PGA Tour: The Players: Notes from the Ballwasher

First topic message reminder :

1).Well done to Tyrrell Hatton, great win at Bay Hill which continued the run of non-American winners - Day, Leishman, McIlroy, Molinari, Hatton.
This was also an Open Championship qualifier and Keith Mitchell (for the second year running), Danny Lee and Dahmen get to battle the traffic at Royal St.George's in July.

2).For the second week running, the course set-up seemed to make scoring unnecessarily tricky given the prevailing weather conditions. A war of attrition, but not necessarily the most attractive golf for the TV viewer to enjoy.
Hopefully the set-up at TPC Sawgrass will enable the world's best to play their shots.

3).Scott Piercy made news for all the wrong reasons last week and now Tour Commish Monahan has expressed disappointment "in the lack of judgment used" and "that it has been addressed with Scott directly". Good thing Monahan didn't say "he knows better" because Piercy clearly doesn't. But his sponsors do, thankfully, tho' any Tour punishment will be kept unpublished - unless he starts missing tournaments, from which we might draw our own conclusions.
Personally, I'd like to have seen his "invitation" to Bay Hill revoked, but no such disapproval reported from the API.

4).Interesting graph from princedrac's twitter account this week showing the top ten owgr points-getters at The Players:
Four Americans: Woods, DLIII, Furyk, Couples
Three Aussies: Elk, Scott, Shark
Nick Price
Sergio & Langer
A good week, of which there haven't been many recently, will see Garcia can jump from 2nd to 1st, ahead of Tiger.

5).That's reflective of an international honours board with eight of the last twelve winners being "overseas" players.
And first-timers at TPC have a tough time too - after Jerry Pate won on the course's debut in 1982, only Hal Sutton and Craig Perks have won trophy on their first trip. Leading "rookie" last year was Eddie Pepperell who stormed home in 3rd place - but he's busy trying to figure out how you get dq'd three times in less than 2 years.

6).This week looks like the exact halfway point of the pre-Play-Off PGA Tour season, the 23rd event out of a total of 46. About 50 pros have already won enough FedEx Points to assure them a tee-time at the Northern Trust, Round 1 of the FedEx Cup Play-Offs.
Not many are Europeans: McIlroy, Hatton, Rahm, Hovland.

7).And only Fleetwood among other Europeans is comfortably placed, for now.
Those who have struggled this season so far, but are exempt at least through next year, include McDowell (79th), Casey (93rd), Lowry (140th), Molinari (168th), Donald (assuming he takes another earnings exemption - 172nd), Garcia (179th), Willett (181st), Stenson (197th), Wallace (202nd), Rose (205th),
While this lot, all not yet exempt for 2020/21 have it all to do: Straka (82nd), Norlander (84th), Knox (90th), Fitzpatrick (100th), Noren (107th), Rafa C-B (120th), Poulter (128th), Cappelen (130th), Laird (158th), Ventura (175th), Power (201st), Bjerregard (224th), Lewis (227th), plus 3 or 4 others on more tenuous status.

8).But one or two American "faces" are also struggling, with these three less than half-way to a Play-Off goal about 400 pts:
110th: Spieth
111th: D.Johnson
213th: Koepka

9).The Florida "Swing" has a musical chairs of dates next year, starting with Bay Hill, then The Players, followed by "Honda". No word yet on how Valspar fits in, but hopefully retains its fourth slot in Florida.

10).Finally, the Top 64 in the owgr's after The Players will qualify for the WGC-MatchPlay in Austin in a fortnight's time.

Any Valspar Notes will be added here next week.

GPB wrote:Really hadn't though much of the TV-Network conflicts between Football and Golf.  I wonder how many hoops CBS tries to negotiate while trying to broadcast the Masters.

I can see them trying to get their NFL Sunday game on Sunday Night (trading with NBC).

I can envision some petty turf wars.

I could also see some good opportunities for cooperation, from the networks and the tournaments involved... That could include going Wed-Sat or early morning 2 tee starts for final rounds... College & Pro time shifts, from afternoon to evening...etc

ralphjohn69 wrote:They would be as well postponing all sport for a year and starting again this time next year, cos that's how long this thing's gonna run for.  No chance there's any golf pre-July, or that the football season ends by June, just not gonna happen.

