PGA Tour: The Masters Winner, via Process of Elimination: Notes from the Ballwasher

First topic message reminder :

1).Last year I slurped a couple of bottles of Malbec and attempted to make a case for a European Champion. Henrik Stenson was the chosen candidate and he played well but not nearly well enough, Jonas Blixt finishing ahead of him as the leading Swede. So we changed the formula this year, not the Malbec of course, but let's revert to Andy North's time-honoured process of elimination.
NB: Any bias or prejudice is entirely intentional.

2).Starting with Amateurs. One or two have come close, Patton, Venturi, but none won a Green Jacket and that won't change this year. Seven eliminated.

3).No rookie has one since Fuzzy Zoeller over 35 years ago. I fancy Tringale to play well, but I'll go with history and take out the 13 first-timers.

4).Jack Nicklaus won the 1986 Masters at the age of 46, the oldest Champion. I don't see any of the forty-somethings in the field improving their game, so let's dispense with the likes of Westwood, Furyk and Els and 20 others. 23 can exit, best chances Phil, who's only had one top ten finish since Muirfield, and Cabrera, always a decent each way punt.

5).Augusta National could be the toughest walking course these guys play, not good if you're carrying a knock, physically or mentally, or in some cases Tiger, both. Bye bye to seven crocks, including McDowell, Stenson and Reed.

6).Poor putters and scramblers need not apply. 24 still standing are #110 or below in the PGA Tour's primary putting or scrambling stat. On your way then Dustin, Rickie, Keegan, Webb, Kaymer, Rose, Charl and Adam. Big risk sending Matsuyama and Oosthuizen down the road, but their putting has not been good enough. Russell Henley may be a putting genius but he needs to scramble too.

7).As baseball fans know, "Chicks dig the long ball", and so do Augusta's Green Jackets; bad news for slowpokes Crane and Na and eight others, none of them in the top 100. Sorry Sneds, still good for a place.

8).Only fourteen left so time to discard those currently out of form. Regardless of what they might have done elsewhere in the world, none of this lot have a PGA Tour top ten finish this year: Dubuisson, Grace, Ilonen, Mahan, Streelman, Villegas. Adios to the 6 of you.

9).And of the rest, only Jason Day, Spieth and Jimmy Walker have wins, so San-Moon Bae, Sergio, Rory, Ryan Palmer and Bubba can leave quietly down Magnolia Lane.

10).Day, Spieth and Walker have all played well at Augusta. Day and Spieth have play-off wins this year, Walker has two wins by a total of 13 strokes. Give me the proven winner and measure up Jimmy Walker for a Green Jacket. Cheers.

Tiger and Phil calling for firmer and faster greens. I hope the tournament committee listens as it could shake up the tournament and bring Spieth back to the field. Not that I dislike Spieth, I just don't like to see him run away with it already today.

Seeing Dustin, Rory and Scott stiffing their 4-5 irons on 13 and 15 for tap-in eagles yesterday really surprised me as I've rarely seen the greens so receptive.

GPB wrote:

monty junior wrote:In terms of a name he isn't as big as the guys immediately behind him but how often does the lesser known player almost play pressure free golf and end up winning. The most obvious one being Yang against Tiger in 09.

Faldo against Norman in 1996?  

Think he was fairly well known by then with 5 majors, Hoffman and Yang not so much.

Yeah I don't really get that comment..

Pedro

I hope the masters committee stick to what they had planned before Spieth went low. It would be artificial to manufacture tougher than normal conditions in the hope that he would be one of the players to struggle.

mystiroakey wrote:Yeah I don't really get that comment..

It was clearly a joke to wind up the English posters. It has worked, and I laughed. A winning comment all round.

McLaren wrote:Pedro

I hope the masters committee stick to what they had planned before Spieth went low.  It would be artificial to manufacture tougher than normal conditions in the hope that he would be one of the players to struggle.

I kinda get your point. But I guess they also have to look at how to create an exciting tournament.

McLaren wrote:

mystiroakey wrote:Yeah I don't really get that comment..

It was clearly a joke to wind up the English posters.  It has worked, and I laughed.  A winning comment all round.

