PGA Tour: Here we go again, The 2019/20 Season is Underway, Vegas Baby: Notes from the Ballwasher

First topic message reminder :

Random thoughts and notes:
1).The 2019/2020 PGA Tour season is on the move in "Almost heaven, West Virginia" but not before Rory wins the Player Of The Year trophy, somehow beating Brooks Koepka. I'd love to know the voting but that's a closely guarded secret (until someone leaks it).

So we can only imagine what this really means:
*The media narrative so far is that it rewards consistency thru'out the season (and lack lustre Majors) over extraordinary excellence in the four most important events of the year - the four, coincidentally or not - which are not run by the PGA Tour.
Rory himself said: "I wanted to try and bring my best every single week I played", so perhaps he endorses the consistency thought (when it suits him).

*Or does it mean that the Tour Membership now value the (very) limited field Tour Championship, plus $15M and the FedEx trophy, and The Players over say, the PGA Championship, top five finishes at Augusta, Pebble and Portrush, and a WGC? Is that now the Members' opinion?? Don't expect Tiger Woods, for instance, would agree, and deep down I can hardly believe that Rory does.

Bizarre.

2).No surprises here, but I see the ghost of Tim Finchem all over such shenanigans. I didn't like the compressed season when it was announced and like it even less now that such artificial contrivances are regarded as the new norm, rather like those who feel the history of the world began on January 1st 2017.

3).The 19/20 season opens its batting with "A Military Tribute At The Greenbrier" which, believe it or not, offers its winner the longest exemption of a "regular season" event (given that Bay Hill and Memorial seem to have been elevated). The winner effectively receives a three year exemption unlike its near-ish Green neighbour, The Wyndham, in Greensboro. And there are a few new tournaments filling up the autumnal calendar which now looks like this:

4).In order:
Greenbrier - is this event still on life support or is the odious Jim Justice re-upping? Not sure, but John Daly is "playing" this week, a sure sign of an event in decline.
Sanderson Farms in Mississippi- now a "full-field" event with 500 x FedEx Points and a Masters invitation to the winner.
Safeway in Napa
Vegas baby
Houston - wonder if Ian James will defend his title?
CJ Cup in Korea
The Zozo(!) Championship - in Japan, apparently T.Woods's focus for the autumn.
WGC-HSBC Champions (and opposite field event in Bermuda for the Plunky Cup)
Week off
Mayakoba - No word yet on Kuchar's caddie arrangement
RSM in lovely Sea Island, Georgia
The end. Until the TOC @ Kapalua in early January.

5).Meanwhile, the Korn Ferry circuit's Q-School saga has begun, with pre-qualifying being completed this week, and Stage 1 to follow shortly. No "notables" spotted in the pre-qualies, but there usually are some surprise appearances in Stage 1 and the first fields should be published next week.

6).The new season seems to have caught the Tour on the hop with pgatour.com deferring publication of its "Player Exemptions" until after the AMTATG. Apart from Kaymer's curious membership extension I have yet to see lists of players taking, for instance, career earnings exemptions.

7).But there is a long list of Medical Extensions including some well known pros such as:
Berger (5 events remaining)
Chappell (23)
Cink (8)
DeLaet (24)
Donald (3) - Would think he'd surely take a career earnings free pass. Or retire.
Harrington(11)
Kirk (11)
Lovemark (23)
O'Hair (16)
Schwartzel (12)
Stadler (23)
Villegas (13)
And about two dozen other past champions and Tour journeymen.
(and super_realist pooh poos the mere notion that golf is such a physical sport . . . . . . )

8).Talking about past champions and Tour journeymen, these old lags are among those returning to the Tour courtesy of the Korn Ferry channel:
Brendan Todd
Grayson Murray
Beau Hossler
Lahiri
David Hearn
Streb
Trahan

9).And welcome to Europeans Tom Lewis (he's playing this week and could use some good early results), Viktor Hovland, Ben Taylor, Sebastian Cappelen, HenriK Norlander and Ace Ventura.

