PGA Tour: "Wells Fargo Championship" etc: Notes from the Ballwasher

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1).Well, Billy Horschel finally got what's been coming to him, and good for him. Parts of his final 27 holes (played in 13 under par) were Tigeresque, and perhaps it was Saturday's back nine 31 that really did the job for him as he'd started Round 3 slowly. DA Points gave him quite the run for his money, and you've gotta pull for a guy who always thanks the fans for coming and applauds the galleries as he leaves the 72nd hole, but this was Horschel's week.

2).We've talked several times about Horschel's incendiary temperament but there's never been any doubting his ability to hit golf shots and the big question now is, "Will he move on to new heights?" or "Will he turn in to Anthony Kim?". Even money, I'd say.

3).Regardless, Horschel was reflective of past exhibitions, especially the 2011 McGladrey, in his victory interview: "I didn't play very well (understatement, particularly when he started shanking and effectively lost his playing card, ed!). But what hurt most was the way I handled myself on the golfcourse. It was pretty pathetic in my mind. I got called out on it by family and friends (and) that was a big turning point."
No word on the 2007 Walker Cup . . . .

4).Horschel has seemed like he's holing every putt he's looked at (including 49 out of 49 inside five feet at the Zurich) this past month, but one person who's not is Justin Rose. Horschel only missed one green on Sunday yet Justin led the field in greens hit in regulation AND proximity to the hole for the week but struggled in 15th place. Incredibly, Rose's short game stats for the season are:
Sand saves: 1st.
Scrambling: 5th.
Strokes gained putting: 142nd . . . .
. . . . which almost beggars belief.

5).Finally, before leaving New Orleans, a word about Lucas Glover. Since injuring himself at Kapalua last year he's been deep in the doldrums. Came back too early, played poorly and ended up shutting it down for the year late last summer.
Lucas can look a miserable ba5tard on the course, tall but always walks with his head in his chest. But he's a fabulous driver of the golfball, has something of an old-fashioned swing and is a very interesting interview with deep voice and dry humour.
Clearly he was a celebrity for a week in 2009 following his US Open win but, as far as one understands, he kept every single one of his playing commitments - we followed him a few days later in the Travelers tournament he was widely expected to miss. He was applauded virtually the whole way round the course, actually looked fans in the eye to acknowledge the new-found fame, and one hoped it would be the start of a special career. Alas, he has just the one win, at Quail Hollow in 2011, since then and mislaid his wife along the way. But he's happily (presumably) remarried and expects a pair of Baby Glovers in the coming fortnight.
A good ol' boy, still young enough to re-make his mark.

6).And speaking of Quail Hollow (we have to remind ourselves this is a golfcourse, not the intellectual assessment of a former US VP): is this week's "Wells Fargo Championship" in Charlotte slipping into the B list of non-majors after being close to the top of the tree for a decade?
It seems to have joined the long list of events dissed by Tiger Woods. In the ten previous years of the event, he's been a non-starter four times and missed the cut the last twice he showed up. That'll do it, despite his 2007 win; wonder if he'll be back?
And we're missing other leading players, Bradley, DJohnson (allegedly injured - we'll see, but he's a local boy and contended here in Rory's year), Snedeker, Rose, Scott, almost all the leading Saffers, McDowell, Stricker, Donald, Kuchar, Day and Dufner.

7).Charlotte's Quail Hollow is a George Cobb design updated 15 years ago by Tom Fazio. They're scheduled to host the 2017 PGA Championship and plan to replace their bent grass greens with Bermuda (allegedly for late summer heat resistance qualities). But unrelated problems with the 8th and 10th greens have brought forward that plan so all the greens will be dug up for Bermuda later this spring. By all accounts the two dodgy greens had no grass on them nine days ago and have been completely returfed!
Hope they've consulted Phil Mickelson who said in 2010:
"For as beautifully designed as this golfcourse is tee to green, the greens are by far the worst designed greens we play on Tour. Even though they're in immaculate shape."

