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.

Iain Carter has finally noticed what I have been saying for a few years.

Hosting a European Ryder Cup is a curse for the venues.

https://www.bbc.com/sport/golf/50046218

GPB wrote:Iain Carter has finally noticed what I have been saying for a few years.

Hosting a European Ryder Cup is a curse for the venues.

https://www.bbc.com/sport/golf/50046218

I thought that was your nom de plume - he went to Georgia Tech you know.
Speaking of which, Stewart Cink playing en Paris this week.

Interesting read (IMO):

https://www.golfchannel.com/news/future-bright-houston-open-memorial-park-move

GPB - Yes you have been saying that for years!

kwinigolfer wrote:

GPB wrote:Iain Carter has finally noticed what I have been saying for a few years.

Hosting a European Ryder Cup is a curse for the venues.

https://www.bbc.com/sport/golf/50046218

I thought that was your nom de plume - he went to Georgia Tech you know.
Speaking of which, Stewart Cink playing en Paris this week.

Carter?



On the RC venues falling off the schedule could it just be that we have a conscious bias towards noting their fate but actually loads of venues fall off the ET schedule? The ET does seem to have a decent turn over of events and venues in general. There is also the fact that new ET events tend to be added in Asia while the RC is held in Europe.

18 consecutive rounds below 70 for Viktor on the PGATour. A modern record.

21 of 25 rounds on the PGATour as a professional have been 69 or better

31 of 37 rounds as Professional have been 69 or better (2/4 in Wentworth, in 6/8 the KF Finals)

"Cashed" OWGR points in 12 consecutive events

Happy 50th Birthday Ernie, no Champions Tour events for him to play until next year. Bad time to turn 50 for a pro golfer.

Do you think Ernie will be competitive GPB? He seems to have lost interest over the last few seasons, especially with the flat stick. I find it hard to believe he will be.

Put it this way, Super wouldn't approve of Ernies waistline these days.

How could you Mc, what with World Obesity day only last week!

Be_the_ball wrote:Do you think Ernie will be competitive GPB? He seems to have lost interest over the last few seasons, especially with the flat stick. I find it hard to believe he will be.

The guys who d1ck around with the Champions Tour, such as Veej (whose made a bit of cash, but not dominated) and DLIII (who hasn't even won much loot) recently, don't tend to do too well, and I see Ernie as being similarly conflicted, especially given the appearance fees he seems to get to play all around the world.

McLaren wrote:Put it this way, Super wouldn't approve of Ernies waistline these days.

He's winning the battle with anorexia.

Here's the published field for next week's Zozo Championship.
Not sure what the entry criteria is, but a strong field in prospect:

https://www.pgatour.com/tournaments/the-zozo-championship/field.html

#19 for Viktor

IIRC, Zozo criteria is similar to CJ Cup. Top 60 available from the previous year FEX ranking is eligible. Since #75 Streelman is first alternate, the 60th FEX player was #74 Matt Wolff.

But a couple of weeks ago when I looked at the field, Wolff was in, but so was Kuchar and Snedeker, so Wolff must have got a sponsors invite.

The other 18 players are sponsors invites, and eligible players from the Japanese Tour.

Incidentally, the Japan Open (Japan PGA's flagship event) is being played this week. Up until a week or so ago, Ishikawa was the #1 player on the money list, but he didn't play well last week, and it looks like he is missing the cut this week. (weather delayed)

From Robo:

Top 60 of FEX plus these players

Spoiler:

GPB wrote:#19 for Viktor

IIRC, Zozo criteria is similar to CJ Cup.  Top 60 available from the previous year FEX ranking is eligible.  Since #75 Streelman is first alternate, the 60th FEX player was #74 Matt Wolff.

But a couple of weeks ago when I looked at the field, Wolff was in, but so was Kuchar and Snedeker, so Wolff must have got a sponsors invite.

The other 18 players are sponsors invites, and eligible players from the Japanese Tour.

Incidentally, the Japan Open (Japan PGA's flagship event) is being played this week.  Up until a week or so ago, Ishikawa was the #1 player on the money list, but he didn't play well last week, and it looks like he is missing the cut this week.  (weather delayed)

Thanks GPB.

Still have no time whatsoever for the "Asian Swing" - but am interested in Round 1 of the Champions Tour "Play Offs". There'll be minimal change in the Schwab points list but the three tournaments are usually well-contested on decent courses - especially like Sherwood CC, the site of Round 2 action (in a fortnight), as good a course for risk/reward golf that we get to see from our armchairs.
Some guy named Montgomerie off to a good start.

Matt Every is an idiot.
He seems to have proved it again, a repeat offender:

https://www.golfchannel.com/news/matt-every-suspended-pga-tour-12-weeks-after-testing-positive-cannabis

What a berk.

More of a slap on the wrist as it turns out though as he only seems to be missing a couple of events.

Seems odd that the suspension is announced on a late Friday afternoon.

Koepka WD from CJ Cup with a knee injury. Keep up that lifting and working out Brooks!

Second tournament that ET Q-School flop Chase has beaten Brooksy.

Not particularly good timing for Koepka to suffer a knee injury, following his taking the p1ss out of Rory.

69 or better streak cam to an end in the third round for Viktor.

Danny Lee's wife delivered a baby 2 month premature last weekend, and yet he is playing this week, and playing well and scheduled to play next week.

Spieth is having a good tournament, but his tendency to go brain dead for a hole or two continues.

Webb Simpson is the current leader in "OWGR cashes", with 14 in row. Viktor has 12 in a row, and likely to catch Simpson after Zozo. Morikawa has 11 in a row, also likely to get an additional two in a row this week and next.

JB Holmes also WDed from CJ Cup, and also WDed next week, opening the door for Kevin Streelman.