I posted this 11 days ago and stand by it, in fact I'm probably more pessimistic now; I think there's a very good chance of no majors, or any other professional tournaments, being played this year.

A pretty bleak outlook ralph.

Not sure to what extent the virus is going to take hold in Australia, South Africa (not looking good so far) and Argentina (stay away from Brazil), but even with a six-month or so "quarantine" period, there could be an opportunity for them to beef up their tournaments, at least to attract Europeans, if not Americans. Hawaii also I suppose.

With a little nudge from Himself:

https://www.golfdigest.com/story/5-things-we-unexpectedly-miss-about-the-pga-tour

princedrac gains national prominence . . . . . . he can thank us later . . . . . .

Of interest ...

https://www.globalgolfpost.com/more/pondering-a-schedule-reshuffle-of-olympic-proportions/

Shotrock wrote:Of interest ...

https://www.globalgolfpost.com/more/pondering-a-schedule-reshuffle-of-olympic-proportions/

Can't see any PGA Tour golf until July, probably way later than that - statistically improbable that Tour members have so far been unscathed by this plague. Especially Pete Cowen guys.
Interesting comments from Shane Lowry that he can see the spectre of tour (any tour) resuming with international travel bans still in place, which could create additional issues.

On the bright side, Sr, Hidden Valley was open for business on Saturday, but with specific rules including just one-per-cart (which presumably leaves more room for a cooler on the passenger seat).

Ha! I also played the Sadaquada this weekend ... with the cups elevated so you didn't have to put your hand in the cup. Decided to hunker down here in Eagle Bay with my daughter and another Colgate classmate. Fortunately good FIOS here at the lake.

Volunteers are quitting in number for the LPGA event at AGC. That can't help the organizers.

If the the tours continue to have no off season in the years to come, one upside of this debacle might be the permanent creation of a winter major. If you are going to have golf all season then why not have a winter/autumn major?

It would be easy to have a spring major, 2 summer majors and a late year one. The Open played in October would be quite possible. The dunhill manages just fine. And please, nobody mention how it gets dark. That is so easily overcome.

The disruption from this pandemic functionally ends when we have at least a quasi-effective treatment/cure.  People & businesses will take the risk when there's an effective treatment. As of now there's a couple of decent prospects (like that malaria drug).  

But if no effective treatment is found relatively quick... Then the more effective they are with this "flattening the curve" strategy, then the longer it takes for us to get to the other side where we can restart business, sports, etc... 

I got no crystal ball, but restarting sports even in July seems like a real long shot unless that effective treatment is in place... But it can literally be 30 to 60 days from now with an effective treatment widely available.  

Pray, Cross your fingers, knock on wood... I don't care, whatever suits you... But we need that treatment....

In the meantime... The talk is heating up about another PPV Phil vs Tiger thing. With maybe Tom Brady and Peyton Manning involved as well  IMO, In the current environment, with so many peoples financial security and jobs being devastated... To do anything like that without it being a 100% charitable contribution motive would be the worst optics and stupidest thing ever.  Bottom line... If it's free to view for all, and it's 100% for charity, then heck yes I'd watch in a nanosecond.  I didn't object in the least to the first one, but if this one is just another Money Grab like that ... Everybody involved can kiss my a**.

Perhaps Dominic Cummings and Stephen Miller (other suitable candidates might be too controversial) could be injected with a heavy dose of coronavirus and treated with the "malaria" drug?

Meanwhile, if they play Colonial & Memorial, the fields will be upped from 120 to 144. No solace for KFT grads but it would help the rank and file.

Agree Kwini, furthermore, If they do resume play within a 2-3 months, I can't see the KF grads at the bottom of the reshuffle getting many starts.

Even with 156 player fields, all the rank/file and most of the stars will want to get as many starts as possible.

195 players trying to get into 156 player fields is like trying to square pegs into round holes.

BTW, Kwini, how is the Syrup season going?

=============

As discussed last week, some mini-tours are still playing golf. Well some of the players are playing, about 25% of of them are getting DQed for playing the wrong tee on a par 3.

https://www.golf.com/news/2020/03/31/bizarre-rules-situation-mass-disqualification-mini-tour-event/

IMO, the story does not explain the situation very well. Here is what Monday Q tweeted

Tee was set at the 204 plate, scorecard showed hole at 222. First group teed of on the wrong tee, and since there was a backup on that hole other groups followed.
But there was no info from starter that tees had been moved, no rules sheet etc.

