PGA Tour: The Life Of Bryans: Notes from the Ballwasher

First topic message reminder :

1).That was The Masters that was.
Not my favourite Masters ever; for a tournament leaderboard to be so full of top players, it was possibly the least likely one of them to come out on top. Patrick Reed had gone through a lousy start to the season, but his form perked up with a second-place finish at the Valspar and came to Augusta with three Top Tens running. But still!
Regardless, congratulations to him, won it fair and fairly square.

2).What of the rest?
Of the contenders, only Fowler, Rahm and Spieth really came to play on Sunday; Stenson, Dustin & Bubba seemed to flirt with the leaderboard without making a proper run and Rory's Sunday has been done to death on this board already,
I fancied Oosthuizen and Rose but both had OK tournaments without contending, while Fleetwood, Thomas, Mickelson and Woods pretty much disappeared.
Gutsy effort from Finau and another excellent tournament from Cameron Smith - not many pros playing better right now than the baby-faced Aussie, just one cut missed in the past six months after a miserable run of form after his Team win in New Orleans. Difficult to believe he won't break through again soon. This week perhaps?  

3).Which brings me to Wes Bryan, playing his first Masters after winning last year at the RBC Heritage 52 weeks ago at Harbour Town. Bryan's play at Augusta was forgettable, especially for a local-ish lad as he missed the cut convincingly.
But Doug Ferguson of the AP wrote an interesting few paragraphs last week telling a story I'd not previously heard.

4).I'll quote excerpts from Ferguson's piece:
"The late Hootie Johnson fiercely defended the lengthening of Augusta National during his term as club chairman. Johnson said the changes were to keep current with the modern game, and he leaned on his own experience.
But he wasn't playing in March 2005 with a PGA Tour player. He was playing with teenagers.
'I had a guest down here in March 2005 - 17 years old. He hit pitching wedges into 17 and 7. A lot had been written that we'd been trying to Tiger-proof our golf course. We weren't worried about Tiger, we were worried about these 17-year-olds.'
The 17-year-old was George Bryan. Also playing that day was his 14-year-old brother, Wesley Bryan."

5).Now you know the Bryan Brothers for their best-selling videos of their trick-shot artistry. George, "He always hit the ball farther than I did", is now on the Latino America Tour, while Wes broke through on the web.com Tour a couple of years ago, earned a "battlefield promotion" to the PGA Tour with three wins, and immediately made his mark before winning at Harbour Town.
Tour life for him hasn't been so successful recently, but I'd never heard the story of his little mark in Masters history before. Hopefully he'll enjoy more success before returning to his trick-shot circus act.

6).We are past the halfway stage of the season now, and chances for double-dippers outside the owgr Top 50 dwindle exponentially.
Graeme McDowell is playing the "RBC Heritage" this week on a course where he's won and might be expected to have a decent week. He needs it.
Ross Fisher's season is in dire straits, a little money for nothing so far this year and only 32 FedEx points - dismal at Augusta and difficult to know why his form has slumped. Golfers just like anyone else I suppose, they can get stale, industrial disease perhaps?
Shane Lowry, in his infinite wisdom, has taken the week off (not actually 100% sure he qualifies for this "Invitational"), and he also has his work cut out for him.

7).And then there's Luke Donald. Amazing to think he's been second here FIVE times, including last year behind the aforesaid Bryan. While Davis Love has won here five times.
Luke is having a shocking year. And here are some clues why:
Driving accuracy: 206th out of 210 (Woods and Mickelson are also in the bottom ten, but at least they're long with their waywardness).
Total Driving (distance + accuracy): 205th
Greens in Regulation: 206th out of 210 (Harrington is 209th)
Scrambling: 125th
Sand Saves (28th) and Putting (25th) are still strengths, but even they are not what they were.
If Luke can't manage a decent week at Harbour Town it's difficult to see where his career goes.

8).The pros will be enjoying what Jason Isbell describes as "The water color sky at Hilton Head" this week, at lovely Harbour Town, home of the RBC Heritage.
Course specialists thrive here, as Luke and DLIII demonstrate. Length is important, but less of a factor than on most courses and guys like Furyk, Snedeker, Harman, Kisner, Kuchar, Simpson all play well here.
There's a decent GB&I representation with Casey, Fish, Fitz, Hatton, Knox, Laird and Poults (had a great chance to win last year) joining Donald & McDowell. Would think this place would suit Fitz - he played well here four years ago, but hasn't made the cut since.

