doesn't act like a D-Bag.  

Disliking players because of superficial reason like red shirts on Sundays, religious beliefs, and multiple chins is something I would expect from a bunch of tween girls in middle school, not a grown adult.

I've never said I dislike someone because they have multiple chins, wear a red shirt or have a ridiculous sounding name that is suited more to a porn shoot have I?
I've simply said that they are stupid traits.
However, if you dislike a golfer because he is a "d-bag" (whatever that is) then there probably isn't a single player you could like, because pretty much all of them have acted like bumholes at some point.

Someone believing in stone age fairy tales is a pretty legitimate reason to think someone is an utter simpleton though. That goes without saying.

raycastleunited wrote:Something about kisner that makes him hard to like. Maybe it’s because he looks so miserable when he’s getting paid buckets of cash to play golf.

I’m really glad he’s getting battered. Shame Noren couldn’t do it.

Following other comments on this thread, I feel like I should provide some evidence for my dislike of Kisner:

1. He's a miserable git.
2. Spitting all over the place. I'll accept this behaviour if he has some sort of saliva disorder?
3. Happy to hit the crowd.

Sometimes players hit the ball into the crowd with a driver, and it's hard for them to see 300 yards ahead, over trees etc, but on a par 3? When you can clearly see the ball is heading for a spectator? And the old excuse about not disturbing fellow competitors by shouting doesn't work because there were no other matches nearby. He was hoping for a ricochet back on to the green, which is not very pleasant.

raycastleunited wrote:

raycastleunited wrote:Something about kisner that makes him hard to like. Maybe it’s because he looks so miserable when he’s getting paid buckets of cash to play golf.

I’m really glad he’s getting battered. Shame Noren couldn’t do it.

Following other comments on this thread, I feel like I should provide some evidence for my dislike of Kisner:

1. He's a miserable git.
2. Spitting all over the place. I'll accept this behaviour if he has some sort of saliva disorder?
3. Happy to hit the crowd.

Sometimes players hit the ball into the crowd with a driver, and it's hard for them to see 300 yards ahead, over trees etc, but on a par 3? When you can clearly see the ball is heading for a spectator? And the old excuse about not disturbing fellow competitors by shouting doesn't work because there were no other matches nearby. He was hoping for a ricochet back on to the green, which is not very pleasant.

Spitting is never ever acceptable unless a bird sh1t or insect flies into your mouth, some one who isn't doing anything more energetic than taking a walk has no need to spit at all. Even if there was such a thing as a saliva disorder, (Roy Hattersley) there's nothing to stop him simply swallowing.
It seems to be a uniquely American thing. Repulsive.

navyblueshorts wrote:I was hoping for some specifics, but it doesn't matter.

You mean like spitting in the cup, throwing your shoe into a lake, hacking holes in the tee, throwing clubs into water, making racist comments about a fellow pro, having a melt down about bag noise 150 paces away etc?

Believe me, you wouldn't have been happy even if specifics were provided.

I doubt the multi millionaire golfers give a toss what we think of them, or indeed why. By watching them we are upping the viewing figures helping to contribute to their ever expanding bank balances, so the joke is on us really.
Hitting a golf ball is a pretty samey thing to do, you need a few reasons to pull one way or another for someone, however juvenile.

super_realist wrote:

raycastleunited wrote:

raycastleunited wrote:Something about kisner that makes him hard to like. Maybe it’s because he looks so miserable when he’s getting paid buckets of cash to play golf.

I’m really glad he’s getting battered. Shame Noren couldn’t do it.

Following other comments on this thread, I feel like I should provide some evidence for my dislike of Kisner:

1. He's a miserable git.
2. Spitting all over the place. I'll accept this behaviour if he has some sort of saliva disorder?
3. Happy to hit the crowd.

Sometimes players hit the ball into the crowd with a driver, and it's hard for them to see 300 yards ahead, over trees etc, but on a par 3? When you can clearly see the ball is heading for a spectator? And the old excuse about not disturbing fellow competitors by shouting doesn't work because there were no other matches nearby. He was hoping for a ricochet back on to the green, which is not very pleasant.

