PGA Tour: Stroke Play Resumed at the "Honda": Notes from the Ballwasher

First topic message reminder :

1).Congratulations to Jason Day for his Match Play win, a squeaker in the end against the unsung Victor Dubuisson who had TV commentators busily researching wikipedia and pronunciation notes - the 2014 version of Louis Ooshtuizen in that respect.
No surprise here that Day broke through in a Match Play tournament, especially after his excellent Presidents Cup performance last autumn, an altogether brand new Day compared to his floundering debut in Melbourne.

2).But what does it mean? Will he kick on from here and become a force in the biggest events, or just a pretender to Major crowns? We'll get a glimpse of the new Day dawning at Augusta, but I'm still not convinced he's at, say, the Adam Scott level, not yet anyway.

3).And congrats to Victor Dubuisson as well. Whether his miracle shots on the 19th and 20th holes were sublime or flukey, there was no doubt he richly deserved to be in the Final and has probably sealed his Ryder Cup debut.
The European qualifying table looks a little stronger now:
Dubuisson, Bjorn, Poulter, Stenson, Garcia, McIlroy, Donaldson, Rose and Luiten. I'd say McDowell will also be there but Donald, Kaymer and Westwood, to name but three, once again departed meekly from Dove Mountain and McGinley may have to discard one or more of these stalwarts unless their form does an abrupt u-turn soon.

4).There were no significant changes to the US Ryder Cup Team qualifying positions and Watson must be hoping to see some form in Florida from the likes of Bradley, Kuchar, Mahan, Snedeker and Woods among others. Only Bradley and Woods will add to their points this week and you'd expect Bradley at least to play well on a course where he's had good results in the past.
As for Woods, who knows? "A tiger's waiting to be tamed": By the Bear Trap at PGA National??!!

5).This is the time of year when Americans typically start to lose their dominance on Tour.
The season-opening Tournament of Champions has been won by Americans only four times in the past ten years, but the other six of the old traditional "West Coast Swing" has been monopolized by Tiger, Phil and the rest, with the six tournaments having been won by American golfers 54 (out of a possible 60) times. (58 out of a possible 70 altogether.)

***Of those seven events including the TOC, Europeans have won precisely once in the past ten years - by whom??***
Whilst "Team USA" has won all ten San Diego and Pebble Beach events.

6).The balance of power changes significantly starting with the Match Play, with Americans only winning 37 of a possible 70 for the seven tournaments Match Play thru Houston, and British golfers have won at least once at each in the past five years, with Harrington, Donald and McIlroy all having tasted victory at the "Honda".

7).Just to continue the theme, I believe I'm correct in saying that Europeans have won all the tournaments that have been in place for ten years or more except Hawaii, Pebble Beach (tho' McDowell of course won the US Open there), John Deere and Reno/Tahoe, all but LA (Faldo, 1997) and New Orleans (Westwood, 1998) in the past fifteen years.

8).PGA National is one tough grind, even for the World's best, and many of the best will be in action this week with only Day and Rose missing from the owgr Top 9 at "The Honda Classic". (Kudos to Honda, the longest running title sponsor of a PGA Tour event.)
Many Europeans will be enjoying a busman's holiday with unexpected guests including Bjorn, Casey, Donaldson, Gallacher, Gonzo, Hanson, Kaymer, Manassero and Olesen, plus European Tour stars Koepka and Uihlein(!!).
PGA National is traditionally one of the toughest Par-70's on Tour and, if the wind blows, it'll be a real Bear (pun intended, given Nicklaus's re-do a few years ago). The TV cameras will focus on holes #15 (par-3), #16 (par-4) and #17 (par-3) with all approach shots played over water. Certainly not the sort of golf I like to play and, on my only visit, I didn't enjoy the torture one little bit.

9).Being a PGA Champion is not necessarily easy on the old ticker as news comes that Shaun Micheel (remember him?) has undergone a procedure to clear a blockage - right "coronary artery blocked 99%". Micheel has had a host of medical issues and good health to him. All of which follows Hal Sutton's "mild" heart attack whilst playing on the Champo Tour.

10).When Tony Hateley (one of the better headers of a football in the past 50-odd years) died recently, the old Tommy Docherty quip resurfaced about Hateley being such an awful passer of the ball that:
"He's so bad with the ball at his feet that his passes should be addressed 'To whom it may concern'".

