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.

pedro wrote:Kwini,
The situation stunk and he knew it.
For some odd reason I think he’ll get away with it though. But any other player would have been called out as a cheat.

What an absolute plank Reed is, This cannot be normalised or else the game is in big trouble, it will turn into a farce. Strong action is needed like a ban imo.

Something very Drumpfian about Patrick Reed, blaming a camera angle - I didn't do anything wrong, except I got caught and all the evidence is there. Big fat hoax. Fake news. etc.

GPB wrote:If the quiz is about Current Pop-Culture I would fail miserably.

I seen some "REACT" youtube videos where today's young people were asked about 1970's and 1980's pop culture.  And it was incredible that don't know AC/DC and Guns 'n Roses and Led Zeppelin.

I don't find this all that surprising. I wouldn't expect many people of say 50 to have heard of whatever passes for music aimed at the youth these days. I certainly wouldn't know a song by Taylor Swift, Ed Sheeran, Jay Zed or anything like that if it were on the radio.

How is Tigers shirt allowed. That doesn’t have a collar to me. Or is it allowed now?

Can't stand that Tiger tournament, but love it when Europeans take advantage. Henrik!!!
And: That must be the worst trophy in sport. Hideous.

kwinigolfer wrote:Can't stand that Tiger tournament, but love it when Europeans take advantage. Henrik!!!
And: That must be the worst trophy in sport. Hideous.

There is a worse trophy I'm afraid Kwini -

https://twitter.com/StaysureTour/status/1203389928387862528?s=19

inspired by the coco de mer?

Should’ve been

inspired by the coco merde

I'm never wrong wrote:How is Tigers shirt allowed. That doesn’t have a collar to me. Or is it allowed now?

It’s his tournament.

super_realist wrote:

GPB wrote:If the quiz is about Current Pop-Culture I would fail miserably.

I seen some "REACT" youtube videos where today's young people were asked about 1970's and 1980's pop culture.  And it was incredible that don't know AC/DC and Guns 'n Roses and Led Zeppelin.

I don't find this all that surprising. I wouldn't expect many people of say 50 to have heard of whatever passes for music aimed at the youth these days.  I certainly wouldn't know a song by Taylor Swift, Ed Sheeran, Jay Zed or anything like that if it were on the radio.

I’d say there’s something wrong with you then. Not that you should know all their stuff, but at least those songs with >1 bn streams and/or having been #1 for months.

Be_the_ball wrote:

kwinigolfer wrote:Can't stand that Tiger tournament, but love it when Europeans take advantage. Henrik!!!
And: That must be the worst trophy in sport. Hideous.

There is a worse trophy I'm afraid Kwini -

https://twitter.com/StaysureTour/status/1203389928387862528?s=19

I love it!

Be_the_ball wrote:

kwinigolfer wrote:Can't stand that Tiger tournament, but love it when Europeans take advantage. Henrik!!!
And: That must be the worst trophy in sport. Hideous.

There is a worse trophy I'm afraid Kwini -

https://twitter.com/StaysureTour/status/1203389928387862528?s=19

Butt Ugly for sure

GPB wrote:

Be_the_ball wrote:

kwinigolfer wrote:Can't stand that Tiger tournament, but love it when Europeans take advantage. Henrik!!!
And: That must be the worst trophy in sport. Hideous.

There is a worse trophy I'm afraid Kwini -

https://twitter.com/StaysureTour/status/1203389928387862528?s=19

Butt Ugly for sure

Designed by Kim Kardashian

Be_the_ball wrote:

pedro wrote:Kwini,
The situation stunk and he knew it.
For some odd reason I think he’ll get away with it though. But any other player would have been called out as a cheat.

What an absolute plank Reed is, This cannot be normalised or else the game is in big trouble, it will turn into a farce. Strong action is needed like a ban imo.

Reed is now saying that Team USA is off to Royal Melbourne to "go hopefully dominate".

Hopefully it'll be a better competition than he's expecting - if the Internationals get royally thumped, as they did last time at RM, you'd have to start wondering What's the point?

I’m afraid we’ll see Ishikawa at Augusta again...

pedro wrote:I’m afraid we’ll see Ishikawa at Augusta again...

A recent piece on golfchannel.com suggested we could be headed for a much bigger field than usual at Augusta. One of the smallest in 2019, one of the largest, apparently, in 2020.

kwinigolfer wrote:

Be_the_ball wrote:

pedro wrote:Kwini,
The situation stunk and he knew it.
For some odd reason I think he’ll get away with it though. But any other player would have been called out as a cheat.

What an absolute plank Reed is, This cannot be normalised or else the game is in big trouble, it will turn into a farce. Strong action is needed like a ban imo.

