PGA Tour: The "PGA" - Best Major, or an Afterthought?: Notes from the Ballwasher

First topic message reminder :

1).Strange, isn't it, that the lightly regarded "Fourth Major" invariably has the best field and often the most interesting finish?
The ambition to produce the Top 100 in the owgr has clearly been punctured with Dustin Johnson absent, Tiger Woods a doubt, and others (Crane, Day, DeLaet, Toms) who were sufficiently infirm last week to withdraw from their respective tournaments, but the Top 130 in this week's field won't be matched this year anywhere in the World.

2).You don't need Mark Knopfler to tell you that half the Tour is coming down with Industrial Disease.
No word as to who's got smoker's cough from smoking, brewer's droop from drinking beer, and if Jesus is on hunger strike, dying by degrees, a dozen or two of the field will undoubtedly give up the ghost on the first tees. Not sure about "Rule Brittania, gassy beer, page three"! Have to speak to Poulter about that.

Whatever, we certainly have more than our fair share of casualties, most of whom will play, but whether just going through the motions or not remains to be seen.

3).Another wonderful win from Rory last week - reckon he won it on Saturday with birdies on #17 and #18 rather than on Sunday. Those two threes crept him closer to the lead and deeper inside Sergio's head, and early Sunday birdies clinched the deal.
Just a thought as one reflected upon the summer form of Rory, followed albeit at a distance, of Kaymer, Scott, Rose and Garcia:
Are we entering a brand new post-Tiger era of golfing excellence, or has it always been there, just a level below the Woods of a decade ago? I'm inclined to feel we're seeing some separation with Rory at one level, the next five or six consistently just behind, and some distance to those below the top seven or eight players.

4).As at Tuesday afternoon Valhalla time, all we know is that Woods has not yet been to the course and it's anyone's guess as to whether he'll be teeing it up on Thursday. But he won't be a force just because he's playing, he'll only be a force again, if ever, when he sets his ego aside, gets himself properly fit, and ratchets down his swing and resultant effect on his aging physique. Odds against in my book, but he's surprised before.

5).The PGA will be played, for the third time in 20 years, at Valhalla GC a Jack Nicklaus design outside Louisville, Kentucky. The Par-71 was also the venue for Azinger's Ryder Cup Team victory in 2008.
Several of the Team members from 2008 played well, Mickelson among them to go with Top Ten finishes in the 1996 (T8) and 2000 (T9) PGA Championships. Robert Karlsson was entering the best run of form of his life, Messrs Mahan, Rose and McDowell made promising Ryder Cup debuts, and Poulter excelled in a losing cause.

6).Others in the field with PGA Championship / Ryder Cup form who might be expected to contend (so not you Mark Brooks, nor even Kenny Perry who will doubtless perform well following his Langer-beating effort last week) include:
1996 PGA:
T17: Furyk
T24: Jimenez
T61: Els

2000 PGA:
3rd: Thomas Bjorn
T16: Westwood
T19: Cabrera (Nantz looked at Faldo as if he had two heads when sirnick suggested El Pato as a contender this week)
T34: Els, Garcia (who's on recent record as saying he doesn't like the course, certainly played as if he didn't in the Ryder Cup)
T64: Jimenez
T72: Furyk

2008 Ryder Cup:
0.5 pt: Jimenez, Stricker
1.0 pt: Casey, Garcia, Westwood
1.5 pts: Stenson
2.0 pts: Karlsson, Mickelson (playing mostly with a young hotshot called Kim)
2.5 pts: Furyk, Holmes, McDowell
3.0 pts: Rose
3.5 pts: Mahan
4.0 pts: Poulter

7).European chances:
Got to include McIlroy of course and I like the chances of Bjorn, Karlsson, Rose and Stenson.
Can't see Sergio contending while there's chat about Kaymer having back/neck issues.
Hopefully McDowell will play well but is this course a little too long for him? He'll be off on paternity leave shortly.
Big week for Donald (nah) and Donaldson. And will Lowry bring his links form to the Blue Grass?

