Interesting article about Bubba

First topic message reminder :

http://www.golfbytourmiss.com/2011/06/homesick-watson-vows-not-to-return-to-europe/

Shame really if accurate - i think he seemed to be picking up some fans over this side of the pond for his seemingly good attitude...unfortunately this behavior just seem to be reinforcing the stereotype of Americans called Bubba.

would rather not have either, Watson,Nicklaus can still show these two and others what class is all about

The refreshing thing about ET as opposed to the PGA, is we do not seem to have to have as many idiots shouting "get in the hole". These people should be frogged marched of the course, or better still have their faces sprayed purple with non removable ink.

kwinigolfer wrote:Wouldn't you rather have Bubba's unfettered stupidity than Tiger's sneering and snarling, every word presumably approved by Mark Steinberg?

Yes!

oldpar,
I would like to see stocks installed by the concession stands; anyone yelling getinthehole would be installed in the stocks and liable to be pelted with unused veggies and fruit. A sad omission from the current penal code.

kwini could not agree more

I've just seen his post round interview from today, and to me he looked absolutely terrified. He said he was uncomfortable, but wasn't aggressive or accusatory, just kept stressing that it was 'different'. Poor performance by his management, if you ask me, not preparing him for the trip. The fact that he stressed he'd be sight-seeing rather than dashing home suggests to me that he was simply unprepared for the different atmosphere and different expectations. The whole courtesy car thing, whilst you could take it as him being a prima donna, could simply be that he is used to everyone having their own car in the US (god knows they don't give a Poopie about the environment!) and simply expected the same, and so assumed that when asked to share he was being asked to do something unusual. Nothing in his demeanour in the interview said to me that he was being in any way disingenuous, he was clearly uncomfortable and unprepared. He'll learn quickly at RSG that Europe is far more diverse than the US, and he certainly won't be complaining about cameras or phones there. If he says after that that he doesn't want to return, I'll agree he's an idiot, but until then I'll give him the benefit of the doubt and cast the blame on his managers.

Am I being a bit slow here [has been known] but has the other Mr Watson won anything to merit a £200k appearance fee.
I think more Frenchies would have turned up to watch Tom for that sort of money.

Sorry but was a Bubba fan but not anymore, about two or three ago, he was only an also ran, in all types of comp, and had to sort out his own transport to and from the course until he won one last year I think, not even a major, yet he comes to Europe, and expect to be treated like royalty.

All I can say is good golfers what Bubba is (not great) are not treated like prima-donnas in Europe, please stay in the states Bubba

Bubba just arrived home and he's tweeting heavily:

"If I offended anyone I apologize - definitely wasn't my intention"

"I played bad, not the fans or the tournaments fault, I hit the shots"

"Hope to learn how to deal with new & different challenges in my life & golf career. #life&golfaretough"

"Besides playing Bad I had a great time, enjoyed seeing Paris & Versailles. "

"I am home for a week, then British Open, Scandinavian Masters, Denmark and Schuco Open. Looking forward to it!"

etc, etc....

Tough times Bubba, but it's not the end of the world...

When some of the yanks come over to play it does make the event more interesting. Sometimes the Euro events are very samey and it will always be strange to me that when the European Tour holds itself as an equal to the PGA it still lacks the ability to attract any Americans which would IMO give it a really cosmopolitan feel.
Also he's said sorry, people should just park it now and accept the guy had a bad week, as was said earlier in the thread it seems very out of characters for him.

Brendan Steele continuing to play very well.

Only answer to me is to attract a WGC event to Europe so that appearance fees can be banished and there's someting tangible to play for.

kwinigolfer wrote:...so that appearance fees can be banished...

Good luck with that! I'd heartily see the back of them but it's been tried a number of times before and, surprise, surprise, the players haven't gone for it.

Diggers wrote: Sometimes the Euro events are very samey and it will always be strange to me that when the European Tour holds itself as an equal to the PGA it still lacks the ability to attract any Americans which would IMO give it a really cosmopolitan feel.

If you mean courses and players then sorry but I wholeheartedly disagree with that opinion, don't really see how you can say the tour that crosses countries and continents can be labelled as 'samey', in fact I'd say it's the opposite, in that you have described the PGA Tour.

To be honest I don't see the problem with this.

At least he made an effort to go out and see a little of paris rather than sitting in the hotel ordering room service burgers and moaning that the blue cheese dressing wasn't the same as a processed slice that he gets in the marriott or something.

So he doesn't know what the Arc de Triomphe is actually called... does it matter? It's only a lower class facsimile of Marble Arch anyway.

nbs,
We agree.
But if someone is paid $200K for nothing, don't let's complain if that's all that's delivered. Nothing.
Or, in this case perhaps, somewhat less than nothing.

I'm sure somewhere there's an American abroad who actually delivers the goods away from the sanctuary of his own Tour, but recently Tiger has been the only one to do so, Majors / WGC's apart. Wonder what Bubba's successors will make of Castle Stuart.

Incidentally... I do wonder if Bubba thinks that Great Britain and it's lesser Isles are considered part of Europe. If so will he turn up at Royal St Georges I wonder....

