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.

kwinigolfer wrote: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?

It was definitely a lot more fun watching The Grand Slam from Port Royal than a tournament full of lesser beings, but we'll still be glued to the tv yelling things like "I've birdied that hole , and he can't even par it !".  The signature hole is the par 3 16th hole which has the potential to cause carnage on a really windy day.
Am I the only person who found McCord annoying ? I felt most of the time that he was trying too hard to be funny.  And the new team is going to be David Love III and the Immelman brothers, or is that just a rumour ?

Plunky

That was the rumoured line up on most of the stories reporting the sackings. Not sure either of us are in the demographics golf commentators are aimed at. Golf for me is something that is on in the background (muted) while I do something else liked playing video games or cooking.

Plunky wrote:

kwinigolfer wrote: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?

It was definitely a lot more fun watching The Grand Slam from Port Royal than a tournament full of lesser beings, but we'll still be glued to the tv yelling things like "I've birdied that hole , and he can't even par it !".  The signature hole is the par 3 16th hole which has the potential to cause carnage on a really windy day.
Am I the only person who found McCord annoying ? I felt most of the time that he was trying too hard to be funny.  And the new team is going to be David Love III and the Immelman brothers, or is that just a rumour ?

Hope you've got a pitcher of Dark and Stormys ready to go, Plunky . . . . . . . .


I think Kostis will be a huge loss, not so much McCord who also seemed to pick and choose his tournaments.
Can't imagine Love being any good, but he could be a part-timer too.
Don't think I'm the only won who finds Mark I just awful, though Trev isn't too bad. Wish they'd give an opportunity to Matt Gogel who's better than the latest alternatives.

Taylor Funk (and his father) is playing at Port Royal - presumably because he flunked Stage 1 Q-School.
And some of the field can't get exempt on the Champo Tour - I'd withdraw their PGA Tour status so younger guys could get a chance.

kwinigolfer wrote:

Plunky wrote:

kwinigolfer wrote: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?

It was definitely a lot more fun watching The Grand Slam from Port Royal than a tournament full of lesser beings, but we'll still be glued to the tv yelling things like "I've birdied that hole , and he can't even par it !".  The signature hole is the par 3 16th hole which has the potential to cause carnage on a really windy day.
Am I the only person who found McCord annoying ? I felt most of the time that he was trying too hard to be funny.  And the new team is going to be David Love III and the Immelman brothers, or is that just a rumour ?

Hope you've got a pitcher of Dark and Stormys ready to go, Plunky . . . . . . . .


I think Kostis will be a huge loss, not so much McCord who also seemed to pick and choose his tournaments.
Can't imagine Love being any good, but he could be a part-timer too.
Don't think I'm the only won who finds Mark I just awful, though Trev isn't too bad. Wish they'd give an opportunity to Matt Gogel who's better than the latest alternatives.

Taylor Funk (and his father) is playing at Port Royal - presumably because he flunked Stage 1 Q-School.
And some of the field can't get exempt on the Champo Tour - I'd withdraw their PGA Tour status so younger guys could get a chance.

Yes, I definitely agree about the Immelman brothers. I actually cannot stand either in the commentary booth. Like listening to paint dry.

Any word on rumoured Presidents Cup picks apart from Tiger himself?

Like for instance is Fowler a lock or something considering he hasn't played in two months....I know he got married but I'm surprised he hasn't played since the end of last season!

sirbenson wrote:Any word on rumoured Presidents Cup picks apart from Tiger himself?

Like for instance is Fowler a lock or something considering he hasn't played in two months....I know he got married but I'm surprised he hasn't played since the end of last season!

I reckon Rickie has probably opted out - he knows the criteria of pushing the choices back to showcase blokes in form.
Imagine they'll pass him by and go Finau, Woodland, Reed & Woods who are the next four after the automatic qualifiers.
There was some buzz earlier about Na, but he's said nah to the WGC. Possibly injured?

No Phil.

Chase Koepka playing in Stage 2 KF qualifying this week in Mckinney TX

Currently outside the bubble.