What difference does the scorecard mean? Tee markers and hole locations change every day. Were there multiple tee markers on that hole? if not, how do they tee off from the wrong location. If so, was it the only hole to have multiple locations?

GPB wrote:Agree Kwini, furthermore, If they do resume play within a 2-3 months, I can't see the KF grads at the bottom of the reshuffle getting many starts.

Even with 156 player fields, all the rank/file and most of the stars will want to get as many starts as possible.

195 players trying to get into 156 player fields is like trying to square pegs into round holes.

BTW, Kwini, how is the Syrup season going?

/

Aah, The syrup season.

For some reason, the maple syrup industry is received less attention than usual, but I can report that our two sugar maples have seen afternoons of dripping sap, much to the delight of neighbourhood squirrels who conduct unnatural social proximity to ensure each gets a syrupy licking . . . . . . . .
Imagine it's been a good year for production though, but syrup tourism will have been a non-starter unfortunately.

Speculation that an announcement that 2020's Wimbledon will be cancelled is expected soon.
I wonder if that would influence any R&A decision about The Open.

And new restrictions thru June 30th in Toronto appear to place the Canadian Open in a precarious position, if it wasn't already.
Can't believe we're more than a day or so from another tranche of tournaments being cancelled. Plus a US Open decision.

Confirmation that the entire British grass court season is cancelled, including Wimbledon.

Imagine the R & A will be thinking they're pretty much next in line. Plan B being brushed off no doubt.

kwinigolfer wrote:Imagine the R & A will be thinking they're pretty much next in line. Plan B being brushed off no doubt.

Do you think they’re considering hardcourt?

robopz wrote:
In the meantime... The talk is heating up about another PPV Phil vs Tiger thing. With maybe Tom Brady and Peyton Manning involved as well  IMO, In the current environment, with so many peoples financial security and jobs being devastated... To do anything like that without it being a 100% charitable contribution motive would be the worst optics and stupidest thing ever.  Bottom line... If it's free to view for all, and it's 100% for charity, then heck yes I'd watch in a nanosecond.  I didn't object in the least to the first one, but if this one is just another Money Grab like that ... Everybody involved can kiss my a**.

Kyle Porter from CBS is suggesting that Trump and Obama instead of Manning and Brady.

Mickelson to play with Obama and Woods to play with Trump

Only one lefty in the field. And it’s not Phil.

GPB wrote:

robopz wrote:
In the meantime... The talk is heating up about another PPV Phil vs Tiger thing. With maybe Tom Brady and Peyton Manning involved as well  IMO, In the current environment, with so many peoples financial security and jobs being devastated... To do anything like that without it being a 100% charitable contribution motive would be the worst optics and stupidest thing ever.  Bottom line... If it's free to view for all, and it's 100% for charity, then heck yes I'd watch in a nanosecond.  I didn't object in the least to the first one, but if this one is just another Money Grab like that ... Everybody involved can kiss my a**.

Kyle Porter from CBS is suggesting that Trump and Obama instead of Manning and Brady.

Mickelson to play with Obama and Woods to play with Trump

No carts allowed - Drumpf would have to call Andrew Cuomo for a ventilator after the first hole.

Breaking!

My friends mate is working at the USGA HQ.

Apparantly they’ve had numerous meetings with the PGA Tour and the PGA of A to discuss rescheduling of the season.

My friend just called me. Apparently whay they have just agreed is to move the PGA Champioship and US Open to be played in the week of the Tour Championship at East Lake, replacing the Tour Championship, but still played at East Lake, and still as the final event(s) of the season - but as mentioned, in the same week.

To honour the history of the game, both the PGA Chanpionship and the US Open will be played in a match play format, with first round winners continue playing for the US Open title and first round losers to continue playing for the PGA title.

As everybody - USGA, PGA of A, The PGA Tour and the sponsors - have had to make sacrifices, the compromise is that this final tournament of the season will be called “The FedEx US Open presented by the PGA” and the winners will receive an automatic Ryder Cup spot if not otherwise exempt.

Twitterverse is saying the 2020 Open Championship has been canceled, not postponed.

The Amateur and Ladies Amateur were postponed with tentative dates announced.

Its still April 1st here in the States, hopefully it is a joke.