With just three San Diego rounds under his belt, no doubt Tiger feels that way about his driver as he would rank 175th of 175 on Tour in driving accuracy; if he plays like that at PGA National he won't make the cut, but who would bet against him coming out in mid-season form?
After some abysmal CBS TV broadcasts, NBC TV takes over for the next few weeks, Johnny Miller and the rest, and doubtless we'll get a close-up view to see if Tiger's got his act together in time for this week to serve as a useful warm-up for upcoming dates at Doral and Bay Hill.
Let's hope last week's action was reminder enough that other guys play great golf too.

Early tee-time for Woods on Saturday, just agead of Garcia and Singh.

Mac,
U-line is playing in the Cadillac next week, whereas flat-mate Koepka, who made the cut this week, is off to Puerto Rico where Jordan Spieth got his opportunity last year.

Imagine STM is the goal for both, but Koepka is one step ahead in the early going.

Koepka has a chance to make it into the Cadillac field

Solo 3rd will be enough. He needs to HURRY!

GPB,
Surprisingly few with any chance of qualifying for the Caddie that aren't already exempt. Ryan Palmer probably the next best chance.

kwinigolfer wrote:GPB,
Surprisingly few with any chance of qualifying for the Caddie that aren't already exempt. Ryan Palmer probably the next best chance.

Brendon de Jonge is not yet qualified for Cadillac.  I think his chances are better than anyone not already qualified.

If STM is his goal, Koepka might be better off going to Puerto Rico regardless of cadillac qualification.

Unless you win, the difference in points offered for a finish in the WGC compared to that in Puerto Rico is quite small outside the top 3.

Position	Tour event	WGC	diff
1	500	550	50
2	300	315	15
3	190	200	10
4	135	140	5
5	110	115	5
6	100	105	5
7	90	95	5
8	85	89	4
9	80	83	3
10	75	78	3
11	70	73	3
12	65	69	4
13	60	65	5
14	57	62	5
15	56	59	3
16	55	57	2
17	54	55	1
18	53	53	0
19	52	52	0
20	51	51	0
21	50	50	0
22	49	49	0
23	48	48	0
24	47	47	0
25	46	46	0
26	45	45	0
27	44	44	0
28	43	43	0
29	42	42	0
30	41	41	0
31	40	40	0
32	39	39	0
33	38	38	0
34	37	37	0
35	36	36	0
36	35	35	0
37	34	34	0
38	33	33	0
39	32	32	0
40	31	31	0
41	30	30	0
42	29	29	0
43	28	28	0
44	27	27	0
45	26	26	0
46	25	25	0
47	24	24	0
48	23	23	0
49	22	22	0
50	21	21	0
51	20	20	0
52	19	19	0
53	18	18	0
54	17	17	0
55	16	16	0
56	15	15	0
57	14	14	0
58	13	13	0
59	12	12	0
60	11	11	0
61	10	10	0
62	9	9	0
63	8	8	0
64	7	7	0
65	6	6	0
66	5	5	0
67	4	4	0
68	3	3	0
69	2	2	0
70	1	1	0

You can't possibly have a girlfriend Mac.

GPB,
For some reason I thought BdJ was qualified - must be due to your advocacy!

Early starters already at work at the Honda, and that includes Sergio and Tiger.
Remember, a cut to top 70 and ties after Round 3.
Just waiting for pgatour.com to feed the meter.

Paul Casey on fire; -4 after 5 holes.
European golf definitely better for a healthy and in-form Casey, which we haven't seen for three years. He's also in the Cadillac and a top ten this week would earn him a place in Tampa. Plus he'll defo be in Houston.

Woods playing as well as anyone out there in Round 3, and probably putting better than anyone - tho' sure he won't say so!

Sergio also going nicely, but Casey has dropped a couple of shots.

Good signs for Woods these, doesn't seem too bothered by his indifferent start to the season. He has underplayed this season, even by his standards.

Woods must have enjoyed that - round in less than 3 1/2 hrs, playing with someone (Guthrie matches Tiger's 65) also scoring well, and on a pretty much pristine course with only Overton racing around before him.

If football managers head-butt the opposition, I wonder why golfers never do!
Disappointing end to Casey's round; he just doesn't seem to be able to stitch 18 holes together these days.

Nice effort from Tiger. Excellent to see ... and another 65 (or so) tomorrow would be nice as well.

It's Rory time, let's hope he can keep it going.

Plenty of 65's today but will anyone go really low?
Scoring looks better again today, so hopefully the late-starting Team GB&I can take advantage - Jamie Donaldson for instance, on St.David's Day. (No jokes about leeks.)