Reed is now saying that Team USA is off to Royal Melbourne to "go hopefully dominate".

Hopefully it'll be a better competition than he's expecting - if the Internationals get royally thumped, as they did last time at RM, you'd have to start wondering What's the point?

With respect to the Ryder Cup, What was the point in the 50's and 60's and 70's?

Why did the Cubs keep playing MLB for 100+ years w/o ever winning a World Series

Why do the Cleveland Browns keep playing NFL Football.

Why do the Maple Leafs keep playing Hockey?

why do the Knicks keep playing in NBA.

GPB wrote:

kwinigolfer wrote:

Be_the_ball wrote:

pedro wrote:Kwini,
The situation stunk and he knew it.
For some odd reason I think he’ll get away with it though. But any other player would have been called out as a cheat.

What an absolute plank Reed is, This cannot be normalised or else the game is in big trouble, it will turn into a farce. Strong action is needed like a ban imo.

Reed is now saying that Team USA is off to Royal Melbourne to "go hopefully dominate".

Hopefully it'll be a better competition than he's expecting - if the Internationals get royally thumped, as they did last time at RM, you'd have to start wondering What's the point?

With respect to the Ryder Cup, What was the point in the 50's and 60's and 70's?

Why did the Cubs keep playing MLB for 100+ years w/o ever winning a World Series

Why do the Cleveland Browns keep playing NFL Football.

Why do the Maple Leafs keep playing Hockey?

why do the Knicks keep playing in NBA.

There's significant interest from the fans in all of those sports. Not so the President's Cup.

As long as your team represents a city, state, country, or even continent, there'll be a fan base or interest. Just look at San Marino and Andorra in international football. They keep showing up and give it their best despite hardly ever having scored a goal.

But the President Cup Intl team doesn't represent anything. It doesn't represent a certain geographic or demographic entity, it doesn't even represent a certain league, confederation or tour. It's just a bunch of left-overs. The PC survives because it's golf's equivalent of a bull fight - and some people (mostly Americans) find it amusing to watch despite knowing how it ends.

There was no American Fan Base for the Ryder Cup before 1985 either. Americans didn't care about the Ryder Cup, until we lost.

Likewise, We didn't care about Americas Cup until we lost or Olympic Basketball, until we lost.

I missed the golf at the weekend, who won the presidents cup?

McLaren wrote:I missed the golf at the weekend, who won the presidents cup?

Not sure Mac, but the Americans haven't been permitted entry to Australia following President Drumpf's declaration that Americans are flushing their toilets "10 or 15 times" at each sitting. Not a very welcome trend in countries that actually care about the environment:

https://fox8.com/2019/12/07/trump-claims-americans-have-to-flush-the-toilet-10-times-15-times-as-opposed-to-once/


EDIT: There are some hilariously (really) funny funnies on line - you don't have to look very far for suggestions that Trump Tower and the White House might be leading culprits . . . . . . . .

McLaren wrote:I missed the golf at the weekend, who won the presidents cup?

Jason and Bernhard Langer I think.

GPB wrote:There was no American Fan Base for the Ryder Cup before 1985 either.  Americans didn't care about the Ryder Cup, until we lost.

Likewise, We didn't care about Americas Cup until we lost or Olympic Basketball, until we lost.

Says a lot about America.

super_realist wrote:

GPB wrote:There was no American Fan Base for the Ryder Cup before 1985 either.  Americans didn't care about the Ryder Cup, until we lost.

Likewise, We didn't care about Americas Cup until we lost or Olympic Basketball, until we lost.

Says a lot about America.

Why would we care when we already know what the result was going to be.

Reed being nicknamed “The Excavator” by Aussie fans.

I'm never wrong wrote:Reed being nicknamed “The Excavator” by Aussie fans.

Rumours out that he just signed with a new equipment sponsor.

pedro wrote:

I'm never wrong wrote:Reed being nicknamed “The Excavator” by Aussie fans.

Rumours out that he just signed with a new equipment sponsor.

Haha that's classic!

"I was able to identify him because he had two golf gloves on":

https://www.golfchannel.com/news/tommy-two-gloves-gainey-arrested-massive-prostitution-sting

Wow - Didn't see that coming, Great start for Team Ernie.

What do you expect, Botox the individualist is in charge.

super_realist wrote:What do you expect,  Botox the individualist is in charge.

At least he won his own game with Thomas. Wouldn't have happened in a RC.

pedro wrote:

super_realist wrote:What do you expect,  Botox the individualist is in charge.

At least he won his own game with Thomas. Wouldn't have happened in a RC.

True, amazing he's one of the worst players in US Ryder Cup history but seems to do OK in this minor competition

pedro wrote:

super_realist wrote:What do you expect,  Botox the individualist is in charge.

