PGA Tour: Justin Time for some Leadership: Notes from the Ballwasher

Not much to talk about this week apart from the bleedin' obvious so let's keep it short:

1).I reckon this Ryder Cup will be won or lost by the very best of the European Team, and that means some new leadership on the course is necessary. And I'd say Justin Rose needs to be the man to step it up a notch.
There'll be loads of focus on Rory, Sergio, Poults, but Rose goes under the radar much of the time and it's time for him to take an excellent RC record and make it even better.
Or, another way of putting it, we can't have no-shows by our best:
~a la Faldo & Woosnam in 1991, or:
~Garcia, Harrington and Westwood in 2008.

2).If Europe's best don't excel, I expect it to be the Steady Eddies of the US Team to take advantage, Kuchar, Zach Johnson and Jimmy Walker especially. On the other side of their coin, Watson seems to rely over much on past partnerships of Simpson & Watson (plus their "scriptures") and Bradley and Mickelson. Don't see it happening and it looks like they'll be further weakened by Furyk having to baby-sit Patrick Reed after, anecdotedly, most of the US Team expressed a wish not to play with Top Five.

3).Europe will miss the leadership of Luke Donald, no doubt about that. Lots made of Poulter's Saturday evening brilliance in the Medinah gloaming, but US were up 10-4 before Luke and Sergio knocked off Woods & Stricker; Luke played, for me, the shot of the year (physically - a 6-iron inches from the cup after Woods had put his tee-shot within a couple of feet - and psychologically) on the 17th that day, then went out first and dusted Bubba on the Sunday, leading the charge to victory.

4).Would think that the US will rue the absence of Dufner and Dustin, and hopefully they'll be the greater loss.

5).Meanwhile, I'll echo Geoff Ogilvy's words on the Ryder Cup quoted last week by Doug Ferguson:
"As a TV spectacle, it's far better than the Super Bowl. Only one comes close - the 100 metres in the Olympics. Maybe. And it only lasts 10 seconds. Golf generally is not overly suspenseful on TV, but that is off the charts."

Certainly my favourite sports event, and I can't wait!

EUROPE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The Cup events are my favorite events to watch on TV.  All of them, the Ryder, Solheim, Prez and even the amateur events and even 2nd Tier Professional (Royal and Seve).

I detest Match Play as a Tournament format, but it is great format for the Cup events.

Good point on the Luke shot into #17 at Medinah.  IMO, That was one of the greatest shots in golf history yet it takes a back seat to the run that Poulter was doing simultaneously.

GO USA!!

GPB wrote:The Cup events are my favorite events to watch on TV.  All of them, the Ryder, Solheim, Prez and even the amateur and even 2nd Tier Professional (Royal and Seve).

Agree to the point I'd say most of them... and maybe with the exception of the Masters some years.

Soooooooo looking forward to this week... and while I'm generally not nationalistic about golfers 51 weeks of the year... this week I'm 100% lock, stock and barrel, RAH, RAH... USA... USA... !

EDIT: and Kwini... another good write up... and ditto both on Geoff Ogilvy's comments and your take on them.

kwini,
They should bring you in instead of (or complimentary to) Sir Alex Ferguson....

great comment from phil

Mickelson wrote:Not only do we play together, we don't litigate against each other.

Phat Phil will get his a$$ handed to him on a plate for that remark.

Social media reporting he said it with a smile on his face so that's OK - I wonder how they could tell it as a smile with that 1000 yard stare of his

I am unsure what team to support, but that sort of witty remark is making me think I want to be shouting for Phil's team. We shall have to wait and see if R and G mac can respond with the same aplomb.

anyone know a good hashtag to follow to get ryder cup info?

Thought you had no interest in limited field events Mac?

McLaren wrote:anyone know a good hashtag to follow to get ryder cup info?