Spitting is never ever acceptable unless a bird sh1t or insect flies into your mouth, some one who isn't doing anything more energetic than taking a walk has no need to spit at all. Even if there was such a thing as a saliva disorder, (Roy Hattersley) there's nothing to stop him simply swallowing.
It seems to be a uniquely American thing. Repulsive.

I agree it's unpleasant but it's far from just American. Far worse in Africa, China and the Middle East to name a few.

Probably not of much interest to anyone but GPB & robo, but I note the recent deaths of three PGA Tour pros of earlier vintage:
Dave Ragan (who I think played in a Ryder Cup).
Bobby Mitchell (who bizarrely entered PGA Tournaments until his late 50's - without making a cut for ten years - for one simple reason: he could. Imagine he'll be miffed as he meets that Peter guy that he wasn't in the Dominican Republic last wee).
Lynn Lott (about whom I know the name, but not a Lott else).

Not clear whether these guys had a bad spitting habit.

Bobby Mitchell (who bizarrely entered PGA Tournaments until his late 50's - without making a cut for ten years - for one simple reason: he could

He could???

He had no real tangible status on tour in the 1990's. as a two time winner on tour, his spot on the PGATour eligibilitytotem pole was about 3 ft under ground. Any tournament he played, was either a sponsor exemption (probable) or Monday Qualifiers.

Mitchell certainly was no Jerry Barber who did have a lifetime exemption and was playing PGATour golf when he had little Senior Tour access.

And he did!
I saw Jerry Barber play at the PGA Championship . . . . . . entered PGA Tour events because he was not eligible for the Seniors!

Anyway, didn't know if you'd seen those guys all pegging it within a week-ish.

to Julian Suri for winning the Monday Qualie for "Houston". Stout effort that.

I wonder if these Top 100 European Tour golfers, Dunne, Frittelli & Suri, joining the field has raised the winner's owgr pts threshold from 48 to 50? Must be close.

raycastleunited wrote:The problem with the final day of the match play is that there are such large gaps* to fill between shots, especially with the distance Bubba was hitting it... it was a 10 minute walk to his ball.

I though Bubba did really well to stay focused, must have been difficult to retain concentration when you are standing in the middle of the fairway for ages waiting for your opponent to hack it out of the deep rough. Kisner was lucky there were marshalls, if he had been playing the monthly medal he would have been back to the tee several times  to reload.

*Note to Sky: next year I don't want those gaps filled with McGinley waffling on and on about the time he beat Tiger in the Ryder cup. Well done, move on.

I watched some of this and the latter stages were dire TV. Never-ending adverts seemingly every 5 minutes and, as you say, drivel from expert ex-players.

McLaren wrote:

navyblueshorts wrote:I was hoping for some specifics, but it doesn't matter.

You mean like spitting in the cup, throwing your shoe into a lake, hacking holes in the tee, throwing clubs into water, making racist comments about a fellow pro, having a melt down about bag noise 150 paces away etc?

Believe me, you wouldn't have been happy even if specifics were provided.

Seriously, what are you on? I'm asking for specifics about Hatton.
Of course I want specifics - you know, actual evidence; that sort of thing. For someone (you) who bangs on and on about 'the scientific method' etc, you don't often practice what you preach in that regard.

Diggers wrote:I doubt the multi millionaire golfers give a toss what we think of them, or indeed why. By watching them we are upping the viewing figures helping to contribute to their ever expanding bank balances, so the joke is on us really.
Hitting a golf ball is a pretty samey thing to do, you need a few reasons to pull one way or another for someone, however juvenile.

Good point .

Navy

I was partly poking fun at those who found my dislike of sergio so problematic despite the fact there are a number of good reasons to hold that position.


On Hatton, from what I have seen of him he seems like an ok guy. He has popped up on the golf youtuber scene a few times and came off pretty well.