8).Americans, also playing to earn a spot on Watson's Ryder Cup Team:
Bradley and Fowler are in great form right now.
Dufner's got his bulging discs and wonder if Valhalla is just too long for Furyk and Zach Johnson (who needs a good result for Ryder Cup ambitions)?
No doubt Kuchar will be there or thereabouts, perhaps Mahan will rediscover his form of 2008, while Snedeker and Holmes are local-ish.
And I wouldn't rule out Mickelson, somewhat (and rightly so) overlooked all year, but he found something last Sunday - can he keep it going?

9)."Internationals":
Great to see Ogilvy pick up his win last week and like him and Scott best of the Aussies, especially given Day's fitness issues.
No South African has won in the US for three years and can't see that changing.
But I love Cabrera's recent form and expect him to make some noise, while Matsuyama has already won on one Nicklaus course this year.

10).It won't be the stiflingly hot August week that you'd expect in Louisville, but there'll be enough humidity to make it feel warm and precipitate random thundershowers.
Hopefully the cream will rise to the top as it has for most big events this year.
The PGA won't have the glamour of The Masters, the history of the US Open or the tradition of The Open Championship, but it will host the best field and will surely provide a deserving winner.
Hope ailing stars get healthy and we enjoy a great Championship.

Certain amount of irony here. Media criticised by 606 posters for obsession with Woods injury/non injury.
Only subject to attract any posts on 606 the day before a major...guess what?

pedro wrote:

MustPuttBetter wrote:I'm going to say it, I don't believe a word of it.
A bone popped out of his spine causing such pain he couldn't continue and then it gets popped back in and 3 days later he's good to go again?
Pull the other one! ..

Hey hey, not so fast. You have to remember Bubba prayed for him... 

Ha ha, true! Well played   

Diggers wrote:Certain amount of irony here. Media criticised by 606 posters for obsession with Woods injury/non injury.
Only subject to attract any posts on 606 the day before a major...guess what?

I don't think anyone's criticised the media for focussing on Woods, just for buying the cr@p without question

Diggers wrote:Certain amount of irony here. Media criticised by 606 posters for obsession with Woods injury/non injury.
Only subject to attract any posts on 606 the day before a major...guess what?

I think David Toms is faking it.

MustPuttBetter wrote:

Diggers wrote:Certain amount of irony here. Media criticised by 606 posters for obsession with Woods injury/non injury.
Only subject to attract any posts on 606 the day before a major...guess what?

I don't think anyone's criticised the media for focussing on Woods, just for buying the cr@p without question

Maybe they think its a storm in a teacup and don't really care?
"Sportsman out of contention stops playing, may or may not be feigning injury"
Hardly earth shattering.

My bookie doesn't even provide odds for TW to make/miss the cut... Maybe they'll wait until 10 mins before tee-off?

Diggers wrote:Certain amount of irony here. Media criticised by 606 posters for obsession with Woods injury/non injury.
Only subject to attract any posts on 606 the day before a major...guess what?

We'll always talk about the main stories diggy, but I'm sure most on here would be happy if Woods wasn't mentioned for the rest of the week. Unless he's in contention, which is highly unlikely.

Diggers wrote:

MustPuttBetter wrote:

Diggers wrote:Certain amount of irony here. Media criticised by 606 posters for obsession with Woods injury/non injury.
Only subject to attract any posts on 606 the day before a major...guess what?

I don't think anyone's criticised the media for focussing on Woods, just for buying the cr@p without question

Maybe they think its a storm in a teacup and don't really care?
"Sportsman out of contention stops playing, may or may not be feigning injury"
Hardly earth shattering.

Because the media only usually talk about Woods, or anything in fact, if it's earth shattering. Hmm...
If you're a golf reporter and you've limited yourself to reporting on earth shattering news only you're probably hungry a lot

MustPuttBetter wrote:

Diggers wrote:

MustPuttBetter wrote:

Diggers wrote:Certain amount of irony here. Media criticised by 606 posters for obsession with Woods injury/non injury.
Only subject to attract any posts on 606 the day before a major...guess what?

I don't think anyone's criticised the media for focussing on Woods, just for buying the cr@p without question

Maybe they think its a storm in a teacup and don't really care?
"Sportsman out of contention stops playing, may or may not be feigning injury"
Hardly earth shattering.

