PGA Tour: Zurich Classic Team Event / Quail Hollow / Byron Nelson: Notes from the Ballwasher

I'll be off the grid for a week, so if you need a "Topic" to follow the New Orleans action in the Zurich Classic team event, and Charlotte's Wells Fargo business at Quail Hollow, use this!

Just a couple of random notes:
1).We're about 60+% of the way through the Tour season. With the exception of the mostly disappointing efforts at The Masters, it's been a largely positive season so far for Europeans, but pros who have got off to a slow start will be reassessing their tournament schedule.

2).Wins for Rose, Casey, Molinari, McIlroy and McDowell. And plenty of Top Ten finishes for Rahm & Poulter.
Bjerregard and Fitzpatrick have played well enough to be invited to take Special Temporary Membership, and Pepperell & Wallace are closing in on earning similar status (whether or not they choose to take it).

3).But what of the rest?
This lot are on track to retain their "playing privileges":
All the winners, obviously.
Rahm
Cabrera Bello
Poulter
Fleetwood
Garcia

4).On track in the Top 125 in FedEx points, but in poor form recently:
Hatton
Knox
Work still to do gents.

And, On the Top 125 edge:
Blixt (exempt for another year), Noren and Lowry.
All the above need a strong finish to the season.

5).Off the pace, plenty of ground to make up:
Stenson - only played six tournaments so far, does he care? Exempt for another couple of years if he plays enough to retain his membership.
Power - fine result at Hilton Head but still with it all to do.
Laird - coming to the end of his Tour tether? No sustained form all year and not many happy hunting grounds remain.
Willett (still exempt from his Masters win), Jaeger, Kaymer, Cejka (closing in on 50!) - all struggling.

6).Donald, Jacobson:
On "Medical Extension", both with form to find if they're to fulfil the requirements - Luke still has "career earnings" parachutes remaining. Freddie's in trouble!
And Harrington is using one and not very well! Following injuries to start the season, he's played poorly on rejoining the Tour. He can probably secure some kind of "Medical", but his Tour future looks well behind him.

7).Plenty of "Cup" Teams & wannabes lining up this week in New Orleans:
Els / Immelman
Grace / Harding
Ancer / Vegas
Day / Scott
Fleetwood / Garcia
Frittelli / Niemann
Hads / Badds
Holmes / Watson (no sh1t Sherlock)
Cantlay / Reed
McDowell / Stenson
Charl / Louis
. . . . . and then there's Lowry auditioning with Padraig Harrington.

8).Next week they'll be in Charlotte, North Carolina, for the Wells Fargo (which has been in so much trouble I'm surprised all their executives aren't in the pokey - message clearly that white collar crime pays) Championship at Quail Hollow. Still a relatively young tournament but a must-play for most of the Tour elite, great course, hospitality, city, the lot! And Tiger should be there which will mean everyone else can slide nicely under the radar.
More on that later.
PUP

Holmes / Watson. I love it!

Men and women playing in the same place same week again. ET and LET playing in Morocco at the same time on adjacent courses.

Looks like International players are showing some ownership of the Presidents Cup

King Louis and King Charl playing together

J-Day and Adam Scott playing together

Connors-Hughes playing together.

Apologies if this has already been discussed but has anyone heard about the use of CBD in Golf? Seems the PGA Tour has issued directives to players about it's use. There have been questions about it's use at the recent Masters.

https://www.golfmagic.com/golf-news/watch-was-phil-mickelson-taking-cbd-oil-masters

https://www.marijuanamoment.net/pga-issues-warning-to-golfers-using-cbd-products/

Quail Hollow...the course is a bit meh. Looks long and hard. Not a course it necessarily like to play.

ben,
Haven't seen QH since they reconfigured it, and seemingly made it harder without making it better. It used to be good for spectating with some great holes, and a terrific short par-4 (14th); my favourite from anywhere. And at least three nice Par-5's. Let down a bit by very same-y Par-3's.
My special correspondent is on the course today, I'll relay his thoughts!

Paul Lawrie is making his Champions Tour debut in Houston this week.
Not sure how much he'll play in the US but good to see him in Senior action.

Surprise name of Jason Dufner leading the way after 36 Quail Hollow holes, but with Reed and Rose, Rory and Jason Day lurking.

And so are Seamus Power & Martin Laird following good weeks in New Orleans.

Willett and Harrington taking an early bath.


This week's field lacks the strength in depth of previous "Wells Fargo" tournaments, and that trend continues next week in Dallas, at the Byron Nelson.

Bjerregard, Rafa C-B, Knox, Noren, Olesen, Thomas Pieters, Stenson are among the Europeans helping to subsidise the owgr strength of field, joined by Donald, Harrington, Laird, Power etc..