At least he won his own game with Thomas. Wouldn't have happened in a RC.

Fixed that for you him

Prez Cup is a "Heads I win, Tails you lose" dream scenario for Super

USA loses, "See, I told you Tiger sucks at Team Championships"

USA wins, "The Presidents Cup is a Rubbish Competition that no one cares about"

GPB wrote:Prez Cup is a "Heads I win, Tails you lose" dream scenario for Super

USA loses,  "See, I told you Tiger sucks at Team Championships"

USA wins, "The Presidents Cup is a Rubbish Competition that no one cares about"

I have never claimed he's awful in team competitions, his record isn't bad in the Milk Bottle Top Cup, in the Ryder Cup though he shares what is probably the worst US record with another "lock" pick Phil Mickelson and you wonder why US keep losing the RC? Square peg in a round hole. Picking on name and reputation is the American way.

Patrick Reed doing his fatprick Reed act again. Gloating about his blatant cheating while being emboldened by the PGAT.

A very deflated looking Ernie Els after Friday's foursomes which looked to be heading for something close to an International whitewash with an hour to play.
Love watching golf at Royal Melbourne, the star of the show so far.

kwinigolfer wrote:
Love watching golf at Royal Melbourne, the star of the show so far.

Agree, Its a great golf course, probably in my top 3 courses that gets some TV coverage. behind ANGC and Pebble Beach.

That is some course to be sure. Just booked a trip to play in Scotland this Spring, now I'm thinking Australia may have been the better call!

Apparently Reeds caddy has gotten into an altercation with a fan in Oz. "He only spilled some beer" was the acclamation. What he doesn't realise is spilling beer is a felony in Australia.

And moreover: Reeds caddy has been shoveled out of the tournament.

Does Reed use the same PR agency as corbyn?

I am going to say it.

With one day to go, The Presidents Cup has been the best golf event of 2019.

The matches have been tense, and contentious. There has been some clutch shots

And Royal Melbourne is a big reason why the match has been riveting.

If you are not watching, you are missing some of the best golf of the year.

Strange pairings by Ernie today. Why play Leishman again when he’s played so badly? Why play Louis and Adam together when, with their experience, they could have partnered a rookie like Niemann? Not sure about his thinking.

Pity it wasn't Patrick Reed's old caddie; that would be his wife, Justine, who'd've freaking decked the heckler. Her brother, who sounds like someone out of William Tell, only up to "handbags".

GPB, I wouldn’t mind watching it, but I think most of us have other things to do at 2 am. And re-runs are not the same.

Pity that the time difference does not work well between Melbourne and Western Europe.

And yes, Kwini, I think that is the reason why South Africa has not got another chance to host a Prez Cup. the time difference between SAF and USA (especially the West Coast) is awkward (7 hrs for East Coast, 10 hours for West Coast). Cue the PGATour ownership argument.

USA wins in a squeaker, coming down to the 29th match. Best Golf Event of 2019 IMO. Royal Melbourne is great course.

Entertaining, though the Tiger-centric, MAGA bias from Azinger and Hicks made the commentary almost unlistenable. Zinger needs to do his homework on non-American golfers and Hicks should know better.

Certainly among my top 20 tournaments of the year, though nothing will beat my bias towards Lowry @ Portrush!

kwinigolfer wrote:Entertaining, though the Tiger-centric, MAGA bias from Azinger and Hicks made the commentary almost unlistenable. Zinger needs to do his homework on non-American golfers and Hicks should know better.

Certainly among my top 20 tournaments of the year, though nothing will beat my bias towards Lowry @ Portrush!

American commentary is almost entirely intolerable. Azinger is one of the worst culprits, add to that the terrible production values, tendency to focus on Yanks or whoever is in the top 3 and a real liking for showing shots out of turn and the inexcusably bad pronunciation of foreign golfers who dare to play on the PGA and you have a pretty rotten product.

Oh yeah, ad breaks every five minutes doesn't help either.

Re Advertising breaks:

US TV Networks have been following a "playing through" policy during many ad breaks, showing live golf on about 25% of the screen and filling the rest with advertising and promotional drivel.
The result is more breaks and significantly less golf as the 25% shows live golf, but with graphics too small to read (or obscured by other clutter), no commentary, no summary of what happened when full production continues, and increasingly dismal continuity.

TV contracts just about up and can only imagine that more commercialisation and more limited access will ensue.


Meanwhile, I see that Jazz won the Djakarta four-ball (Scott Verplank's description, not mine!) and will be in the year-end owgr Top 50 (and Masters). Keegan Bradley the outsider looking in to the current rankings.