GPB

It is being reported by golf digest now as well. Martin Dempster also running a story about it on the Scotsman website.

I guess the R&A just can't cope with having an event where the punters aren't fleeced for the privilege of trekking to some remote seaside town to sit in the cold watching snails pace golf for hours on end.

They could easily have postponed with the idea of having a scaled back event in the Autumn, with with very little or no spectators. Just pick a course and tell the pros to be there, all you would need would be the TV crews and the players. After all you are meant to keep your own score.

The schedule musings of the Golf Channel:

https://www.golfchannel.com/news/report-new-major-dates-revised-schedule-close-being-unveiled

It seems there are two imponderables:

1).Is it realistic for the Tour to plan around a "mid-June" resumption? Would think the chances might be somewhere below 50/50 for that to happen . . . . . . .
With no region or State in the US pretending it's reached its "apex" of Covid-19 cases, and some yet to be seriously affected, this suggests the Tour knows a darn sight more about treatments than anyone is letting on. Hope there's some substance behind their speculation.

2).Whither The Open? If Britain can reach its "apex" of cases by early May, perhaps their mid-July date could still be realistic, worth hanging on for anyway.

US Womens Open being rescheduled for Dec.

Venue is Houston, Champions Course, so weather should be good enough and they are going to use two course for the early rounds so they can still have 156 players.

https://www.lpga.com/news/2020/lpga-tour-announced-additional-changes-to-2020-schedule

GPB wrote:US Womens Open being rescheduled for Dec.

Venue is Houston, Champions Course, so weather should be good enough and they are going to use two course for the early rounds so they can still have 156 players.

https://www.lpga.com/news/2020/lpga-tour-announced-additional-changes-to-2020-schedule

Excellent idea using the two courses. Many sites for the men's open championship have two courses.

Muirfiled /Gullane /renaissance

St Andrews/Carnoustie /kb

Lytham /Liverpool

St George's/princes

Speaking of Tour Golf Schedules... here's my latest attempt of listing the key Tour schedules with their cancellations, postponements and reschedules. I "think" this is accurate as of a few hours ago at least. As of now the LPGA has gone deeper than the main tours officially, with everything thru mid-June canceled or postponed. And there's lots of talk about rescheduling majors... but I won't put those in until there are some actual announcements...

Robo: , do you think it is possible for the PGATour to reschedule the FEDEX back into Sept, and some fall events into December?

weather-wise Houston, Mayakoba and possibly Napa could definitely be played in December.

And BTW, did you ever think that your calendar of events would ever become so handy?

GPB wrote:Robo: , do you think it is possible for the PGATour to reschedule the FEDEX back into Sept, and some fall events into December?

weather-wise Houston, Mayakoba and possibly Napa could definitely be played in December.

And BTW, did you ever think that your calendar of events would ever become so handy?

You're the one who started the Calendar originally... but no... Never thought it would be this handy. 

As for the fall... Yes, I definitely think FedEx could get a shifted into Sep. And with them trying to fit in majors like they are, my bet is they're looking at the "Americas"  fall events as expendable. My guess is they would prioritize the Asian swing over any of the events here. And yes Houston could play in December, but not without at least some weather risk. We have winter too, usually they are fairly mild, but we've had ice storms an such in December too.  

One thing I've been hearing is they are not adverse to having more opposite events too. So a Houston and or RSM could potentially play opposite Japan or Korea. China already has an opposite event.

Actually I think Golf Magazine (or Golf Digest) had a pull out calendar in one of their winter issues that had all the tournaments. I got the idea from them. But thanks for adopting it and updating it. I do keep a bookmark of every update that you make.

Even for the FEDEX & Money guarantees, I can't see many players making the trek to Asia. Unless there is a nearly 100% tested vaccine.

BTW, the golf calendar wasn't the only centerfolds that got my attention. Thanks Hugh!

Just remembered I put some bets on for the Masters Tournament. Wonder if I will see what happens to them.

Monday Qualifying twitter page is saying Alex Cejka is playing the Outlaw tour next week.

Here are the players

https://outlawtour.bluegolf.com/bluegolf/outlawtour19/event/outlawtour196/contest/0/contestant/index.htm

Hopefully he will use the correct tees.

A couple of Lehmans too (presumably sons of) and the dreadful Tucker Wadkins - he'll be a Senior soon, surely.