Koepka, Leishman, Reed, Spieth and defending champ Aaron Wise lead a paltry Rest Of The World representation. What a fall from Grace (actually he's playing) since the days of Lord Byron.

7 x Europeans made the cut, 7 x Europeans currently in the Top 20. Be nice if one of them ended the week in the Top 1.

Kwini, it’s 8 with Sabbatini...

pedro wrote:Kwini, it’s 8 with Sabbatini...

Good point, I overlook the Slovakian contingent!
I get the feeling his play is much improved since he ditched the Saffer nationality -as he's played in a Presidents Cup, I'm assuming he's probably not Ryder Cup eligible.

Nice work from Casey yesterday, 15 pars, one birdie, two EAGLES! You'd think this is just his type of course . . . . . . .

Pity Stenson's round fell away, but all the eight Europeans are in position to do their seasons a power (pun not intended) of good at Quail Hollow, hopefully with a "W" to provide the icing on the cake.

Slow play from the Wells Fargo backmarkers - the slowcoaches playing #18 right now are at 4 hours and counting - will most likely mean 4 1/2 hrs for Rory and the rest. Seemingly no will to do anything about it. Hopeless.

kwinigolfer wrote:Slow play from the Wells Fargo backmarkers - the slowcoaches playing #18 right now are at 4 hours and counting - will most likely mean 4 1/2 hrs for Rory and the rest. Seemingly no will to do anything about it. Hopeless.

they're lucky they got soft conditions or it would take another half hour. Quail Hollow so freaking hard.

kwinigolfer wrote:Paul Lawrie is making his Champions Tour debut in Houston this week.
Not sure how much he'll play in the US but good to see him in Senior action.

went out there yesterday... Didn't see Lawrie but I got a good look at these guys.

https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/bd6b56abe13fa72417ae4d72dbc317b99e9d7001d565badf468f275a871ca97c.jpg

https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/463cf7c8295a630e57fa3c61c15ccfc92806d69e5de4265d33e8e4163b2b992d.jpg

Great stuff, robo.
They should more of the "Greats" than they did of the Champions; sounds like Inkster & Sorenstam should still be on the LPGA Tour.
PS: Nice to see Bill Rogers' cameo; enjoyed following him back in previous lives, for both of us.
Love your pics,

Great pics Robo, looks like a great day.

kwinigolfer wrote:Great stuff, robo.
They should more of the "Greats" than they did of the Champions; sounds like Inkster & Sorenstam should still be on the LPGA Tour.
PS: Nice to see Bill Rogers' cameo; enjoyed following him back in previous lives, for both of us.
Love your pics,

thanks on the pics, but I still think they suck... I've been trying to figure out how to be a "cell phone" photographer this year... And I ain't exactly got it figured out yet...

And speaking of Bill Rogers. Of the Legends they had yesterday, he's about the only one that still looks like he could have a real game. With the exception of Inkster and Sorenstam. Those gals can still really move it. And surprisingly so could Pat Bradley.

Max Homa!
Been trying to find the post from a well known v2 Forumite who didn't feel as if Homa had the right stuff to bring it homa.

Alumnus of the 2013 Walker Cup, sharing the team room with Justin Thomas, Patrick Rodgers, Michael Kim, and a bunch of guys struggling to make it in the Pro ranks.
Playing against Matt Fitzpatrick, Jordan Smith and a bigger bunch of guys struggling to make it in the Pro ranks.

Impressive win on an exacting lay-out, but where did that come from??!!

More good, not great, results from Rose, Sergio, Casey, Rory but Power's closing double bogey could cost him his card come August.

One of my favourite tournaments, but wish they hadn't messed up those first few holes.

Looks like Jacklin is fighting Monty for first in line at the Buffet.

The field for the PGA Championship has been announced but there are one or two bizarre inclusions - can't figure out how Richard Sterne gets in, to name but one.
Oh well - as Fleetwood Mac might think.
And this week's Byron Nelson winner gets in too.
Looks like Burgoon is first alternate but think he's injured, Sung Kang presumably next in line.

kwinigolfer wrote:The field for the PGA Championship has been announced but there are one or two bizarre inclusions - can't figure out how Richard Sterne gets in, to name but one.
Oh well - as Fleetwood Mac might think.
And this week's Byron Nelson winner gets in too.
Looks like Burgoon is first alternate but think he's injured, Sung Kang presumably next in line.

Were you looking at the list of press passes?

Shocked to read that Chris Kirk is taking an "indefinite leave" from the Tour to deal with "alcohol abuse" and depression. Must be in a bad state to chuck it in prior to Colonial which he won a few years ago and he seemed to regard as his "Fifth Major". Sorry to read that, hope he'll be back.