10).Back to The Greenbrier with a field so disappointing that 30,000 free tickets are being distributed to pad the attendance. Prof DeChambeau is here, plus Bubba and Marc Leishman, plus defending champ Kevin Na.
The Europeans are led by Russell Knox, Tom Lewis, Hovland, Laird, Lingmerth, Cejka, Power, Freddie Jac, Ventura, Straka, Norlander, Cappelen and Taylor.
(Not sure you'd bet on more than half of them being in the field for the first tournament of 2020/2021.)

Almost finally, in an "if you can't beat 'em, join 'em" move the PGA Tour is adjusting its cut-line to Top 65 and ties and abandoning the 54-hole cut (when more than 78 pros are T70 and ties). So no more MDF's.  

And lastly, really, 2-time Major winner (back in the days when golf thought Majors were the most important events) Angel Cabrera, the 2014 AMTATG Champ, has turned 50 and makes his Champions Tour debut. Happy 50th to Angel and Rob Karlsson.

GPB wrote:Bio Kim has a 2 yr military conscription coming up.  He is 29 and that is about the time they made Sang Moon Bae and Seung Yul Noh do their obligation

Good point on the military thing... this would probably be the optimum time for him to go ahead and take it...

GPB wrote:Robo:  Poulter doesn't get a chance to defend many titles, I would have thought he would be defending in Houston, but he is playing Italy instead.

 yeah... it's pretty bad when you can't even get the defending champion to come back.  I've got no contacts who could give me insight on this anymore, but I'm guessing so many of the top players committing to two or three of the Asian swing, and it being a "lame duck" final season at its current venue are the reasons for the awful field. I had heard that the only thing players really liked about GC of Houston was that it was the week before the Masters and how they prepped the roughs and around/on the greens as much "Augusta like" as they could.  That made it a decent preamble to the Masters, but not much of an attraction in the fall...

Jesus, Na is - 22 after three rounds with a ton of people not far behind. Where's McIlroy saying that the PGA is too easy?

super_realist wrote:Jesus, Na is - 22 after three rounds with a ton of people not far behind. Where's McIlroy saying that the PGA is too easy?

Such an easy set-up that anyone outside the top five will probably need to shoot in the 50's to stand a chance to win. Americans plus Adam Scott occupy the top 14 places, so horses for courses perhaps.
But happy to see some form from Russell Knox and Ace Ventura with the opportunity of a good finish to get their Tour season going.

No guarantee that the Cream will rise to the top in Las Vegas, but elsewhere sad to see some Cream has left drumsticks behind - and the knife he's alleged to have attacked Jack Bruce with, on stage!

News this morning that Captain Woods's plea for his Team to keep competitively sharp for Presidents Cup action seems to have fallen one one set of deaf ears.
BDeC, no doubt dismayed that the Nobel Committee has overlooked his claims for their Physics gong to be announced tomorrow, is apparently eschewing the Asian Swing and taking a couple of months off.
Instead, he's decided he doesn't like his body and will embark immediately on a course of intense strength training in his bid to ensure "the neurological threshhold is just as high as the mechanical threshhold".

Yup. Me too Bryson.

Yup. Because we all know what Tiger means with “competitively sharp” when it comes to team events. So just enjoy your vacation Bryson.

Given the low scoring the first three days I'm surprised the playoff started at -23. Na held it together and his up and down on 18 (in regulation) was impressive.

By Sunday, I actually wanted Na to win - that's a first!
But what an unbelievable pig's ear he made of the 10th hole - my handicap is close to triple digits and I'd've been apoplectic about that effort.


Another hopeless week for European "competitors", none of those who have played the past four Tour events have significantly advanced their chances of keeping their card - hopeless.

kwinigolfer wrote:
Another hopeless week for European "competitors", none of those who have played the past four Tour events have significantly advanced their chances of keeping their card - hopeless.

Harris English is in the top 10 of the FEX.

And did you forget Hovland? One event, one top 10.