Koepka currently "committed" for the HSBC Champions. Wonder if he'll makeit?

Woods apparently not playing, which makes one wonder how much ETW is guaranteed to play in Japan.

#goodjobthepgatourdoesntpayappearancefees . . . . . . . . . . . . .

kwinigolfer wrote:Second tournament that ET Q-School flop Chase has beaten Brooksy.

Not particularly good timing for Koepka to suffer a knee injury, following his taking the p1ss out of Rory.

Have to say I got a laugh out of Koepka with the Rory needle. But of banter, shows some personality, spice things up a little for the coming season. Good for the game.

Poor auld Koepka seems to forget though that he was scratching around on the ET while Rory was winning majors

Golf needs a good rivalry. Hopefully Koepka's barbs will inspire McIlroy to do a bit better in majors.

princedrac getting more and more recognition. From the excellent Doug Ferguson of the Associated Press, writing on golfchannel.com:

"According to a world ranking analyst who goes by 'Nosferatu' on Twitter . . . . " etc, etc., talking about Phil's ranking.

And Rory confirms he'll be playing for Ireland in the 2020 Olympics, presumably one leg in UK & NI, one leg having brexited (if Johnson has his moronic way, and if border warfare hasn't broken out by then).

I guess Rory is predicting NI and Ireland will have united by then.

No one going to mention his 64?

McLaren wrote:No one going to mention his 64?

Was very tempted to post something after he went +3 early . . . . . . !

But I see a typhoon is incoming, early tee times for Round 2.

At the other end of affairs, what the hell does McDowell think he's playing at - home in 45?

kwinigolfer wrote:
But I see a typhoon is incoming, early tee times for Round 2.

What, you think he will repeat his 64?

I'll say it ... nice start. But one round does not a tournament make.

McLaren wrote:

kwinigolfer wrote:
But I see a typhoon is incoming, early tee times for Round 2.

What, you think he will repeat his 64?

No 64's today, not from ETW, not from anyone. (Especially McDool who seems to be taking the weekend off, come hell or, in this case, high water.)

20 years ago today, the golf world lost an iconic golfer when a plane lost cabin pressure.

Eddie Pepperell is trying to get Kaymer on "First Dates" after he beat Kaymer in round 2 in Portugal. Don't know exactly what that might be, but I have a good guess.

https://twitter.com/EuropeanTour/status/1187697787384803328

Was McDowell playing to the wrong greens?

An argument made in golf digest that Tiger should have 95 PGAT wins already, instead of the 81 he has. They also claim the additions are made by using a similar standard to the one used to get Sneads 82. If that is the case I say subtract from Snead and don't add the likes of the Hero to Tigers total. I value limited fields like that a little more than some on here but why complicate things when deciding how many PGAT wins a player has. A win at the Hero is a fine achievement but just a little different to winning a PGAT event. A raw wins number is another tally altogether.

https://www.golfdigest.com/story/use-the-sam-snead-criteria-for-wins-tiger-woods-actually-has-95-tour-titles-well-explain?utm_social-type=owned&utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social&mbid=social_twitter&utm_brand=gd

Tiger Tiger Tiger. Click bait.

If you really want to measure his greatness you should add his ET wins. # of PGAT wins is purely academic.

Three rounds does not a tournament make but Tiger has to be feeling good he's able to compete at this level once again. Good to see.

Four rounds DOES a tournament make. Well done Tiger!

Another for Tiger, I have written him off so many times! Should never do that.

Same here, I was convinced he should have retired after the Masters. I guess equalling Sneads 82 shows there was at least one reason to continue. The BBC article on his win also mentioned that Tiger also has the best win rate in tour history at about 22%

Never mind Woods dodgy knee. What the hell has happened to his face? No longer is he 9C, but Beachball Face.
He looks like an Aardman character.

And for comparison Jack's PGAT win percentage is only 12%.

Is Tiger back?

Incredible achievement, there will surely be more. Given Sam Snead's current tally of 82 included some iffy tournaments that could hardly be considered PGA Tour events, Tiger is already out there on his own. If he wins another Major next year it will be mental!

Well, on top of Tigers ET wins, you could add the Hero wins, plus wins on other tours (Japan, Aussie). Comparing him to Snead is purely for the stat geeks.

Go away for a few days and Tiger's won again and CBS has fired Kostis & McCord.
World is upside down!

Wonder why ETW is not playing this week.
Presumably Japan pays bigger appearance fees than China.

Terrible field for the Plunky Open in Bermuda . . . . . . . . . What's the point?

Legendary from Tiger Woods!!! The greatest!

sirbenson wrote:Legendary from Tiger Woods!!! The greatest!

The stats say so, the ageing golf bores say otherwise.

McLaren wrote:

sirbenson wrote:Legendary from Tiger Woods!!! The greatest!

The stats say so, the ageing golf bores say otherwise.

Extraordinary result, Mac. It certainly takes Sam Snead out of the equation, doesn't it?

Is he going back into mothballs now to avoid the WGC?

Kwini

He doesn't seem to be able to win without needing some surgery soon after. Could well happen again. Although I suspect he just can't be arsed with the WGC.


On Snead I don't think Tiger passing his number took him out the equation but rather the era in which Snead racked up his wins. Hardly the field strengths of the modern PGAT.

Just kidding, Mac . . . . . . . . . . .

Most PGAT wins wouldn't be the most ridiculous criteria for best ever, so maybe some people did see Snead in the running for the GOAT.

Stage 2 Q-School underway in Texas - Cornwall's Harry Hall leading the way after Round 1.
It looks as if he could be the real thing, still an amateur, I think. Got duffed up a bit in the Walker Cup though.