8).Wells Fargo's contract is up next year and no word yet as to whether they will renew. Surely someone will pick it up, it's a fabulous tournament, great crowds in a golf-crazy area with no competing major sports in April to deflect attention.
And Phil is here, Rory too, with a decent international contingent including Cabrera (who has form here), Kaymer, Westwood, Poulter, Colsaerts, Stenson, Matteo and Sergio (who has just the game to win here and should have done in 2005). They are joined by the usual contingent of Carolina boys led by Bill Haas and Webb Simpson and the 2011 play-off combatants Byrd and Glover, plus defending champ Rickie Fowler. No Billy Horschel though.

9).This week's winner will qualify, if not already exempt, for next week's "The Players Championship". I'm not quite sure how they "seal" the field, as in past years the Tour has shown its moronic side and sent a couple of pairs off as twosomes amidst a field of consenting threesomes. Luke Guthrie, Brian Stuard and James Hahn are reportedly the first three alternates.
I expect Haas and Simpson to contend this week, but would really like to see Ross Fisher find his game on a course perfectly suited to his customarily excellent tee-to-green game; Westwood too of course, but does this come too close to his 40th birthday celebrations?

10).And then there's Vijay. He beat a slumping Sergio and Furyk in a play-off here eight years ago and he'll be walking the fairways with Harrington and Immelman, perhaps offering a deer antler spray dissertation. If so, he's not saying anything to anyone else and it seems as if no self-respecting golf scribe has lost the opportunity to condemn the PGA Tour for not taking action against Vijay so far. Even Greg Norman got into the act but probably to give Finchem a dig more than Singh.
As they say, Watch this space.
(Finchem offering an interview in a few minutes so hopefully he'll be put on the spot.)

Come on David Lynn. Would be amazing if he can win this. Funny that he would have a better PGA strokeplay record than Poultry if he wins the play off.

unlucky for Lynn bad tee shot cost him. lowest ranked pga tour winner ever?

I see the god squad has a new recruit.

Derek who? Are you earnest?

Yanks go two weeks in a row! Nice.

No questioning the depth of this tour whenPhil, Rory and Lee (not to mention Lynn) are again looking up to the winner.

So David Lynn all but sews up his U.S. Open spot today (moving low 40's in the OWGR)... but NO... he's saying “Well, this is the problem now. I wasn’t in the U.S. Open, so I’ve made other plans now. I’ve actually booked a holiday. So as it stands, I’m going on holiday.”

Are you freeking kidding me? The guy's 39 years old, played in 3 majors in his life (but not the U.S. Open) and he's gonna just blow off Merion. Just how many more shots at majors does he think he's gonna get?

Excuse me... but what a putz!!!!!!!!! If this is his attitude... Here's hoping he misses cuts in the Open and PGA... and never qualifies for another major again... what a putz!!!!!!!!

I'm sure he's just being humorous robo...

robopz wrote:So David Lynn all but sews up his U.S. Open spot today (moving low 40's in the OWGR)... but NO... he's saying “Well, this is the problem now. I wasn’t in the U.S. Open, so I’ve made other plans now. I’ve actually booked a holiday. So as it stands, I’m going on holiday.”

Are you freeking kidding me? The guy's 39 years old, played in 3 majors in his life (but not the U.S. Open) and he's gonna just blow off Merion. Just how many more shots at majors does he think he's gonna get?

Excuse me... but what a putz!!!!!!!!! If this is his attitude... Here's hoping he misses cuts in the Open and PGA... and never qualifies for another major again... what a putz!!!!!!!!

robo, the guy's a prankster and a joker, so I'd take that with a pinch of salt for the time being, we'll see... Aparently he left this in front of Rory's locker the other day for his birthday...

https://twitter.com/McIlroyRory/status/330715759955292163/photo/1

What's more of a joke must be Rory's yellow sneakers...

What is a putz?

Super - Yiddish term for a fool.

Played golf yesterday with someone who was in the pro-am on Wednesday. He said tee to green course was excellent, but also could not get over just how beat up and slow the greens were.

robo, the guy's a prankster and a joker, so I'd take that with a pinch of salt for the time being, we'll see... Aparently he left this in front of Rory's locker the other day for his birthday...

https://twitter.com/McIlroyRory/status/330715759955292163/photo/1

oh dear. I hope the term potato is a reference to him being from Ireland and not his 'spud face'.

incontinentia wrote:

robo, the guy's a prankster and a joker, so I'd take that with a pinch of salt for the time being, we'll see... Aparently he left this in front of Rory's locker the other day for his birthday...

https://twitter.com/McIlroyRory/status/330715759955292163/photo/1

oh dear. I hope the term potato is a reference to him being from Ireland and not his 'spud face'.