Kiwi leading right now, Harry Hall from England barely inside the bubble

https://pgatq.bluegolf.com/bluegolf/pgatq19/event/pgatq1917/contest/1/leaderboard.htm

Davis Love on the CBS team? UGH.....Say it aint so. Can't think of too many players I would like to see less than DL III.

McLaren wrote:Plunky

That was the rumoured line up on most of the stories reporting the sackings. Not sure either of us are in the demographics golf commentators are aimed at. Golf for me is something that is on in the background (muted) while I do something else liked playing video games or cooking.

I doubt that American golf coverage bothers about the demographic.

By the way, you are far too old for "video games" Mac. More evidence you don't have that "girlfriend" you claim to have. What is he/she doing whilst you are watching golf on one TV and playing a computer on the other?

GPB wrote:Chase Koepka playing in Stage 2 KF qualifying this week in Mckinney TX

Always sounds more like everyone else's mantra in the majors.

"Gee, DJ/Rory/Jordan etc, what're you goin' to do tomorrow when you tee it up?"

"Chase Koepka"

I'd rather Chase his parents for giving their kids stupid names.

Roller_Coaster wrote:

GPB wrote:Chase Koepka playing in Stage 2 KF qualifying this week in Mckinney TX

Always sounds more like everyone else's mantra in the majors.

"Gee, DJ/Rory/Jordan etc, what're you goin' to do tomorrow when you tee it up?"

"Chase Koepka"

Good one!

And again with snarking on names?

Roller_Coaster wrote:

GPB wrote:Chase Koepka playing in Stage 2 KF qualifying this week in Mckinney TX

Always sounds more like everyone else's mantra in the majors.

"Gee, DJ/Rory/Jordan etc, what're you goin' to do tomorrow when you tee it up?"

"Chase Koepka"

Good one!

Pedro: again with snarking on names?

This has been a wasted autumn for almost all the European journeymen on the PGA Tour and they're coming up short in Bermuda so far as well.
In what is a pathetically weak field, no-one is inside the top twenty, T20 from Norlander the best so far as the morning wave prepare to leave the course and head for the beach.
Hope Russell Knox fares better this afternoon.


PS: Re: Stupid names: My neighbour just gave birth and called her son Ignatius - whatever next. (Unimpressed with my observation that the father is hereon to be known as Iggy Pop.)

kwinigolfer wrote:This has been a wasted autumn for almost all the European journeymen on the PGA Tour and they're coming up short in Bermuda so far as well.
In what is a pathetically weak field, no-one is inside the top twenty, T20 from Norlander the best so far as the morning wave prepare to leave the course and head for the beach.
Hope Russell Knox fares better this afternoon.


PS: Re: Stupid names: My neighbour just gave birth and called her son Ignatius - whatever next. (Unimpressed with my observation that the father is hereon to be known as Iggy Pop.)

Happy to see Russell Knox got the message, even tho other Europeans apparently didn't. A nice round of 64 (-7), coincidentally as the tournament site of his biggest win is hosting the opposite field WGC event in China.

I was thinking that Poulter was just going through the motions or “mailing it in” for our US posters. Turns out he’s got a dodgy wrist and going back to Orlando to get it sorted.

I'm never wrong wrote:I was thinking that Poulter was just going through the motions or “mailing it in” for our US posters. Turns out he’s got a dodgy wrist and going back to Orlando to get it sorted.

The "Postman" mailing it in?

Surely not . . . . . .

Don't feel strongly about most all the announcers and replacements with the exception of Peter Kostis. Always enjoy his insights. Here's his reaction to the dismissal: https://www.golf.com/news/2019/10/31/peter-kostis-opens-up-disrespectful-cbs-dismissal/

Sr,
The accompanying sycophancy about Davis Love by Michael Bamberger is also interesting.

I always thought Kostis held the broadcast together; he seldom, if ever, took a week off unless it was battling cancer and kept the show moving when Faldo & Nantz were inclined to be a little too much up themselves.
Baker Finch works hard and focuses on all golfers, not just established Americans and college kids - perhaps if DLIII can learn to do that he'll be OK.
McCord had got lazy, imo, and perhaps should have been farmed out earlier, But it does make one wonder what their Augusta line-up may look like.