#justmissedyourbus

Or slightly more on topic #bbcrydercup is the BBC live scoring and news twitter hashtag

Interesting read from ESPN's Bob Harig on the "business" of the Ryder Cup, especially focusing on how important the event is to the economics of the European Tour. I knew it was important, but just how much was a bit surprising to me. For instance I didn't know that the awarding of some of the RCs played in Europe were tied to long-term contracts for the venue to continue to host "regular tour" events...

http://espn.go.com/golf/rydercup14/story/_/id/11571700/at-ryder-cup-follow-money-golf

robopz wrote:Interesting read from ESPN's Bob Harig on the "business" of the Ryder Cup, especially focusing on how important the event is to the economics of the European Tour.  I knew it was important, but just how much was a bit surprising to me.   For instance I didn't know that the awarding of some of the RCs played in Europe were tied to long-term contracts for the venue to continue to host "regular tour" events...

http://espn.go.com/golf/rydercup14/story/_/id/11571700/at-ryder-cup-follow-money-golf

I read that article too.  it was interesting and somewhat surprising that Television ratings were ignored as far as economics go.

super_realist wrote:Thought you had no interest in limited field events Mac?

They are not my favorite events of the year. Although I think kwini has more of an issue with them.

gpb/robo

If the Ryder cup is so important to the finances of the European tour I hope the have the sense to issue some F1 style team orders (Well not german gp 2010 obvious) and make this time around look like a real contest.

GPB wrote:

robopz wrote:Interesting read from ESPN's Bob Harig on the "business" of the Ryder Cup, especially focusing on how important the event is to the economics of the European Tour.  I knew it was important, but just how much was a bit surprising to me.   For instance I didn't know that the awarding of some of the RCs played in Europe were tied to long-term contracts for the venue to continue to host "regular tour" events...

http://espn.go.com/golf/rydercup14/story/_/id/11571700/at-ryder-cup-follow-money-golf

I read that article too.  it was interesting and somewhat surprising that Television ratings were ignored as far as economics go.

Then perhaps you need to read it again...   starting with the 9th graph:

"No matter the currency -- dollar, pound, euro -- the Ryder Cup is big business. Enormous might better describe it. And the European Tour makes no secret of the fact that the biennial event -- played in Europe every four years -- is the financial bedrock upon which the circuit rests.

"It would be fair to say that the Ryder Cup is one of the financial locomotives of the tour," said Richard Hills, Ryder Cup director for the European Tour. "It's central to our television negotiations. The players very much know what that they are playing or working for their own company, if you like."

RC wouldn't be "central" to the ET's TV negotiations if nobody watched...

McLaren wrote:gpb/robo

If the Ryder cup is so important to the finances of the European tour I hope the have the sense to issue some F1 style team orders (Well not german gp 2010 obvious) and make this time around look like a real contest.  

Sorry, I have no idea what you are talking about.  F1 is not popular in the USA and "german gp 2010" went completely over my head.

Just meant that team Europe could let a few american through (ie win) in order to make it look competitive. After all, people won't keep turning on to watch the Ryder cup if it is one sided every year. I was of course joking anyway.

mickelsons McIldoo jibe (vine)

https://vine.co/v/O7QYQ1qjztJ

Video on golf channel

http://www.golfchannel.com/news/golf-central-blog/mickelson-needles-rory-mcdowell-over-legal-battle/?cid=twitter-gc-a-phil-needles-at-rory-graeme-legal-battle-092414

Where's this grin he was supposed to have on his face when he said it then? All I see is the 100 yard stare

Too many sound bites, not enough golf. Can't we fast-forward to Friday?

PS: I see we now know why Dustin had to take time out - funny though, it looks like he budgetted for six months, but didn't really need all that time after all!

PPS: Given Phil's legal problems recently, he'd be wise to put a sock in it.

is there a sock big enough for FIGJAM?

Is this Phil getting back at R-Mac for comments made about Phil being on the last few holes of his career?

McLaren wrote:Is this Phil getting back at R-Mac for comments made about Phil being on the last few holes of his career?

I didn't think there was anything wrong with the analogy from McIlroy.

super_realist wrote:

McLaren wrote:Is this Phil getting back at R-Mac for comments made about Phil being on the last few holes of his career?

I didn't think there was anything wrong with the analogy from McIlroy.

Seems phil did.

Of course Phil by doing this will only motivate the Europeans more. Smart move there.

Nothing wrong with what Phil said either.

Do the players get any cash for the Ryder Cup?

I believe each one of the players get money that is earmarked towards a charity.