No, didn't forget Hovland, but he needs to play more - already down to 50th and he'll slip plenty more this week. Perhaps he'll turn up in the Far East, but only via sponsor invitations.


Amazing putting stats from Kevin Na.
According to pgatour.com he broke the Tour record (in the 16-year ShotLink era anyway) with 580 feet in putts made over 72 holes - that's about an 8 foot putt on each and every hole.
And he was +14 in strokes made putting. That's outrageous!

Na is the first player to win an event with a negative strokes gained from TEE to GREEN. He did all his damage on the Putting greens.

Hovland is playing both CJ Cup and the ZOZO. (so are the other two wunderkids, Wolff and Morikawa)

Here are the fields

https://en.thecjcup.com:452/players.asp

https://zozochampionship.com/en/players.html


Mickelson is down to #46 and looks destined to fall out of the OWGR Top 50 for the first time since Dec 1993. Incredible long run. He is playing Korea next week, he will need a really good week there to stay in the Top 50 for the rest of the year

Thanks for those fields.
Thank goodness Chase Koepka gets in - needs something to keep his interest after flunking European Tour Stage 1 Q-School. Money for nothing, etc, etc.

FWIW, Chase is in Stage I KF qualifying this week in St Georges Utah

Obviously some quid pro quo arrangements in Las Vegas and Korea, as Chase just happened to get invites when Big brother is playing the tournament.

Here is the main tournament page for KF qualifying.

https://pgatq.bluegolf.com/bluegolf/pgatq19/schedule/index.htm

and then there is this guy:

https://twitter.com/acaseofthegolf1/status/1181280589082554369

BTW, Kwini, if you don't follow this account, you should. One of the most informative golf twitter accounts.

Thanks for the Twitter link - never heard of it, and know nothing of Jimmie Jones.
Incidentally, Rochester's Gavin Hall is also double-dipping Q-Schools. Thomas Lovelady (JT's buddy) is thru to Stage 2 in Europe, haven't seen him in KFT Stage 1, but perhaps he's exempt to Stage 2 or 3.

I had seen CK is in Utah, a few decent names teeing it up there.

CK is T3 after Round 1 in Stage I qualifying

I see a Sean Jacklin from Bradenton Florida in the Utah field, I think he is Tony's son.

The face of Stenson's 3-wood caved in so he might be a fade this week even in the weak Houston field.

I'm attending the Houston Open on Saturday so hoping that Knox & Laird can make it to the weekend so I've got some Scots to cheer on.

Played the course a few weeks ago and it was in excellent condition.

Shot 84 albeit not from the Championship tees.

Shouldn't the Houston open be before the Masters?

EmmDee57 wrote:I'm attending the Houston Open on Saturday so hoping that Knox & Laird can make it to the weekend so I've got some Scots to cheer on.

Played the course a few weeks ago and it was in excellent condition.

Have a great time EmmDee, Knox is good to follow, in his own quiet way, but if Laird is not 100% focussed, his mental blunders makes you tear ya hair out, usually impeccable ball-striking notwithstanding.

I wonder if you played the course before or after the flood? robo is often in attendance - heard he carries a walking stick, has a long red beard and wears a deerstalker, but sure he'll have his camera on hand.

EmmDee57 wrote:I'm attending the Houston Open on Saturday so hoping that Knox & Laird can make it to the weekend so I've got some Scots to cheer on.

Played the course a few weeks ago and it was in excellent condition.

Shot 84 albeit not from the Championship tees.

if you want to meet up somewhere, let me know.

Looks like thumbs up for a great week of golf:

https://www.golfchannel.com/news/recovered-imelda-golf-club-houston-ready-final-houston-open

#tellthepros

Their loss if they don't support tournaments properly - but I see they're turning out in force for the ETW money-for-nothing soiree in the Bahamas.

GD Article

Kwin (or anyone else) is the nosferatu mentioned in the article our (OK - sort of our) former poster drac?