Amazing (but probably not really) how many pros lose their way or tire of the pro game, quite apart from those whose talent is diminished by chronic injury or ill health.

I believe Kirk is a very talented pianist, always seemed to march to a slightly different beat, but this is a surprise.

kwinigolfer wrote:Shocked to read that Chris Kirk is taking an "indefinite leave" from the Tour to deal with "alcohol abuse" and depression. Must be in a bad state to chuck it in prior to Colonial which he won a few years ago and he seemed to regard as his "Fifth Major". Sorry to read that, hope he'll be back.

Amazing (but probably not really) how many pros lose their way or tire of the pro game, quite apart from those whose talent is diminished by chronic injury or ill health.

I believe Kirk is a very talented pianist, always seemed to march to a slightly different beat, but this is a surprise.

Part of the culture Diggers. a lot of it revolves around the clubhouse and drinking. It's effectively a game for people too fat and unfit to play football historically, in Scotland at least , so attracts the same sort of "laddish" person.

I could name dozens of players who have looked destined for a pro career but haven't been able to separate the game from drinking, gambling or drugs, even on the caddying side of things it is the same. A lot of them might never ultimately have been good enough, but their liking for alcohol and nights out did them no favours.


In fact it was only a couple of years ago that some Scottish team won a big tournament in the amateur game, and they didn't turn up for the prize giving, they were out on the lash.

And don't call me Shirley . . . . . . . .

Yup, But most have got this out of their system once they're in their 30's, married, 3 kiddos; Kirk has done all the hard work after all . . . . .


Anyway, the point remains that we seldom notice the guys in freefall unless they're named after an endangered animal. Perhaps Kirk is drowning his sorrows with young Mr.Spieth? Nah.

Super so keen to get another dig in at fat and unhealthy he completely missed who he was actually talking to

Davie wrote:Super so keen to get another dig in at fat and unhealthy he completely missed who he was actually talking to

OK, Here's a real softball:
News release: John Daly will be permitted to use a cart at the PGA Championship. #fatandunhealthy . . . . . . . . . . .
Absurd.


When will that fat, useless piece of sh1t have someone call his bluff? Hopefully the R&A will.

OK, First groups on the course at Dallas's Trinity Forest course for the "AT&T Byron Nelson".

A stronger field than last year's dismal turn-out but still a weak field: 42(just) x owgr points to the winner, the same as the beleagured Desert Classic, and two more than last month's Valero Texas Open.

Not much else to say except that it's a home course, of sorts, for World Number 39, Jordan Spieth, and if his game is going to get well anywhere you'd think it might be here.
I'm hoping another local, Ryan Palmer, gets the job done. But footie fans wouldn't rule out an 18-strokes-from-behind comeback either.

Koepka is in the field and last year's runner-up, Marc Leishman, and a healthy sprinkling of Europeans, including Bjerregard, Noren, Olesen, Pieters, Rafa and Stenson.

And, weird that both Drumpf and Woods wore NIKE swooshes during the great-by-association gratuitous "Medal Of Honor" presentation to Tiger at the White House this week . . . . . .

I see Leishman just withdrew before coming under starters orders -wouldn't be surprised if that resulted in a drop from 42 owgr pts to 40 for the winner.

Does anyone think Tony Romo has a chance to (1) make the cut or (2) crack the top 20. I, for one, would be mighty shocked if he did either.

I think Tiger won the "Medal of Honor" for promoting freedom. Specifically, when he was driving it all over the place he "freed" golf balls from ever being hit by him again.

Shotrock wrote:Does anyone think Tony Romo has a chance to (1) make the cut or (2) crack the top 20. I, for one, would be mighty shocked if he did either.

Well, a number of people have placed bets on him winning at 10,000 - 1. (I would as well at that price!) ....and he was 1 under after two holes when I checked.

Spieth & Stenson have duelled a few times in recent years, buw now their stepping up the leaderboard together, -5 after 8 holes of playing together. Both need good results.

I'm never wrong wrote:

Shotrock wrote:Does anyone think Tony Romo has a chance to (1) make the cut or (2) crack the top 20. I, for one, would be mighty shocked if he did either.

Well, a number of people have placed bets on him winning at 10,000 - 1. (I would as well at that price!) ....and he was 1 under after two holes when I checked.

I was 1 under after 2 last week. Shot 85 (+15) playing off 6.

But then again, I'm rubbish!

Jay Monahan and ATT CEO are having a conversation

JM: "On behalf of the tour, we really are privileged to have ATT sponsoring the events in Pebble Beach and Dallas. Is there anything we can do for you."