McLaren wrote:Navy

I was partly poking fun at those who found my dislike of sergio so problematic despite the fact there are a number of good reasons to hold that position.


On Hatton, from what I have seen of him he seems like an ok guy.  He has popped up on the golf youtuber scene a few times and came off pretty well.

MAc, what do you think of Commie Corbyn single handedly handing the Tories another election win?

super_realist wrote:

McLaren wrote:Navy

I was partly poking fun at those who found my dislike of sergio so problematic despite the fact there are a number of good reasons to hold that position.


On Hatton, from what I have seen of him he seems like an ok guy.  He has popped up on the golf youtuber scene a few times and came off pretty well.

MAc, what do you think of Commie Corbyn single handedly handing the Tories another election win?

Considering that apparently 51% of the public are insular and fairly xenophobic the story is probably a vote winner.

I can't remember if it was earlier in these notes or last weeks ballwasher but Kwini alerted us to the availability of full final round Masters TV coverage back to 1968. https://www.youtube.com/user/masters/videos Should have said it earlier, but thans Kwini

Anyway, so far I have only watched the 2004 coverage as I missed Phils win back in the day and did not realise just how unlucky Els had been after shooting a final round 67 with 2 eagles.

I will probably watch the 1997 coverage at some point as it was the pivotal moment in me getting into the sport, both playing and watching. Other years of interest to me 84 and maybe the late 60's ones just to see what the course was like back then. Given the fashions in GCA of that time I wonder if the course actually looks a little regressive compared to today.


What years are other people on here going to check out?

McLaren wrote:I can't remember if it was earlier in these notes or last weeks ballwasher but Kwini alerted us to the availability of full final round Masters TV coverage back to 1968.  https://www.youtube.com/user/masters/videos  Should have said it earlier, but thans Kwini

Anyway, so far I have only watched the 2004 coverage as I missed Phils win back in the day and did not realise just how unlucky Els had been after shooting a final round 67 with 2 eagles.

I will probably watch the 1997 coverage at some point as it was the pivotal moment in me getting into the sport, both playing and watching.  Other years of interest to me 84 and maybe the late 60's ones just to see what the course was like back then.  Given the fashions in GCA of that time I wonder if the course actually looks a little regressive compared to today.


What years are other people on here going to check out?

You're welcome Mac. It wasn't me wot posted it, but "You're welcome".

Most noteworthy "early" Masters for me was 1978, first one I watched live on US TV, but very exciting as Player won whilst others lost it. Then the Faldo ones were all thrilling, but mainly because I was in a golf club bar, full of Americans. And Bubba's first would have been up there except I wanted King Louis to win. And I still do!
For me, the nature of The Masters changed, almost overnight, when they Tigerproofed the course, ruined the character of the place.

I haven't got too far along in the Masters yet. Going to watch in order, I have watched 1968, 1969, and half of 1970.

I view the coverage as a time capsule. So far there has been no coverage of holes 1-12 except a couple of highlights on Hole #9. 1968 & 1969 were B/W when color was available.

The Traditional modern Sunday location on hole 16 has not been used in 1968-1970.

Went to the Spieth "collapse" and that's the only one I've looked at (a bit of) yet.

Keen for all of them mostly 97, 86, Faldo's, Olly's but also interested in pre and post (so-called) "tigerproofing".

All the talk about Poulter and Kisner, got me thinking about my current top 5 golfing heroes and villains in true panto sense.

Heroes

Tiger Woods - without doubt played the most amazing golf witnessed to date.
John Daly - love a rebel, so much talent.
Justin Rose - everything I see on course and twitter, operates as a gentleman.
Matt Kuchar - just seems to enjoy golf for what it is.
Seve - watched him at St Mellion in 1995, all over the shop on front 9, shoots 40, back 9, shoots 30. Typical Seve.