Because the media only usually talk about Woods, or anything in fact, if it's earth shattering. Hmm...
If you're a golf reporter and you've limited yourself to reporting on earth shattering news only you're probably hungry a lot

Where is the mileage though? There is none because there is no possible sanction so it's utterly pointless.
Factor in the fact the guy has missed so much golf recently through genuine injury means most people would give him the benefit of the doubt approaching the end of a career.
In short, its a non story..apart from on here apparently.

As i say, because the likes of Iain Carter only comment on Woods if there's mileage in it and it's profound? No.
I think it's worth discussing, evidently so do others on here. This is a discussion forum, it's being discussed. It may well be utterly pointless but then you were happy discussing the odds of tossing a coin earlier.........

If you don't want to discuss it, go do something else

I recall similar traffic when Pubehead walked off the course with his "toothache"

No thanks MPB, I'm happy to discuss the irony and hypocrisy of the Woods situation on here. It's called making a counter argument, if you don't like the fact that someone has a different view to you then don't bother replying to my posts.

super_realist wrote:I recall similar traffic when Pubehead walked off the course with his "toothache"

I was going to mention that, plenty of mileage in that one. But then i wondered why i was trying to justify why i wanted to talk about something.......

or Sandy Lyle when he walked off with no excuse.

There is a world of difference between making a counter argument and saying 'it's not worth discussing'. If you think that, don't discuss it

And there's no irony or hypocrisy but i've already covered that

I'm actually glad Woods is playing. I want to see him. But i also think his injury was Love sacks. If i did that at my club it would be talked about. On a world stage therefore it's worth talking about. If you don't think he faked it then make a counter argument, but that's not what you're doing now

If you think your points take away the irony and hypocrisy then you've really missed the point.
I don't care a jot if he faked it or not, it's a non story. I find it ironic people are obsessed with it on here. My first point didn't even mention whether he was injured or not, my debate is why people on here care.
If you don't want to discuss that or are content to deny it then fine.
And by the way, I never commented on the coin toss posts, or the lottery chances. Purely on odds and variables relating to golf tournaments.

Why people care??
I guess I have missed the point yes

It seems like you're having a different discussion to me. In that case excuse the mix up and I'll leave you to carry on with your one

Kwini

You mentioned that we had not heard any news of Paulina in the reporting of DJ's absence, well it seems she has been playing some golf.

http://www.weiunderpar.com/post/report-dustin-johnson-caddies-for-paulina-gretzky-in-member-guest

I think it's a coin toss whether Woods will play or not.  

If Tiger believes what he said about his injury then he is suffering from delusions as any destabilization of his sacrum would require surgery and a lengthy amount of time on the sidelines.

Any of you mobile-savvy chaps use Sports Yapper? Seems to be a new(ish) app, heavily promoted by Talk Sport Radio which allows snappy one-line interaction between sports fans. Primarily for football as far as I can tell but there is a golf section too. Quiet at the moment but hopefully will liven up come first tee time

pedro wrote:I think it's a coin toss whether Woods will play or not.  

Ha ha. Brilliant.

Weather should allow for on-time departures this morning, but 80% of thunderstorms this evening and overnight.
Still "100%" chance of thunderstorms Friday, 40% - 50% on Saturday and Sunday.

Let the Game begin.

For those of you struggling with probabilities: chances of thunderstorms Friday are almost those of Tiger Woods getting full media attention Thursday.

pedro wrote:For those of you struggling with probabilities: chances of thunderstorms Friday are almost those of Tiger Woods getting full media attention Thursday.

Actually, not a bad point. Did Woods gerrymander his "injury" to get the attention back on him instead of McIlroy and Dustin?

super_realist wrote:

MustPuttBetter wrote:I'm going to say it, I don't believe a word of it.
A bone popped out of his spine causing such pain he couldn't continue and then it gets popped back in and 3 days later he's good to go again?
Pull the other one!
He was having a shocker of a round, and I mean a shocker, and decided to bin it off and get out of there.
I've watched the footage of when he supposedly caused this spasming (had it still on my sky box). There's no grimace, no whince nothing. In fact you see a fair bit of him after as Bubba asks his opinion on some relief and he's walking around making practice swings etc. no sign of any problem...