9).Golfers who have close connection to the American south-east tend to thrive these next few weeks, especially those who also fancy Pete Dye courses. I was going to go against that trend and pick Adam Hadwin as my one-and-done but he's withdrawn. Think I'll give Streelman a whirl instead, but with very little conviction.

10).I see the Zurich Classic Team Event at New Orleans will be the first PGA Tour event with "first tee walk up" music. Hope Fleetwood and Paisley pick something north of England, but what would you pick?

kwinigolfer wrote:

GPB wrote:Split tees and morning tee times for RBC on Sunday.  Thunderstorms in the afternoon forecast. Tape delay coverage on this side of the pond.

Hope they get going the absolute earliest they can - it ain't gonna get any better.

Meanwhile, interesting to hear Kostis say that SiWoo Kim's slightly discombobulated (everything's relative) because of pace of play - he doesn't have to look too far to find the culprit.

Final Group played in 3 hours 45 minutes.

GPB wrote:

kwinigolfer wrote:

GPB wrote:Split tees and morning tee times for RBC on Sunday.  Thunderstorms in the afternoon forecast. Tape delay coverage on this side of the pond.

Hope they get going the absolute earliest they can - it ain't gonna get any better.

Meanwhile, interesting to hear Kostis say that SiWoo Kim's slightly discombobulated (everything's relative) because of pace of play - he doesn't have to look too far to find the culprit.

Final Group played in 3 hours 45 minutes.

As they should; seems a lifetime though when you sense the pair in front of them are long gone.

Good news for Sunday is that they'll leave the stalls from 7.00 a.m. onwards Sunday, Matt Fitzpatrick and Russell Knox among the early starters.

They may not finish the Geezer playoff in daylight. Especially with Langer in the playoff

Didn't bother Steve Flesch . . . . . . .

Lots of left-handed golfers winning these days.

Be_the_ball wrote:

super_realist wrote:Interesting test by Rick Shiels recently testing old Pro V's v New Ones, hardly any difference in them at all.

Saw that Super, really interesting comparisons. I do like Shiels and Finch they come across as good lads and have a genuine laugh too. They played golf in Dubai with Tyrrell Hatton a couple of years back and had great fun. First time I'd seen Hatton.

They are good, along with Crossfield, but they are all becoming a bit too self indulgent with far too many videos of themselves playing golf.
If I wanted to see club standard golf, I could just go down to my club.

Their pipe dreaming "Quest for the Open" is pretty laughable too if they are taking it seriously (which I'm not sure they are), they have absolutely no chance, but I suspect it's just a different set of videos with an aim of working towards a goal, even if it's hilariously unrealistic.

I wish they'd stick to what they're good at, which in terms of Shiels, is testing and reviewing clubs.

Breezy on Hilton Head but they're underway at Harbour Town and the latest forecast suggests they'll get the final round in today. Good job by the Tour.

Amazing what a bit of cold and wind does to a course. Dropped shots all over the place. DeChambeau could easily win this yet.

Poults's Medinah putter has gone cold, and now his challenge has sunk completely.
Too bad, but he can go home now and wash his Ferraris.

Back at New Orleans in a fortnight.

Good final round from Fitzpatrick.

Tornado watch for HHI in 2 or 3 hours. Imagine the NetJets might be grounded for a while,

Harbour Town owes Poults a win after the last two years - and he'll be at Sawgrass in a month, talking about Pete Dye courses where he's played well.

Poulters putter cold??? Did Kim just miss 5 putts inside 8ft on the last 6??

Chances of this playoff finishing today? Conditions look like they could get called off any minute. Lightning hooter sounding with two guys on a playoff green would be a little farcical.

Think Poulter just ran out of steam, always a possibility chasing a win after several weeks on the spin. Week off should do him the world of good, expect him to lead a strong European effort at Sawgrass. No one came up with an answer for my query of whether anyone has ever won the week before and the week after a major... I guess the wait goes on.

Pedro, he didn’t even touch the hole until the final effort either. The one on 13 missed eight inches left from about eight feet. I putt like that.

Can't imagine anyone winning the week before a Major AND the week after. Not on the PGA Tour anyway, tho Gary Player won three times running in 1978, incl The Masters - not sure what order they were in, but circumstantially Augusta came first.

Weren't all Stewart Cink's wins, except Turnberry, achieved on the week following a Major?

Slightly controversial to say that 18 is great hole, but a terrible playoff hole? Barely any chance of differentiating anyone with the tee shot, so you’re basically playing a matchplay par three, with a not particularly interesting approach. Don’t really see many options for people to win or lose, which is what a sudden death playoff needs.