IMO, IBF was the worst announcer on the CBS crew, followed by Kostis. But as Kwini has opined before, the CBS and NBC crew's average age is way too old. DL III and TI willlower the average age a bit, but it will still be near or over 60 yrs old for the A-Team.

That Kostis interview appear to insinuating that DLIII will resonate better with the Millenials. Well maybe better than Kostis, but that is an extremely low standard. Faldo, IBF, Trevor as part of the A-Team. All speak English with a Non-American Accent. and Kiwi Nobilo is part of the B-Team.

The NBC team is bigger, but is also has a lot of the geritol gang. Azinger, Maltbie, Koch, Feherty, Rolfing, Jacobsen are all pretty old. I think both networks are ignoring a gold mine of potential analysts. The Caddy shack. Bones can sycophantic at times but he does provide some excellent analysis at times. There has got to be some well-spoken caddies who would jump at a chance for a career change.

And why not some more women in the broadcast booth?

GPB,
Wasn't saying that IBF was a good commentator, just that he's renowned among the players for being the hardest worker in any booth, and he actually takes the trouble to learn about the players, all the players and not just the "faces"; whereas guys like Azinger & McCord fail that criteria, year in, year out.

Still think Kostis will be a huge miss but he's nearly as old as me.
PS: John Wood is good, as well as Mackay (who has done a fair job of losing his English accent).

ICYMI, Chase Koepka advanced out of 2nd stage KF Q-School using Brooks caddie in very cold conditions in Dallas.

GPB wrote:ICYMI, Chase Koepka advanced out of 2nd stage KF Q-School using Brooks caddie in very cold conditions in Dallas.

What does "very cold" in Dallas equate to? 15c?

Tuesday high was 48 deg F
Wed was 45 deg
Thu was 52 deg
Fri was 61 deg

Excellent work from Rory in China.

Even if he wins in Dubai in a few weeks, he won't catch Koepka in the OWGR by the end of the year. (assuming neither player adds an event to their schedule)

GPB wrote:Excellent work from Rory in China.

Even if he wins in Dubai in a few weeks, he won't catch Koepka in the OWGR by the end of the year.  (assuming neither player adds an event to their schedule)

We can call it the Koepka Chase.

GPB wrote:Tuesday high was 48 deg F
Wed was 45 deg
Thu was 52 deg
Fri was 61 deg

Do you have that in old money?  

I am a person who thinks in Celsius when it’s cold and Fahrenheit when hot. I have a trick to remember that 16C = 61F and 28C = 82F

F=1.8C+32

It was a lot of fun watching the pros playing Port royal, but disappointed that the wind didn't blow harder.  One time we played there I was standing over a putt on the 12 th hole and my glasses blew off my head.  Another time they took the flags out and laid them on the green so they wouldn't damage the holes.  And best of all, you have to aim the ball out over the ocean on the 16th so the wind will blow it back onto the course.  There's a plaque on the 16 th back tee with a quote from Lucas Glover "Man I've never been so nervous on a shot".  Hopefully next year the course will show its teeth !

GPB wrote:Tuesday high was 48 deg F
Wed was 45 deg
Thu was 52 deg
Fri was 61 deg

Pretty much perfect conditions then. I played TOC on Saturday in shirt sleeves and it was only about 11c.

super_realist wrote:

GPB wrote:Tuesday high was 48 deg F
Wed was 45 deg
Thu was 52 deg
Fri was 61 deg

Pretty much perfect conditions then. I played TOC on Saturday in shirt sleeves and it was only about 11c.

In Scotland?

Global warming. Climate emergency!!! Build an ark. Save the species.

Has McIlroy somewhat resurrected his career this year? It feels like he has reestablished his position as one of the the very best even though he missed out on on the majors.

As opposed to warm or hot conditions, I consider temps from 45-60 deg "Cold" conditions for golf. Temps in the 40's are very cold.