Probably a bit of both.

princedracula wrote:robo, the guy's a prankster and a joker, so I'd take that with a pinch of salt for the time being, we'll see... Aparently he left this in front of Rory's locker the other day for his birthday...

https://twitter.com/McIlroyRory/status/330715759955292163/photo/1

If it is a joke... then I'll take it back and give it a GREAT laugh... but if not... the guy's a PUTZ!!!!!

Of course it's a joke.

Lynn must have sewn up his card for next year presumably.

What a year he's having.

Lynn-sanity.

Skydriver wrote:
Lynn-sanity.

I'm not sure people here get that reference

i get it!

just had a look at the guys twitter account- he comes across like an immature 13 year old!

hend085 wrote:i get it!

just had a look at the guys twitter account- he comes across like an immature 13 year old!

Should he be reading Chekov and be in bed by 9?
He's having a bit of harmless fun. People who get along do that sort of thing.

the photo of his knob is a bit much no?!

super_realist wrote:

hend085 wrote:i get it!

just had a look at the guys twitter account- he comes across like an immature 13 year old!

Should he be reading Chekov and be in bed by 9?
He's having a bit of harmless fun. People who get along do that sort of thing.

Don't knock Chekov, he was always one of my favourite Star Trek characters.

I haven't seen the pictures.

it's clearly not his knob. some jokes go over your head I assume.

the guy is 39 and found himself in the big league. seems to be enjoying it while he can!

At least he isn't the Golf (or God) Boyz,

David Lynn has not made an application for the US Open, so he had not planned on qualifying.

Blank applications are filled out for players that become eligible from the top 60 qualification as of the deadline, so he can still change his mind.

just read an interview with Harrington there after his first round. to paraphrase, he says he doesn't agree with anchoring at all but if somethings going to help him then he's going to use it. he also gave a hint as to why his game went downhill post 2008- the banning of the box grooves. he says the new grooves cost him at least a shot a day!

sounds like he's clutching at straws there. if he believes he's losing at least a stroke a day on the course it no surprise he no longer seems to be in regular contention. if you believe you won't succeed, you rarely will play well on the golf course.

Barragan - That was my thought as well. Expectations beget behavior in this game!

Also I see that Monty and Freddie Couples have been inducted to the WGHOF. Poor Monty seems to be forever dogged by the 'never won a major' label, he addressed it in his speech last night. Couples just barely got through with 51% of the vote, and is one of the least prolific winners in the HOF, but I'm sure most golf fans would agree he's deserving of his spot.

incontinentia wrote:Also I see that Monty and Freddie Couples have been inducted to the WGHOF...

...plus Venturi, Schofield and Park-Jr.... or as GC's Ryan Burrrrrr called them yesterday: "...these five gays (sic!)".

http://www.golfchannel.com/media/golf-central-monday-feature-2/
(see around 48:25)

Still trying to figure out why The Players has a field of 145 instead of 144 . . . .

Bet the two twosomes really appreciate that idea.

kwinigolfer wrote:Still trying to figure out why The Players has a field of 145 instead of 144 . . . .

Bet the two twosomes really appreciate that idea.

The extra players is the Senior TPC champ. In this case Joe Daley. If he WD's he is not replaced.

I agree it is stupid. They should just fill the field from the FE list to get to 156 players.

If you remember last year, D.A. Points was an 11th hour WD. Literally, he was on the tee ready to tee off and then WDed. Brian Harmon was the first alternate, and notified tour officials he was ready to go. But he was on the practice range but could not get to the tee in time. Tour officials allowed him to play later that morning in a onesome.

I remember the Brian Harmon incident, and he went on to play quite well!

But what a stupid way to run a railway; as the SPC is an automatic invite, the number ought to be 143 plus Daley.

Presumably Langley will be waiting by the tee waiting for Mrs Glover and/or Mrs Haas to say their babies are on the way.


By the way, and apropos conversation elsewhere, I'm assuming that, if David Lynn didn't enter the US Open then there's no recourse for him to get in now he's eligible?

Too bad for Lynn but doubtless his place will go to someone who thought the Merion experience is more important than Lynndawg did.

