PGA Tour: "The American Express": Notes from the Ballwasher

First topic message reminder :

1).American Express, with their host Phil Mickelson, are hoping to restore the "Desert" stop to, if not former glory as the "Bob Hope", at least to a semblance of significance, but it's a comparitively weak field that is underway now under ideal Californian conditions. Expect low scores this week!

2).Ironic that this event takes place during the week the Tour revealed its new pace of play rules. But not all golfers are slow, relatively few in fact, but who are the real Expresses, not necessarily American, on Tour? Who gets the ball in the air before the TV director has a chance to switch to him following the previous shot?
I need some help here, who are the really quick players? In previous generations Lanny Wadkins was legendary for the speed of his play, though I'd suggest John Huston was at least as quick.

We know who the real dawdlers are, and have been. So let's think of some who may be the exception who might prove the rule?
More help please: One of the young Italians is a real speed merchant - is it Pavan or Parratore?

3).Some real quickies:
Tommy Gainey won the first Korn Ferry tournament, in the Bahamas, this week - some good news for Two Gloves.
One or two stalwarts of years gone by played under the "rehab" clause - Villegas missed the cut badly, whilst Sean O'Hair finished in the top ten. Both golfers who are too young not to bounce back if they have the good health and will to do it.

4).Ernie Els plays his first tournament on the Champions Tour this week, in Hawaii - he seems pretty committed to playing a full schedule.

5).Last week we mentioned pros who have played most tournaments in the 2010-decade.
We learned that Charlie Howell (282) and JJ Henry (275) led the way, with Chris Stroud (269) close behind. But you still haven't come up with the other two (also at 269) who make up the Top five. (I believe Hoffman was 6th at 265.)
Clue: They're both playing this week!

6).Mickelson (621) and Furyk 615) are the only under-50 active players on Tour with 600 events played in their career with not many still playing who are likely to reach that mark. Stewart Cink (584) and Brian Gay (585) are the most likely, but younger guys like Howell (559) and Sabbatini (531) will surely get there.
Of those under 40, I believe Baddeley (428) and Na (401) lead the way.

7).Excellent T4 result for McDowell at the SONY Open last week in Hawaii. Europeans in this week's field include Casey & Molinari, and also Bjerregard, Knox, Laird, Noren and Norlander.

8).And next week they're off to San Diego for the Farmers Insurance action at Torrey Pines - Rory, Koepka and Woods lead that field.
Next stop Phoenix, followed by Pebble Beach, Riviera and then Mexico City for the next WGC

Yes. But I think people want / expect wins rather than top 10s.

Thing is, Mac, you've never shied away from ignorance of the facts:
Last six months:
Tournaments played: 11
Cuts made: 11
Top 26: 11
Top 9: 9
Top 6: 8
Top 4: 7
Top 3: 5
Wins: 2

Perhaps not what you wanted but, remember, his tournament at the Farmers was his first for 2 months.
Definitely signs of rust but certainly plenty of fire power, enough to make you think he'll win again soon. In Mexico?

So that is 9 top 10's out of 11 starts? That is pretty much what I was talking about.

Rahm is on a roll as well. 5 top 2s in the last 7.

pedro wrote:Rahm is on a roll as well. 5 top 2s in the last 7.

Will Kwini somehow find a way to pick over that?

pedro wrote:Rahm is on a roll as well. 5 top 2s in the last 7.

Yeah, a bacon and sausage roll.

!!!!
Seemed to me Mac was suggesting Rory wasn't yet at that level . . . . . . .
Rahm needs to close out some more of his PGA Tour near misses!

super_realist wrote:

pedro wrote:Rahm is on a roll as well. 5 top 2s in the last 7.

Yeah, a bacon and sausage roll.

Rahmburgers?

I was asking if other people thought he was there. Hence the question mark.

pedro wrote:

super_realist wrote:

pedro wrote:Rahm is on a roll as well. 5 top 2s in the last 7.

Yeah, a bacon and sausage roll.

Rahmburgers?

McLaren wrote:I was asking if other people thought he was there. Hence the question mark.

I do. But then he's good enough that top ten isn't much of a marker for him, whatever he may say publicly.

Roller

I could be wrong but I remember a period from 2013 into 2014 where he seemed to be top 5 every week he turned up. That form was an indicator of how well he was going to do in the majors. It probably also meant he wasn't chucking his Rory 78 in every week as well.