I am not sure it wound anyone up. It just didn't make any sense.

pedro wrote:

McLaren wrote:Pedro

I hope the masters committee stick to what they had planned before Spieth went low.  It would be artificial to manufacture tougher than normal conditions in the hope that he would be one of the players to struggle.

I kinda get your point. But I guess they also have to look at how to create an exciting tournament.

The organisers don't like there course being tagged easy and the greens have been to soft. It would be 'normal' to make it harder and closer to its usual toughness on the greens especially . That's just standard

Has it rained overnight?

McLaren wrote:
I hope the masters committee stick to what they had planned before Spieth went low.  It would be artificial to manufacture tougher than normal conditions in the hope that he would be one of the players to struggle.

I agree. The executive power to alter course conditions is vested in the Committee. To wield this power in the way you describe would amount to an abuse imo.

Walker has been disappointing this week. I know he was paired with Tiger, but still...

Any predictions for day 3? Spieth was -8 the first day and -6 yesterday. A -4 today and a -2 tomorrow should get it done in a nice little pattern, everything else constant. New 18 hole record of -20?

Hopefully DJ will make a big charge today and make things interesting. Hoffman is something of an unknown quantity in Majors, not sure if he has been in contention before (I don't think he has), hard to know what to expect from him.

Not expecting much from Rose and/or Casey (sorry Englanders!)

I reckon rory will finish minus double figures and a top 10. Without challenging. Probably highest brit aswell. Case will stumble today. Dj and spieth to be final group tomorrow. Spieth to shoot 69 today.

Looks like it's raining now, but not too much and it should clear out within the hour. Should be dry and eventually sunny after noon. Not too windy.

They can make the greens as hard as they want with their sub-air system, think that is what Mickelson and Woods are wondering - why haven't they used it. Though Woods especially benefitted from soft greens.

With all respect to Charley Hoffman I can't see him hanging in there. Which, if true, makes Spieth's lead even more spectacular. I wouldn't be surprised to see a slight lapse from Spieth today but still good enough to hold a 3-4 shot lead going into Sunday. DJ I'm unsure about temperamentwise .. but I wouldn't be surprised to see Rose and Casey both have good days again. Rory to tread water and a further comeback from Tiger (much as I hate to say it). Walker and Top5 both due a good round and Billy Haas is moving along nicely, but quietly!

No Golf until 8.00 p.m. BST.

As Mrs kwini just remarked, "I thought they had special coverage for The Masters".
"Yes, they do. Less than for any other tournament, no on-course on-course reporting, and all described in a pigeon English all Augusta's own."
Infuriating.
Imagine all you guys going to Andy's wedding will be able to have a skinful then sit down and snooze in front of the Golf?

kwinigolfer wrote:

They can make the greens as hard as they want with their sub-air system, think that is what Mickelson and Woods are wondering - why haven't they used it. Though Woods especially benefitted from soft greens.

Wouldn't it be weird to have soft fairways and concrete greens?

I guess the Committee can't exert too much control- if they firm up the greens then the chasers can't be too aggressive, if they leave them soft Spieth will simply keep making birdies.

dj is long.

Rose is a major winner

Casey is relaxed as could be and has a great game for this course.

All have a shot if Speith shots a 72 plus . But to a state DJ is above the others isn't logical.

Fully agree Mysti. Rory, Rose, DJ, Sergio and even Tiger could do what Jordan did the past two days and he could do what they did. It's golf -- and can change quickly.

Dj is in more form then rose and casey. He is arguably a better player. Rose has a major but dj has a better career. Casey has never fulfilled his potential and is never going to at this stage if his career. And on this course out of those 3 dj has shown what he can do on the par 5. Cut out the mistakes and he could go low if the course is helpful.

I'd be surprised if Spieth doesn't end up coming back to the field! But hey he is the real deal so I find it hard to see him not winning from here!

beninho wrote:Dj is in more form then rose and casey. He is arguably a better player. Rose has a major but dj has a better career. Casey has never fulfilled his potential and is never going to at this stage if his career. And on this course out of those 3 dj has shown what he can do on the par 5. Cut out the mistakes and he could go low if the course is helpful.