Agreed,  the newspaper quoted he could hardly get his shoes off. Why, if he was so badly injured would he have even removed them? He wears those horrible corrective trainer shoes so not like he wouldn't have been allowed on the flight with them on, if his back was so bad, why would he bother removing them. He's a complete charlatan, and it was obviously overacting.
I hope he stinks the place out this week and misses the cut.

I hear he's been nominated for an Oscar for that performance  

RIP Peter Sainsbury LP.

I fancied Cabrera this week, not so sure seeing as he's plus 5 after 5 holes.

Glacial effort by the PGA Leaderboard.

Just seen a tweet suggesting Kuch has withdrawn at the 11th hour? John Huh in?

I see that Davie.
If he's there Huh gets in; if not it would go to the first alternate who's on site and ready to go wheels up - think Garrigus is next in line.

EDIT: Huh has been added to the pga.com leaderboard - assume he's there.

kwinigolfer wrote:RIP Peter Sainsbury LP.

I understand he had been very ill for a while and was in a wheelchair. Very sad as he was such a lovely man and a much underrated cricketer.

India are 66-6 by the way  

Kuchar also a victim of Bad Back Syndrome!

I have been reading posts recently - just not joining in as it all seems very much "same old, same old"!

PS India all out 152  

Can't stand the PGA Website. I just want a leaderboard, not a biography of the player leading.

LP,
Yup, met him a few times, especially in the Star in SJW when Hants were playing in NW8.
I posted something on the cricket board the other day which shows that at least half of my late 50's/early 60's "heroes" still going though, led by 95-y-o Vic Cannings!

Regarding the golfing industrial disease, I also see that Stricker is struggling with a torn something in his hip - what's going on??!!
Imagine Cabrera will be collapsing in agony when he gets close to the clubhouse, probably a bad sacrum.

When I saw Lee and Poulter near the top I thought maybe I had looked up the alternate event by mistake.

Diggers favourite Poulter grabs a share of the lead.

Well, it's good to see Poults and Westwood off to a good start, Gallacher also.

Lord Luiten up there too, where has he been all summer?

I doubted that tiger had a dislocated sacrum, but his play so far might actually be evidence for his claims being true?

Anyone know what time the sky coverage starts?

Tom Watson may end up playing himself with all those "injuries". Are there rumours of drug testing after the round?

Wouldn't be surprised if TW WD's soon. +2 and hardly hit a fairway/green.

Rory was tested after winning the Bridge stone.

super_realist wrote:Can't stand the PGA Website. I just want a leaderboard, not a biography of the player leading.

In fact their mobile website is a lot better than their app. So why bother with an app?

Seven Europeans in the Top 11, shades of Pinehurst - let's hope it lasts.

incontinentia wrote:Rory was tested after winning the Bridge stone.

And was found to be fabulous? Have clown DNA? Have Sergio's career stuck to the bottom of his shoes? A voodoo doll of Woods with a needle in its back? Excess funds? Don't leave us hanging.

Bob_the_Job wrote:

incontinentia wrote:Rory was tested after winning the Bridge stone.

And was found to be fabulous? Have clown DNA? Have Sergio's career stuck to the bottom of his shoes? A voodoo doll of Woods with a needle in its back? Excess funds? Don't leave us hanging.

They found he's British, not Irish... 

McLaren wrote:Anyone know what time the sky coverage starts?

6pm on SS4

His urine was found to be free of PED's, they didn't test the rest of his body.

Monty's going to win!!!

He's probably preparing his speech right now.

Westwood up to his old tricks again as it appears he 3-putted from 4feet at his tenth hole, Double-Bogey. I can't stand it!

No, he duffed a chip, then missed a 4 footer for bogey.

He was ticking along nicely until then. 

Some low scores so far so hopefully he'll make up ground again.

The F bombs coming from Tiger now - hits a 3 wood off the tee into a hazard and then from the drop puts it into deep poopie. FFST was clearly heard apparently!

OK, Thanks Smithers. A characteristic lapse anyway.

Sounds like ETW has a serious case of the lefts with his tee-shots.
Wonder if he'll be persuaded to play Greensboro next week to get more "reps"?