ATT: "Its our pleasure to pony 20 Million dollars for these events. Would it be all right if we gave Tony Romo a sponsor invite to the Dallas event as he is a former quarterback for the Dallas Cowboy and ATT thinks that he will give the tournament some added exposure.

JM: "Uhhhhhhhhhhh, do you think that is wise. He is not a professional golfer and we have up and coming young golfers trying to get a break.

Oh BTW how about we open up negotiations to extend your sponsorship for another 5 years for the Nelson and Pebble Beach event,

ATT:

Tony Romo one year, Charles Barkley the next. It's a slippery slope!

Very cool for Dallas in May, high today about 15C, only about 22C on Saturday.
Don't suppose scoring will be quite as low today then.

PS: Confirmation of just 40 x owgr points for the winner, equalling "Texas" for lowest of the year so far.
Too bad, as these are probably the two most generous events when measured by the "charitable contributions" that the Tour incessantly bangs on about.

Tony Romo has some golfing acumen. and the PGATour does have some rule that amateurs have to meet some max handicap.

His score yesterday was better than a player who had actually won a PGATour event earlier this year.

and BTW...I'll recant that post when Barkley gets a sponsors invite.

EDITED

I would honestly rather see Charles Barkley or even Howard Stern. Pure entertainment.

And while Romo is a fine golfer (and would kick me all over the course -- although I just became a single digit index which won't last long) he doesn't come close to sniffing the professional ranks. Every golfer on the Web.Com tour is, I'm sure, consistently better. As are probably 50% of the D1 golfers.

Robo informs me that amateurs have to a ZERO handicap or better to get a sponsor's invite.

DL-III has WDed from the PGA and Sung Kang is replacing him

Here is the field (before DL-III WDed)

https://www.pga.com/events/pgachampionship/2019-pga-championship-field-list-players

Couldn’t ATT get Bill Murray?

pedro wrote:Couldn’t ATT get Bill Murray?

That is so EFFING Hilarious.

PGA Championship tee times:

https://www.pga.com/events/pgachampionship/2019-pga-championship-tee-times-live-stream-and-tv-schedule

It's going to be a long day in Dallas on Sunday (having lived there once, I'd say every day is a long day, but moving right along . . . . . ). Round 3 has 83 golfers and only one or two groups are likely to complete today's round.
Then mdf will result in top 70 and ties being grouped sometime late Sunday morning.

Sunset about 8.20 p.m. so they should get Round 4 in on Sunday, but probably not any play-off.
The unlikely fivesome of Sabbatini, Laird, Harrington, Blixt and Jaeger leading the Europeans as my finger does the walking.

They will have about 3 - 3.5 hrs of play on Sunday morning. They should be right on schedule to re-pair and go off at 10:30 local time with split tees. 12:30 tee time for the leaders with 70-74 players. They will be done in plenty of time if there is a playoff.

Assuming no more weather delays.

And if there is an issue, the Tour has the option to not re-pair the groupings (and ignore the MDF cut).

They should complete 72 holes at about 5:30 pm local time, about 30 minutes later than scheduled. Plenty of daylight for a playoff if necessary.

Xinjun Zhang won on the Webbie Tour a few weeks ago. He was suspended from the PGATour China for pencil-whipping is scorecard.

Now Sung Kang is in position to win on the PGATour. Last year in the Quicken Loans, Joel Dahmen accused Kang of cheating

https://www.golf.com/tour-news/2018/07/02/joel-dahmen-accuses-sung-kang-cheating-quicken-loans-national

Do not adjust your sets:
Padraig Harrington threatening a Top Ten, currently -4 after 8 holes; playing with Martin Laird who missed a 2-footer earlier and probably holding up the groups behind them.

72 hole of Bogey Free golf for Scott Piercy this week.

Lee Trevino did it in New Orleans and wons.

CH-III did it in Greenbrier and didn't win.

Last individual tournament Piercy played was Hilton Head. He bogeyed the 70th hole, so he is on a streak of 74 holes without a bogey.

GPB wrote:72 hole of Bogey Free golf for Scott Piercy this week.

Lee Trevino did it in New Orleans and wons.

CH-III did it in Greenbrier and didn't win.

Last individual tournament Piercy played was Hilton Head.  He bogeyed the 70th hole, so he is on a streak of 74 holes without a bogey.

Sung Kang's win means the next alternate gets a call from the PGA.

As near as I can figure this out:

Love and Schwartzel withdrew allowing Burgoon and Kang into the field.

Kang gained a spot automatically due to his Lord Byron win, and was replaced by Werenski.
And Sam Ryder (or Sam Burns as some reports allege) withdrew to be replaced by Niemann.

And Patrick Rodgers would be next up among the alternates but he's bagged it too.
Kelly Kraft, JT Poston and Slovakia's finest are next in line.