Roller_Coaster wrote:GD Article

Kwin (or anyone else) is the nosferatu mentioned in the article our (OK - sort of our) former poster drac?

Yes it is!

https://twitter.com/VC606?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor

Well worth following, and not just for golf!

Scroll down and you'll also see him "you're welcome"ing when others plagiarise his stuff . . . . . .

kwinigolfer wrote:

Roller_Coaster wrote:GD Article

Kwin (or anyone else) is the nosferatu mentioned in the article our (OK - sort of our) former poster drac?

Yes it is!

https://twitter.com/VC606?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor

Well worth following, and not just for golf!

Scroll down and you'll also see him "you're welcome"ing when others plagiarise his stuff . . . . . .

Not the first time he has be plagiarised by GC! He should get on their payroll like that Conor Moore impressionist guy.

PS: I wouldn't be surprised if pd peeps at pieces on here from time to time . . . . . . . . .


Russell Henley first man on Tee #1 in a few minutes - he has an amazing record here:
2013: 45th
2014: 7th
2015: 4th
2016: 5th
2017: WON
2018: 8th
2019: ?


But Stenson also has a fine course record, including twice runner up, a 3rd and a 6th.

kwinigolfer wrote:Well worth following, and not just for golf!

Been following him from roundabout the BMW PGA. When the "storm" erupted over McIlroys easy courses quote Peter Alliss tweeted to him, to ask him to provide data on the relative difficulty of tournaments PGA v ET.
he did an in depth analysis, even down to include strength of field within the tournament, not just scoring averages.

Here's a stat that I'd never have imagined, consecutive PGA Tour cuts made.
No surprise that Tommy Fleetwood leads the way, and not much that Webb Simpson ios second, but a couple of names surprised me:

1st: Fleetwood: 28
2nd: Simpson: 14
3rd: Fitzpatrick: 12
Stenson: 12
Lanto Griffin: 12 - Lanto has kicked off the season with 4 straight top 20 finishes, hasn't missed a cut since Shinnecock in 2018 (played for the Korn Ferrymen last year)
Morikawa: 12

You didn't know that PGATour kept a stat of consecutive cuts made?

FTR, those streaks include events without a cut (as does Tiger's 142 events of not missing cut)

I believe Fleetwood has 9 no cut events in that streak. Last MC was 2018 Quail Hollow.
So there would be four playoff events (BMW and TC) , and 5 WGCs in that time period.

Morikawa and Griffin's streaks include zero no cut events. But Morikawa is about to play CJ Cup and Zozo so his streak will go up to 14 (but gets a little tainted).

Chase Koepka is in 2nd place in Stage I KF qualifying after 36 holes

GPB wrote:You didn't know that PGATour kept a stat of consecutive cuts made?

FTR, those streaks include events without a cut (as does Tiger's 142 events of not missing cut)

I believe Fleetwood has 9 no cut events in that streak.  Last MC was 2018 Quail Hollow.
So there would be four playoff events (BMW and TC) , and 5 WGCs in that time period.

Morikawa and Griffin's streaks include zero no cut events.  But Morikawa is about to play CJ Cup and Zozo so his streak will go up to 14 (but gets a little tainted).

Chase Koepka is in 2nd place in Stage I KF qualifying after 36 holes

Of course I knew the stat existed, but find it incredible, tho obviously accurate, that Lanto was up there!
Don't think too many golf trivia nerds would have guessed that either.
A good stat that, and speaks to an admirable level of consistency.

Well, the first sentence of your post confused me

"...Here's a stat that I'd never have imagined, consecutive PGA Tour cuts made..."

Morikawa is off to phenomenal start to his career, along with Hovland and Wolff Collin is in the Top 5 of Sagarins rankings, while Hovland is in the Top 10 and Wolff should debut in the Top 15 after he plays the CJ Cup next week,

BTW, a Super Typhoon is bearing down on Japan, possibly jeoparding the ZOZO in a couple weeks

The Typhoon is wreaking havoc on the RWC, might even delay the USA's flight home . . . . . . .

https://www.europeantour.com/european-tour/news/video/eddie-pepperell-reviews-italian-food/


I think it would be good if the PGA Tour did a similar foodie review of, say, Houston. Perhaps robo could set that up?