Agree, especially as there's no risk/reward - if you lace a drive down the right-hand side you have a terrible angle to the green.
'Course, you could be like Woody Austin and drive your play-off tee shot into the junk.
Or like Steve Jones who stood on the 18th hole with a lead and sprayed his drive OB wide right.
DLIII the beneficiary of both bonehead plays.

Or ground the club like Brian Davis

Rumours circulating that a new, long-term sponsor for Colonial will be announced soon.
What took you so long, robo?

And what about Houston?

Player won Masters-TournamentofChampions-Houston in 1978. The last three wins of his PGATour career.

Wiki has detail of most PGATour seasons wiki. Here is 1978

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1978_PGA_Tour

GPB wrote:Player won Masters-TournamentofChampions-Houston in 1978.  The last three wins of his PGATour career.

Wiki has detail of most PGATour seasons wiki.  Here is 1978

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1978_PGA_Tour

Thanks, Some good names there!

blisteringblue wrote:Impressive again from Poults, some great scrambling there.  Can't see past him on this form.   My 80-1 looking good. Let's hope I don't get twitchy cash out finger :-)

Wish I had got twitchy cash out finger now, still a good run for Poults and sets him up for Paris if you ask me.

blisteringblue wrote:

blisteringblue wrote:Impressive again from Poults, some great scrambling there.  Can't see past him on this form.   My 80-1 looking good. Let's hope I don't get twitchy cash out finger :-)

Wish I had got twitchy cash out finger now, still a good run for Poults and sets him up for Paris if you ask me.

A few more good results from Ian over the summer and he's there.. I'd rather see a Poulter on fire that a fishy Fitz or a fizzy Fish.

I'd be shocked if Poulter isn't in the team come September. His current form, his past record, plus four captain picks means he is pretty much a certainty.

So barring an injury or an unbelievable catastrophic loss of form he'll be lining up at Le Golf National in September.

Which in my opinion is no bad thing

As someone who is rooting for the USA, I also want to see Poulter on the EuroTeam.

IMO. Other than the last 5 holes on Saturday, Poulter did not really play all that well in Medinah, he just happened to play against US Team members that played terrible.

Match Play reputations can be enriched by playing better than your opponents, not necessarily by playing well.

I know...blasphemous....

blisteringblue wrote:

blisteringblue wrote:Impressive again from Poults, some great scrambling there.  Can't see past him on this form.   My 80-1 looking good. Let's hope I don't get twitchy cash out finger :-)

Wish I had got twitchy cash out finger now, still a good run for Poults and sets him up for Paris if you ask me.

Not to rub salt on the wounds, what would have been your cash out option?

gpb

You are probably spot on about the selection of Poulter. Would he really strike fear into any of the US players likely to qualify for the RC?

Why wouldn't he Mac? It's not like many of the Americans have especially good records in the event with the exception of Fatprick Reed. I would say he would do, because he's got the reputation, whereas people like Fat Phil and Tiger Moobs didn't intimidate anyone, because they didn't.

An on form Poulter would intimidate most people in that American team I would think.

McLaren wrote:gpb

You are probably spot on about the selection of Poulter.  Would he really strike fear into any of the US players likely to qualify for the RC?

It's not unreasonable to suggest he intimidated US golfers in the past. I remember his "guarantee" to Montgomerie in 2010 that he'll get a point on the board against Kuchar. At that time his RC record was 7 wins, 2 losses. Even if it didn't intimidate Kuchar (who lost 5 & 4) it must have boosted Poults and the belief in the team.
Same for Medinah, despite early struggles. But that only works when he has some "game", which had evaporated by Gleneagles . . . . . . .
If his form continues thru the season, who knows?

super_realist wrote:Why wouldn't he Mac? It's not like many of the Americans have especially good records in the event with the exception of Fatprick Reed. I would say he would do, because he's got the reputation, whereas people like Fat Phil and Tiger Moobs didn't intimidate anyone, because they didn't.

An on form Poulter would intimidate most people in that American team I would think.

I cant see Kevin Kisner being particularly intimidated.

I wouldn't have thought he'll be on the plane.

Could be, 11th in their standings, top 10 again last week so holding some form. Clearly a decent matchplay pick based on this year. Handed Poulter his backside in a complete spanking. Has a few things in his favour.

We'll see. I would think that Furyk will be under pressure to pick Moobs, so that's one pick taken care of. Kuchar probably another.

I’d love to see Poults vs Bubba.

super_realist wrote:We'll see. I would think that Furyk will be under pressure to pick Moobs, so that's one pick taken care of. Kuchar probably another.