What an earth are you talking about? He said during the interview he will play " The British" as it's a major.

Keep up Jonny, you're about 3 days behind everyone else!

JPX wrote:

Diggers wrote: Sometimes the Euro events are very samey and it will always be strange to me that when the European Tour holds itself as an equal to the PGA it still lacks the ability to attract any Americans which would IMO give it a really cosmopolitan feel.

If you mean courses and players then sorry but I wholeheartedly disagree with that opinion, don't really see how you can say the tour that crosses countries and continents can be labelled as 'samey', in fact I'd say it's the opposite, in that you have described the PGA Tour.

I can see the point with the courses, they can be a bit similar from week to week, but then so can the US courses. Not sure how attracting Americans would make it "cosmopolitan" though, surely a tour which draws its players from across Europe, Asia, Africa, Australasia and S America is more cosmopolitan than one where 75% of players are from the same country.

Attracting more Americans would obviously make it more cosmopolitan, just as the PGA getting more overseas players competing would make it more cosmopolitan. America still has more strength in depth by far than any other single golfing nation and I'd like to see them play more often in Europe.
Its true that the vast number of players on the PGA tour are home grown but its also equally true that a lot of the overseas players who play on that tour, or at least play in the States a lot, are the best players from their countries.

Doesn't matter who you attract to European events, if they don't try.

But one by-product of the recent curtailment of the PGA Tour season is that "fringe" players (those not eligible for WGC events for instance) are increasingly at a disadvantage from mid-September thru mid-January as so many ranking points are available internationally and their status diminishes with each passing tournament. Expect to see more mid-ranked Americans playing internationally next "off season" as some try to boost their rankings.

As the top 10 world order of merit contains more from the ET than from the PGA tour, I would suggest that the ET has got it right and the PGA could learn from it

JPX wrote:What an earth are you talking about? He said during the interview he will play " The British" as it's a major.

Keep up Jonny, you're about 3 days behind everyone else!

Little Slug has had chicken pox so I've not really been checking things JPX.

So just because Watson had a bad week the Euro Tour shouldnt try and get some of the over big name Americans over Kwini ? That would be a slightly knee jerk reaction.
And yes the European Tour do have more top 10 players but some points that these players earned to get their rankings will be from PGA events.
Seems to me that the thinking is we dont need the Americans over here as we are doing fine, though if the Americans adopted that attitude of course we would be outraged.

Digs,
I've always said be careful what you wish for, nothing more, nothing less.

Steele obviously gave of his best last week, Watson clearly didn't.

In my opinion there has to be a tangible incentive over and above the appearance money and, in all too many cases, there isn't.

Surely the reason that a lot of overseas players historically play on the PGA tour is to compete against the best. That and of course the money.
The European Tour seems to be attracting more of its best players back, why cant it set the bar higher and try and have some of the better Saffers and Oz players among its ranks or playing more regularly, the same applies for getting more of the Americans over.

If you look how the PGA run things then the ET does not exist as far as they are concerned.
It would properly be a better deal for the PGA players if we had a World Tour, at least they would have to travel out of the states and play all sorts of different type courses, and adjust to the different types of accomondation and foods, then the likes of Bubba and other PGA tour Pro,s would in the long run benefit more from it

Christ Diggers, talk about taking things out of context! Who said they weren't welcome on the Euro Tour? I think it's the behaviour we're talking about!

So, let's say Westwood had never played on the PGA Tour (majors / WGC's asside). He gets an offer of $200,000 to play the Redneck Open or whatever. When he gets there he refuses to share a courtesy car with another established PGA Tour winner. Plays terrible, proceeds to say how great the country is and "that white building in Washington is cool", but that the setup wasn't what he thought and thanks but I'm going home never to return, except for Majors.

Do you think the Americans might not appreciate that?

JPX, Ive kind of left the whole Bubba think behind and have been talking generally about trying to get Americans playing more on the European Tour. I think the whole thing with Bubba was completely blown out of proportion quite frankly.
My point was I'd love to see the likes of Fowler, Watney and Kuchar and Johnson over here a lot more often.

Diggers wrote:Seems to me that the thinking is we dont need the Americans over here as we are doing fine, though if the Americans adopted that attitude of course we would be outraged.

This is the comment I refer to Diggers, apologies but I thought it was linked to Bubba Watson's behaviour?

I really don't see where how you formed this opinion from what has been posted on here? I don't think any one of us would do anything but welcome the likes of Rickie Fowler on the Euro Tour.

Very nice article in this morning's GolfWorld about Ryan Palmer and his preparation for his first Open Championship.
Sounds like he went from practicing low shots with Harrison Frazar to see how far they would roll in 104 degree Dallas heat, to taking his wife (and caddie plus wife) to Paris for a few days, followed by centre-court tix for Wimbledon, then on to Castle Stuart.

The same issue criticises Bubba for redefining every ugly American stereotype conceivable, but suggests Mr.Palmer intends to appreciate his trip. Brendan Steele did himself proud last week and hopefully Ryan Palmer will do the same.