Depends if it’s cloudy or windy. 60F and sunny sounds ideal to me.

GPB wrote:As opposed to warm or hot conditions, I consider temps from 45-60 deg "Cold" conditions for golf.  Temps in the 40's are very cold.

Cold by your usual Texas standards, but certainly not cold conditions to play golf in.
Saturday being 11c and windless was among the most perfect and pleasant golf weather I have ever played in.

Last time I check, 45 deg is less than 11 deg C, and in Texas, it is usually windy, especially after a cold front.

I didn't claim 45F was 11c, but you gave a range of old fashioned Fahrenheit temperatures of which 11c falls between. I said I played in 11c at the weekend and it was lovely.

Your range was 48- 61F which is 7-16C. Not exactly frostbite conditions. Most people in the northern hemisphere would be delighted to be playing in those temperatures at this time of the year.

Just for the record, 7c (45F) is perfectly playable. Man up.

Of course if you drive around in a golf cart and hardly move, I can understand if you get cold at 7C.

I will take 11C this weekend. Wouldn't even need a jacket. Is texas full of pussies?

Mac - A bit harsh! Since when is choosing to play/not play golf at a specific temperature a sign of masculinity?

super_realist wrote:I didn't claim 45F was 11c, but you gave a range of old fashioned Fahrenheit temperatures of which 11c falls between. I said I played in 11c at the weekend and it was lovely.

Good for you

super_realist wrote:Your range was 48- 61F  which is 7-16C. Not exactly frostbite conditions. Most people in the northern hemisphere would be delighted to be playing in those temperatures at this time of the year.

My range was 45 to 61F.  not 48-61F.  And FTR, those were "HIGH" temps, the 61 deg was a high temperature at 5 pm, well after they finished playing.  Tee time temps were in the 30's on each day

super_realist wrote:Just for the record, 7c (45F) is perfectly playable. Man up.

Did I say anything different? My description was "very cold", never said "Unplayable".  You made the comment that 15 Deg C might be considered very cold.  From my reading of the temperatures, Chase might have never played in Temps at 15C  (59 deg F).

There is a reason why PGATour Q-School play in events in warmer climates at this time of year.  (Florida, Texas, Alabama, Southern California)  I don't see any events in Michigan, or New York or Maine.
 
Looking at the European Tour School, I don't see any of the 2nd stage events being conducted in Scotland, or Sweden, or Ireland.  They are all being conducted in Spain.

Ernie sent tickets to Melbourne to Day, Hadwin, Niemann and Im.

Does Jason Day give a sh1t about the Presidents Cup? No evidence on past (Tigerish?) performances that he does.

Had he not been picked for the Prez Cup, IMO, Jason Day would have canceled his trip to the Aussie Open.

GPB wrote:Had he not been picked for the Prez Cup, IMO, Jason Day would have canceled his trip to the Aussie Open.

Inclined to agree. However, had he not been picked for the pres cup he may well have sacked golf off entirely through embarrassment .

Shotrock wrote:Mac - A bit harsh! Since when is choosing to play/not play golf at a specific temperature a sign of masculinity?

I presume you are aware of the phrase McJobs. The Scottish equivalent is MacHumour.

Roller_Coaster wrote:

Shotrock wrote:Mac - A bit harsh! Since when is choosing to play/not play golf at a specific temperature a sign of masculinity? ;)

I presume you are aware of the phrase McJobs. The Scottish equivalent is MacHumour. :whistle:

Mcjobs probably has better prospects than MacHumour.

Dunno ... Still thinking my wife may find me more attractive if I come home frostbitten from golf. I'll get back to you guys in a few months. Winter on the way here.

For Nerds only

The "Stats" pages at PGATour-com have been enhanced. You can research stats on specific tournaments, plus a lot of trend stats are available (last 5 events, 15 events)

Finau, Woodland, Reed, Woods heading to Royal Melbourne.

Fingers crossed that Tiger picks himself when he's Ryder Cup Captain, whenever that may be.