Villains

Ian Poulter - will do well to remember all the people you pass on the way to the 'top', you pass again on the way down. Absolutely no class whatsoever.
Johnny Miller - perhaps once in while recognise that golf is a global game, and the odd 'international' is quite good too.
Kevin Kisner - Chewing tobacco and spitting, enough said.
Masters Committee - Just allow full live TV coverage on all 4 days and grown the game. Pathetic.
Patrick Read - Panto villain in every sense.

Honorable mentions to Jason Day, JB Holmes and Webb Simpson for being so slow.

Heroes & Villains - Nice to get the Beach Boys in there. Great post!

This morning's villain could be rain in Houston, all sorts of bright colours on the radar, not sure if they'll be able to get the course ready for play to start at 7.20 a.m.

Snap Hook wrote:All the talk about Poulter and Kisner, got me thinking about my current top 5 golfing heroes and villains in true panto sense.

Heroes

Tiger Woods - without doubt played the most amazing golf witnessed to date.
John Daly - love a rebel, so much talent.
Justin Rose - everything I see on course and twitter, operates as a gentleman.
Matt Kuchar - just seems to enjoy golf for what it is.
Seve - watched him at St Mellion in 1995, all over the shop on front 9, shoots 40, back 9, shoots 30. Typical Seve.


Villains

Ian Poulter - will do well to remember all the people you pass on the way to the 'top', you pass again on the way down. Absolutely no class whatsoever.
Johnny Miller - perhaps once in while recognise that golf is a global game, and the odd 'international' is quite good too.
Kevin Kisner - Chewing tobacco and spitting, enough said.
Masters Committee - Just allow full live TV coverage on all 4 days and grown the game. Pathetic.
Patrick Read - Panto villain in every sense.

Honorable mentions to Jason Day, JB Holmes and Webb Simpson for being so slow.

In what way is the coverage not live on all 4 days? Am I missing something?

It's never full Ray.

Indeed, TV coverage doesn’t actually start until 8pm UK time Thursday night, 3pm local, when play started at 8am local. You only actually see the leaders play the first hole live in the final round, no other time. Compare to the Open which starts at 9am with full coverage of all holes.

The Open (since Sky got the rights) gets TV coverage from 7am, not 9am) ... it was only the BBC who waited till 9am when the early starters had already been out for 2.5 hours

I think the BBC even had something before 9am on the red button for a couple of years. Even then you could hardly argue with a 9-7 broadcast on a non-sport channel.

Snap Hook wrote:Indeed, TV coverage doesn’t actually start until 8pm UK time Thursday night, 3pm local, when play started at 8am local. You only actually see the leaders play the first hole live in the final round, no other time. Compare to the Open which starts at 9am with full coverage of all holes.

Ok get it. It was the live on all 4 days bit I was questioning, but it was the full bit you were highlighting. Agree it is odd by today’s standards, not sure that less is more.

But I have some good news: sky start live red button coverage from 2:15 UK time, and amen corner live feed from 3:45. It’s not perfect but it’s something.

With my cynical hat on Ray (not that I wear a hat), I think it might be done with a view to increasing revenue by extending coverage in coming years.

I wish they'd stop calling the crowd "patrons" though. What a rubbish term.

super_realist wrote:With my cynical hat on Ray (not that I wear a hat), I think it might be done with a view to increasing revenue by extending coverage in coming years.

I wish they'd stop calling the crowd "patrons" though. What a rubbish term.

Do they ANGC need the money though - probably not. A look on Google Maps shows the rapid development of the infrastructure around the course. New club shop for 8 days of the year. Corporate Hospitality set in 'mansions' along the 5th hole. Buying of land down the Washington Road, and just flattening whatever was there and grassing over, though probably much to John Daly's relief not got as far as Hooters yet.

They do things differently, which makes the Masters special but I just think double standards when they talk about growing the game but show only around 35 to 40 % of the tournament live.

Anyway enough of my moaning, I will enjoy it for what it is.

Probably don't need it, but can't see them turning it down forever.