Alex Cejka turns 50 in 8 months time so he might as well get some reps in . . . . . . . .

I saw those players as well At first I thought it was the REAL Thomas Lehman, and then I saw that he has sons named Thomas and Sean. (I presume they are acceptable names across the pond)

GPB wrote:I saw those players as well  At first I thought it was the REAL Thomas Lehman, and then I saw that he has sons named Thomas and Sean.  (I presume they are acceptable names across the pond)

Very acceptable. Tucker however . . . . . . sounds like Dan Quayle's son and what an idiot he was. (Not Tucker.)

Tucker could very well be his mother's maiden name.

As I have said many times, my middle name is my mother's maiden name which I have known only one person who has used it as a first or middle name.   And he happened to be a very successful PGATour golfer.  (multiple wins)


Report: PGA Championship rescheduled for Aug 6-9th

https://www.sfchronicle.com/sports/golf/article/Source-PGA-Championship-at-Harding-Park-will-be-15180395.php?t=85fa0ef7da

GPB wrote:




Report:  PGA Championship rescheduled for Aug 6-9th

https://www.sfchronicle.com/sports/golf/article/Source-PGA-Championship-at-Harding-Park-will-be-15180395.php?t=85fa0ef7da

I hope that comes to pass.
I'm very sceptical of the US Government allowing flights to land in the US by then. Hope I'm wrong.

PS: Was thinking of giving my daughter my mother's maiden name, Thomas.

Big cat sighting

Surely he should be at an Esso garage Mac?

super_realist wrote:Surely he should be at an Esso garage Mac?

Yeah, I would have expected he was a Chevron guy.

He needs to be careful when out and about.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-52177586

Even he isn't immune.

McLaren wrote:He needs to be careful when out and about.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-52177586

Even he isn't immune.

At least that one doesn't wear NIKEs.

Can't understand why athletes, especially, wear belts with shorts - can't they find any that fit?

I wouldnt describe him as an athlete.

super_realist wrote:I wouldnt describe him as an athlete.

No, but many would . . . . .

Nice Indian vehicle he's got there ...

Shotrock wrote:Nice Indian vehicle he's got there ...

That like those Italian Dodge, Jeeps or Chryslers?

Surely you can see the picture ... It's a Range Rover ... you know, that Tata motors concern!

Hey, I own one. But not that model.

Shotrock wrote:Surely you can see the picture ... It's a Range Rover ... you know, that Tata motors concern!

Hey, I own one. But not that model.

I can, but I always find it funny that American people scoff at JLR being owned by TATA without realising that some of their own car companies are also owned by foreign companies such as Dodge, Jeep and Chryslers, then you consider the mess that American companies made of Aston Martin, Volvo, Mazda, SAAB and Jaguar Land Rover and how much better they are now they aren't owned by Ford or GM. (except for SAAB because they died under GM)

IMO, an athlete is defined by skill and coordination rather than optimal BMI and fitness

I know guys that are "ripped" with optimal BMI that can't do the most rudimentary of athleticism.

One guy I know runs half and full marathons, but he is absolute klutz. He can't dribble a basketball, can't kick a soccer ball, can't throw a baseball.

And it is not from the lack of trying. He just an uncoordinated klutz. But he can run long distances and has a 6-pack

World Class Golfer (skill and coordination) Equals Athlete (don't care what he or she looks like)

Fitness, 20 BMI, Resting Heart rate of 45 does not equal Athlete

GPB wrote:IMO, an athlete is defined by skill and coordination rather than optimal BMI and fitness

I know guys that are "ripped" with optimal BMI that can't do the most rudimentary of athleticism.

One guy I know runs half and full marathons, but he is absolute klutz.  He can't dribble a basketball, can't kick a soccer ball, can't throw a baseball.

And it is not from the lack of trying.  He just an uncoordinated klutz.  But he can run long distances and has a 6-pack

World Class Golfer (skill and coordination) Equals Athlete (don't care what he or she looks like)

Fitness, 20 BMI, Resting Heart rate of 45 does not equal Athlete

Well we all have our own opinions, but if you consider hand eye coordination to be the defining part of what makes an athlete then you have to consider bowls, snooker and darts players as athletes and that's pretty ridiculous.

Wearing Belts with shorts is a fashion faux pas? Since when?

If Shorts were designed to be not worn with belts, why do they have belt loops?