PS: Pepperell is getting fat, never mind identifying veal, he's porking out. Not seeming to help his golf either.

GPB wrote:

and then there is this guy:

https://twitter.com/acaseofthegolf1/status/1181280589082554369

BTW, Kwini, if you don't follow this account, you should.  One of the most informative golf twitter accounts.

GPB, robo,
Is this Jimmy Jones Dawn Coe's son?
Her widower is Jimmie Jones from Tampa who a friend of mine used to play with regularly.
Imagine it probably is (especially with Jimmy Jones being such an unusual name).

kwinigolfer wrote:https://www.europeantour.com/european-tour/news/video/eddie-pepperell-reviews-italian-food/


I think it would be good if the PGA Tour did a similar foodie review of, say, Houston. Perhaps robo could set that up?

PS: Pepperell is getting fat, never mind identifying veal, he's porking out. Not seeming to help his golf either.

Apparently if you eat Italian food you get drug tested... https://twitter.com/PepperellEddie/status/1182382417593675777?s=19

kwinigolfer wrote:https://www.europeantour.com/european-tour/news/video/eddie-pepperell-reviews-italian-food/


I think it would be good if the PGA Tour did a similar foodie review of, say, Houston. Perhaps robo could set that up?

PS: Pepperell is getting fat, never mind identifying veal, he's porking out. Not seeming to help his golf either.

He's never looked very athletic Kwini. Seems in a pre Open Lowry malaise to me.

kwinigolfer wrote:

GPB wrote:

and then there is this guy:

https://twitter.com/acaseofthegolf1/status/1181280589082554369

BTW, Kwini, if you don't follow this account, you should.  One of the most informative golf twitter accounts.

GPB, robo,
Is this Jimmy Jones Dawn Coe's son?
Her widower is Jimmie Jones from Tampa who a friend of mine used to play with regularly.
Imagine it probably is (especially with Jimmy Jones being such an unusual name).

Apparently

https://www.pgatour.com/players/player.54585.jimmy-jones.html

Reading this guys profile, it says that he is the son of Dawn Coe-Jones.

Very cool, Thanks GPB.

From all I hear DC was a wonderful person, hope JJ does well.


Big advantage in Houston yesterday for the morning guys, and scoring good again early today; perhaps a lull before forecasted "weather"?

Rich Beem - he of Sky Sports Golf commentary for our US friends - starting round 2 at 3 under at Houston. Might be a force on the Champions Tour if he goes for it next year.

....and former PGA champion of course.....!

Beemer wrote a really nice piece for the ET website a few years ago showing his appreciation for his one year (I think) exemption and experiences travelling the Continent.
Love his commentary when we hear him.

Had a decent PGA at Baltusrol a couple of years ago when pretty much retired - hope he plays the Champers Tour.

Rich Beem is a token member at my club, doubt he's ever been in the clubhouse but for some reason he is.

I saw Rich a few years back at Swinley Forest (not a member there, just a guest). Affable guy.

The rest of the story about Kevin Na?

https://www.golf.com/news/2019/10/11/inside-kevin-nas-contentious-battle-to-save-his-name/

After a poor 3rd round, Sean Jacklin (Tony's son) shoots 65 to probably advanced to 2nd stage qualifying for the KF Tour.  He is in the house at -10, and -7 is the currently inside the cutline

Chase Koepka is at -13 starting the final round so barring a horrible final round, he should advance as well.

Chase Koepka does advance. And Jacklin. Some other good names too.

But I'd never heard of Harry Hall, an English amateur from Truro who has been at the University of Nevada Las Vegas. He made it comfortably and I think he made it in ET Q-School also, tho not sure about that.