I also think most players have a financial inducement in their sponsorship contracts

INSPIRATIONAL APPEARANCES: U.S. Captain Tom Watson brought in two wounded veterans to speak to his team Tuesday night. Active Army sergeant Josh Olson lost his right leg in Iraq in 2003, while retired sergeant Noah Galloway lost his left arm in 2005.

"One of the most unbelievable nights I've had in my life," Keegan Bradley said. "So inspirational, so motivating and kind of, as Tom said, sobering."

Watson thought Olson and Galloway provided the kind of perspective needed for the American team, that the Ryder Cup is just a golf event -- not life or death like the veterans faced.

It's alright Pedro, The Americans can just pray for god to heal their missing legs and arms.

He does miracles right?

Kwini, folks. BBC 2 NI 10:35 tonight Ulsters finest, Rory, Gmac & Clarkie.

Soz, its BBC1 NI.

Sport sometimes does need to be put into perspective, it is just a game, it is never life or death. Some fans/players/media do go way over the top. But I really do not get the whole veteran/armed forces love ins in both countries. WHy does it need to be wounded soldiers, why not other people that have suffered injury doing the job they get paid for?

beninho wrote:Sport sometimes does need to be put into perspective, it is just a game, it is never life or death. Some fans/players/media do go way over the top. But I really do not get the whole veteran/armed forces love ins in both countries. WHy does it need to be wounded soldiers, why not other people that have suffered injury doing the job they get paid for?

Indeed, The UK is nowhere near as bad as the Yanks, I'm happy to acknowledge something special like a VC action which is rare and something truly special, but having your leg blown off in Afghanistan isn't particularly inspiring.

Master stroke by Mickelson, getting inside the heads of Europe's top 2 players in one fell swoop.

Hardly a psychological master stroke. Nothing more than a joke. I hardly think either McIlroy or McDowell are going to be seething about that one.

I quite like what Phil said, has it had an impact on the Mc boys, i doubt it. But it is a fair thing to say.

A fair thing to say, very much a joke though, and seeing as he was beaming when he said it, it clearly was meant like that and not a "your mothers a lady of loose morals" type insult.

Speaking of which, I've always wondered why people get so offended about that.

FIGJAM - What a goofball. That comment will haunt him come this weekend.

Amazing crowds -- and just for practice rounds!

I expect your Queen to purr again ... but hope the Yanks find a way to keep this close and ... if they can ... maybe, just maybe ...

That's a very telling article.

The ET, we knew is light years behind the US tour in attracting and retaining sponsors; but I didn't know the ET is literally built on this biennial exhibition event.

If they had any sense, the "higher ups" would demand the ET players keep this close come Sunday ... thereby guaranteeing continued interest in 2-year's time.

Can't believe no-one's posted anything about Phil's alleged Philandering (think he's still in litigation with a Canadian web-site about that) or his stock market shenanigans.

As for the all-volunteer military sycophantic crap, what a load of hooey. Suits Watson's political extremism to a tee.

kwinigolfer wrote:Can't believe no-one's posted anything about Phil's alleged Philandering (think he's still in litigation with a Canadian web-site about that) or his stock market shenanigans.

As for the all-volunteer military sycophantic crap, what a load of hooey. Suits Watson's political extremism to a tee.

Part A:  you just did...and maybe there is nothing to it.

Part B:  Really?  

kwinigolfer wrote:Can't believe no-one's posted anything about Phil's alleged Philandering (think he's still in litigation with a Canadian web-site about that) or his stock market shenanigans.

As for the all-volunteer military sycophantic crap, what a load of hooey. Suits Watson's political extremism to a tee.

Wow... just WOW...

wow what?

super_realist wrote:wow what?

Wow in that I hope Kwini forgot to add the {{sarcasm}} emoticon...

Well... PGA of A brought in Tom Watson to shake things up... and I guess he did... all 3 rookies in the first session... two of them together in Spieth/Reed.... then Furyk, Zach, Kuch and Mahan sitting out the first session

Spieth and Reed is there a more punchable pairing?

beninho wrote:Spieth  and Reed is there a more punchable pairing?

 
Poulter and anyone.   especially Westwood.