Re: David Lynn.

From the USGA US Open application

https://champs.usga.org/EntryForms/usopen_2013.pdf

S-13. From the current World Rankings, the top 60 point leaders and ties as of May
27, 2013. (NOTE: Blank entries will be filed by the USGA for players who
become exempt after close of entries.)
S-14. From the current World Rankings, the top 60 point leaders and ties as of June
10, 2013. (NOTE: Blank entries will be filed by the USGA for players who
become exempt after close of entries.)

Bolding Mine

Technically David Lynn is not eligible for the US Open so he doesn't have to fill out an application if he has no intention to qualify.

But if he becomes exempt, the USGA allows the back door (bolded print above) that they allow a player to play if they become exempt. So there is the back door is open for Lynn if he wants to play.

Ah! Thanks
Let's hope he takes the chance.

Qualifying began (last Friday I think) within the past week; always interesting to see who goes thru' local qualifying - wish they'd show all the also-rans as well as those who make it.

Kwini, it is a pain in the neck, but usually the local golf associations have the scores.

Here is full field for the Jupiter qualifier at Admiral Cove.

http://www.fsga.org/tournament/resultsfileview/83381ef1-5ccb-405c-b4bd-0819db5fe5ff/?fileId=7278

A couple of familiar names in that qualifier like Hank Kuehne, and Gary Nicklaus.

There are some active hyperlinks from the PDF USGA application that can get you to the local association websites.

Hopefully, Lynn is joking otherwise he will lose a lot of respect from me tbh.....It is like Paul Lawrie last year skipping the US Open just plain disrespectful to the game if you ask me.


Good to see Harrington enter the Byron Nelson next week as well....Apparently will use the belly putter during practice and will decide if he will use it again.

Also shocked at how Bubba Watson's comments have all but gone unnoticed in the golfing media......surely he should be fined at the very least (a ban would be what I hope)

Which ones? The pro-Broussard anti-gay slurs??

Yes, the media have done a terrible job regarding this. Bubba's comments were pure ignorance and stupidity.

Not unlike his arrogant ignorance of France.
Not only does he not know what he doesn't know, he doesn't give a sh1t about his ignorance.

He has lost any respect that I had for him. Not a fan at all. He goes into an unwanted bracket of mine along with Mcilroy, Garcia in Golf.

sirbenson wrote:It is like Paul Lawrie last year skipping the US Open just plain disrespectful to the game if you ask me.

I think he had a valid reason, even if most would disagree with it. It's not like he just went on holiday instead. Personally I think he deserves a lot of respect for the decision!

barragan wrote:

sirbenson wrote:It is like Paul Lawrie last year skipping the US Open just plain disrespectful to the game if you ask me.

I think he had a valid reason, even if most would disagree with it. It's not like he just went on holiday instead. Personally I think he deserves a lot of respect for the decision!

Anders Hansen also dissed the US Open a few years ago.

sirbenson wrote:Yes, the media have done a terrible job regarding this. Bubba's comments were pure ignorance and stupidity.

At least the media could have questioned why he plays with a pink driver... And why he's married to a woman who looks like a man...

Lawrie had no valid excuse to miss the US Open......unless he had a different one we are referring to......To miss the US Open because he thought it would improve his Ryder Cup chances!!!!

As it happens Lawrie is missing out on the Players as well as Donaldson and Colsaerts.

sirbenson wrote:Also shocked at how Bubba Watson's comments have all but gone unnoticed in the golfing media......surely he should be fined at the very least (a ban would be what I hope)

bubba didnt do anything wrong, he just thanked Broussard for sharing his faith and the bible.

incontinentia wrote:

sirbenson wrote:Also shocked at how Bubba Watson's comments have all but gone unnoticed in the golfing media......surely he should be fined at the very least (a ban would be what I hope)

bubba didnt do anything wrong, he just thanked Broussard for sharing his faith and the bible.

That on its own should be a capital offence.

Using the Bible or Christianity as a means to oppose homosexuality should be deemed as blasphemy or, in best case, extremism. It is nowhere mentioned in the Bible. Only if you are a Catholic (which Bubba isn't) you could maybe rest on the Vatican's position on the matter. But protestantism doesn't have a similar "governing body".