Seamus Power has made the Houston weekend (tied with Bjerregard), but what a mess he made along the way - 3 doubles, 2 bogeys.

And a real test for Tom Lewis who'll need to shoot one over par to get paid. He needs to make the most of these chances - they won't come along very often next year.

Norman Xiong also advanced out of Utah. He was an excellent college player, played in the 2017 Walker Cup and was qualified for the KF tour in 2019.

Butchered his chances completely on the that tour, and he needs to get through 2nd stage and 3rd stage for a Korn Ferry Mulligan.

Lewis making bonehead mistakes - why bother playing if you don't care? 4 putts from 22 feet, 3 from inside 3 ft. Grow up Tom, this is your career.

Shotrock wrote:I saw Rich a few years back at Swinley Forest (not a member there, just a guest). Affable guy.

Rich Beem will be more affable today; getting paid for his golf, up to T18 as Round 2 concludes in Houston.

Other highlight: Graham DeLaet making the cut.
Lowlight: Wasted trip to Texas for H.Stenson.
And likely for Tom Lewis also - he needs to get serious about this PGA Tour thingy or stay home. Hope he proves me wrong.

Pieters round in 1 hour and 59 minutes (about the time it takes to run a marathon) in Italia, Spaun and Bramlett playing the 16th hole as they cross the 3-hour threshold.

Not to say that speed is always better in important sporting matters, but this is ridiculous. Make them tee off in the day's final threesome, perhaps with BDeC, next time they're all in the same field.

kwinigolfer wrote:Here's a stat that I'd never have imagined, consecutive PGA Tour cuts made.
No surprise that Tommy Fleetwood leads the way, and not much that Webb Simpson ios second, but a couple of names surprised me:

1st: Fleetwood: 28
2nd: Simpson: 14
3rd: Fitzpatrick: 12
Stenson: 12
Lanto Griffin: 12 - Lanto has kicked off the season with 4 straight top 20 finishes, hasn't missed a cut since Shinnecock in 2018 (played for the Korn Ferrymen last year)
Morikawa: 12

Another "cut made" for Lanto - and what a win! Good luck to all the hotshots out of college, but this guy's a player!!

Fun tournament.

Message for robo and Jim Crane for next year:

Give the first 144 places to all who played this week and make the rest alternates.

Great tournament conclusion with loads of interesting back stories. Except for the Europeans, Straka excepted (good week for Austria).

OK, That's the end of the first US "Swing" of the new PGA Tour season, a fine opportunity for new Tour Members, those with Conditional Status however tenuous, and plenty of others without exemptions beyond this season to make some FedEx Point hay before the limited field nonsense in Asia these next three weeks.

How did the Europeans do?

Not that great.
Excluding Molinari (played once, T23) and Stenson (played Houston, MC), both of whom are exempt for a few more years, there were 52 starts by Europeans and their collective performance looks pretty grisly:

Played 52
Top Ten finishes: 2:
Straka: T4 this week in Houston (following 4 missed cuts)
Hovland: T10 at The Greenbrier

Other Top 25 finishes: 1 - Ace Ventura: T18 in Las Vegas

Other cuts made: 16

Missed cuts: 33 - 63%

And, of the 17 (excluding Henry & Franny) who competed, only Straka (40th), Hovland (63rd), Ventura (86th), Knox 107th), Ben Taylor (109th) and Laird (113th) are in the top 125 in FedEx Points. So gawd help the lot of you when the galacticos return to action (this week!).

I'd say only Straka (who seems to blow hot and cold and could yet say that he'll take US citizenship) and Hovland have a decent chance of retaining their cards.
Anyone called Ventura, Knox, Taylor, Laird,Cappelen, Norlander, Bjerregard, Power, Lewis or Lingmerth look to have their work cut out for them.
Whilst Cejka, Chopra and Jacobson may not care.
And Stephan Jaeger seems not to be the hot-shot he was once thought to be and who will be full time on the KFTour.

And I'd add Hatton and Luke Donald to those who may struggle.