Yes, lots of 65's, and fortunately for Tiger he was among the crowd. I'm guessing if Rory keeps all 4 days in the 60's he'll be just fine.

Rory needs a birdie or three, losing momentum out there.

Not as much as LW1 though...

Big fat Brendan not holding up to playing final group golf. Rory just needs to be steady as can't see him being caught if he does.

Depending on how Rory finishes, it seems Tiger will have a chance tomorrow.

Mcilroy with another birdie, 7 is probably too much for Tiger to get back tbh!

Tiger is out he can get a good finish but will need something crazy low to challenge. And also hope no one else has a good one. It's Rory to lose.

Russell Henley cannot get these breaks again tomorrow.

How many putts has Rory had that have just crept past. But one under round and he has increased his lead. Don't think Henley Knox or Vegas will stand up to the challenge and I think the better players at 5 back are just a bit to far. I don't see Rory shooting over par tomorrow.

Tiger not going to be the golfer to challenge Rory (if there is any challenge) ... my guess would be only those at 7 under or better. What an implosion from deJong. That's no way to win your first tournament.

Big day for Rory on Sunday, don't you think?
Win convincingly and it'll be a massive boost to his confidence.
Lose, and the opposite may apply.

Great to see Russell Knox thrive when so many more experienced Europeans beat a hasty retreat.

Ross watch before Rors watch.
Go Fish!

Kwini,

Why do you think Paul Casey is in the Cadillac field?

http://www.worldgolfchampionships.com/cadillac-championship/field.html

Top 20 in R2D.
Edit: At least, I had thought he was in the field!
Edit: Edit: Not much good if you're 30th then.

Fisher angling inside the Top 70 with that win.

Baldy nine chins rules himself out within the first 3 holes.

Go Rory!   

A right mess from Woods; seeing more water than Michael Phelps.

Come on Rory/Russell (no, not you Henley).

Rory at -13 now; would think that'll be a winning score (and prove Shotrock correct).
Fatty de Jonge falling apart.

Didn't realise de Jonge was playing with Westwood - at least 500 lbs of golfer there. Poor day for the both of them.
 
Course doesn't look like it'll get any easier as the afternoon goes on - will anyone but (hopefully) Rory finish in double figures under par?

Good call on Bradley earlier in the week kwinny.

I think it's disrespectful how people harp on about people's weights. It's disgusting how people on here constantly belittle players cause of that!

RANT OVER.

Tiger WD'S

Has to be an injury, no way Tiger would quit otherwise.

EDIT: spokesperson says its his back   

Back problems apparently. Or back nine problems. Not sure which.

Only reporting on the freight benson!
No more though, not this week.

Shock Mark Roe defends Tiger... Looks absolutely nothing wrong with him cue the phantom injury that will no doubt come out!!!

Good round for Sergio today, looks like he played well just looking at his round details on shot tracker

Back injury then.

Rory struggling here....

Baldy Bottom Lip Tripping Nine Chins ripping it up again.

Maybe Tiger had toothache in his back

For someone who won a US Open with a broken leg (albeit only a stress fracture) he didn't look too bad as he plucked his ball out of the 13th hole

A few of the "international" players well away from contention shot 67, Casey, Garcia, Hearn, Matteo, Romero . . . . and Watney's.
A great shame Casey missed the Top Ten.

sirbenson wrote:I think it's disrespectful how people harp on about people's weights. It's disgusting how people on here constantly belittle players cause of that!

RANT OVER.

It isn't disrespectful because he's done nothing to command my respect, he is repulsive. It's perfectly acceptable to ridicule these people. These are meant to be professional sportsmen and as such should be looking to be in as good shape as they possibly can be. They have all day every day to be in peak physical condition and to be a fat knacker who look more like the ghastly Alex Salmond and half an hour away from a coronary than someone worthy of being called a sporting champion is unacceptable.

Show me one medical report which says that any sport in which the competitor is obese to morbidly obese is a good idea for a long, successful and minimal injury.

(no prizes for Sumo)

I hope you're all getting better coverage than we are - brutal stuff, and I thought CBS was bad.

More players going out of the running than forging in to contention. Ryan Palmer the only one who really has anything going.

Rory making this look a lot more difficult than perhaps it should be for him.
3-horse race or can Henley row his way back into it?

Pube Head gassing it.

And Knox's knees a-knocking. He needs to recoup and concentrate on a top finish now - he'll almost certainly wrap up his card for next season unless he has some more water balls.

Come on Rory.

Evening Kwini, exciting stuff this hope Rory can bring it home...