I’d pick Zach Johnson. One of few US players with a decent RC record - and hardly a MC in the last 2 years.

super_realist wrote:
An on form Poulter would intimidate most people in that American team I would think.

3 wins intimidating?

3 wins?

What? What has 3 wins got to do with anything? No one found Moobs 14 majors and countless strokeplay tournaments intimidating, so what has 3 wins on tour got to do with a different form of the game?

You should really think things through a bit more GPB. I say it every year when people bring up the "on paper" American team. It doesn't matter your ranking or how many majors you have. It doesn't help America at all, so sneer at Poulters' 3 PGA wins all you like, but it's completely unconnected to Ryder Cup.

Don't get me wrong, I'm sure that they would respect his RC record, but I can't believe for a second that Spieth or JT or even DJ would be remotely intimidated by Poulter (or anyone) on a golf course.

Diggers wrote:Don't get me wrong, I'm sure that they would respect his RC record, but I can't believe for a second that Spieth or JT or even DJ would be remotely intimidated by Poulter (or anyone) on a golf course.

That's the top 3 in the world you've mentioned there though - DJ even as a bit of an afterthought. No maybe the top 3 in the world wouldn't be intimidated but I bet a few of the others would love to avoid Poults in the RC setting

Well seeing as Spieth choked against McDowell, I should think he probably would be a bit concerned. Thomas hasn't even played a Ryder Cup yet, and DJ's record isn't that special.

If Casey, Garcia, Rose, Stenson, McIlroy, Rahm turn up fit and in form, Europe shouldn't be fearing anyone.
If not, we're in trouble, Poults or no Poults!

Davie wrote:

Diggers wrote:Don't get me wrong, I'm sure that they would respect his RC record, but I can't believe for a second that Spieth or JT or even DJ would be remotely intimidated by Poulter (or anyone) on a golf course.

That's the top 3 in the world you've mentioned there though - DJ even as a bit of an afterthought. No maybe the top 3 in the world wouldn't be intimidated but I bet a few of the others would love to avoid Poults in the RC setting

Indeed, but I thought the point was to make the case for a few Americans not being intimidated, Super is the one who is saying ranking and wins don't matter. If we throw in Reed then there is a third of the team who isn't intimidated. Phil and Tiger might be lacking enthusiasm but to suggest Poulter intimidated them is beyond absurd. So that's half a team where intimidated seems a poor choice of word.

Come early Sept, I am sure Super will pick the USA team to win, just like he did in 2016 after trashing the US team the entire year.

So no matter the result of the matches, he can say

HEADS I WIN = See, I picked the USA Team to win

TAILS YOU LOSE = See, I have been telling you all year that the USA Ryder Cup team is a Hot Mess

   
https://youtu.be/8-j2SRvN0bA

GPB wrote:Come early Sept, I am sure Super will pick the USA team to win, just like he did in 2016 after trashing the US team the entire year.

So no matter the result of the matches, he can say

HEADS I WIN  =  See, I picked the USA Team to win

TAILS YOU LOSE = See, I have been telling you all year that the USA Ryder Cup team is a Hot Mess

That's not why I tipped the Yanks to win.

3 wins on the spin from Europe was bound to come to an end, and as you would say, Europe just "Played worse than America"

I'm not picking the US team to win this time, not least because they have an abominable record away from their moronic fans. Each team will have a couple of so-so players but it could be the most even match in a few years.

Closest in a few years? That’ll be since Medina then.

I’d be surprised if you didn’t see a McIlroy/Poulter v Reed/AN Other match somewhere in the first two days. Maybe Phil for the fourth member.

Reed usually plays well with Spieth.

I'd love to see Garcia/poulter vs Reed/bubba

I thought maybe Reed/Spieth but if I was Jim I’d be going Spieth/Thomas.

Wonder if Reed and Bubba get on with each other. Neither is exactly popular, could end up with a team USA punchup if they lose badly.

Isn't Spieth meant to have said something along the lines of "playing with Reed makes me play better because I want to ensure my ball does better than his, regardless of what the opposition do"?

Which must say quite a lot about Reed's game in "Cup" matches as both seem to agree that Reed carries Spieth . . . . .


I mentioned earlier that there was an interesting John Feinstein (can't stand him, but he tells a good story!) piece in Golf Digest about the modern tour caddie. The link might be a bit funky, but well worth the read (no pun intended):

https://www.golfdigest.com/story/the-perks-and-pressures-of-the-modern-tour-caddie

GPB wrote:

Not to rub salt on the wounds, what would have been your cash out option?

Rough with the smooth, was only a few £ ew, but it was about 1/3rd so about 25-1