Totally agree! DJ is going to win majors! Only a matter of time before he wins one, he really should have won one by now considering the close misses he has had!

incontinentia wrote:

McLaren wrote:
I hope the masters committee stick to what they had planned before Spieth went low.  It would be artificial to manufacture tougher than normal conditions in the hope that he would be one of the players to struggle.

I agree. The executive power to alter course conditions is vested in the Committee. To wield this power in the way you describe would amount to an abuse imo.

Walker has been disappointing this week. I know he was paired with Tiger, but still...

Any predictions for day 3? Spieth was -8 the first day and -6 yesterday. A -4 today and a -2 tomorrow should get it done in a nice little pattern, everything else constant. New 18 hole record of -20?

Hopefully DJ will make a big charge today and make things interesting. Hoffman is something of an unknown quantity in Majors, not sure if he has been in contention before (I don't think he has), hard to know what to expect from him.

Not expecting much from Rose and/or Casey (sorry Englanders!)

I think I read somewhere last night that he was +101 for his 14 majors before this.....He is a player who should have had a better career imo, I tipped him on twitter as an outsider to someone a month or so ago but I didn't take my own advice and back him!

mystiroakey wrote:

All have a shot if Speith shots a 72 plus . But to a state DJ is above the others isn't logical.

DJ is destroying the par 5's, he's far better suited to this course than Rose or Casey.

Justin Ray @JustinRayGC · 13h 13 hours ago
Tiger Woods & Sergio Garcia paired together tomorrow. In 8 PGA Tour rounds together since 2007, Woods has beat Garcia by 26 shots.


haha!

Garcia is the ultimate mental midget   I'm sure Tiger hammered him playing together at the 2006 Open as well.

monty junior wrote:Garcia is the ultimate mental midget   I'm sure Tiger hammered him playing together at the 2006 Open as well.

Its an awful shame he is thought of that way by so many people. I wonder how different his career would be if he won the 1999 PGA?

I was thinking the in a golf world minus tiger garcia and els would have had many more majors. Els could have been king!

McLaren wrote:

mystiroakey wrote:Yeah I don't really get that comment..

It was clearly a joke to wind up the English posters.  It has worked, and I laughed.  A winning comment all round.

I'm not English, but yea reading it twice should have picked that up with the smiley beside it. 

incontinentia wrote:

monty junior wrote:Garcia is the ultimate mental midget   I'm sure Tiger hammered him playing together at the 2006 Open as well.

Its an awful shame he is thought of that way by so many people. I wonder how different his career would be if he won the 1999 PGA?

With Garcia i feel it was the 2007 Open was the one that did him in, he absolutely dominated that week, was the best player but just didn't cope on the Sunday which i suppose is what it's all about. Then you could see the scar tissue at the 2008 PGA when he lost to Harrington down the stretch, ever since then i don't think he believes he can win. I don't think the 99 PGA would have done a whole lot, it would have been too much to young and tbh being as close as he was was more down to Tiger making a mess of his back 9 from a big lead. If he had won the Open he could have had a Mickelson, Els like career with 5 majors, but he doesn't really have a winning mentality like those two guys, even though he is just as talented.

monty jr,
Don't agree with the "mental midget" characterization, but would say you're on the mark with the 2007 Open / 2008 PGA. Losing The Players a couple of years ago, to Woods, didn't help either.

Doubt he'd ever have contended regularly at Augusta but now, however well he plays, he seems to be looking over his shoulder instead of kicking on like a true champion. Thought his Wyndham win a couple of years ago would've got him back in gear, but it hasn't really happened for him.
Having said all of which, so many golfers have fluked wins, even Major wins; not only has that never happened for Sergio, a few times he's been the flukee.

Bogey start for Lee Westwood; now there's another one, brilliant future well behind him, sad to say!

mystiroakey wrote:Yeah I don't really get that comment..

It was a joke!  Lighten up Francis.

beninho wrote:Dj is in more form then rose and casey. He is arguably a better player. Rose has a major but dj has a better career. Casey has never fulfilled his potential and is never going to at this stage if his career. And on this course out of those 3 dj has shown what he can do on the par 5. Cut out the mistakes and he could go low if the course is helpful.

Nah I don't buy it at all. It's just your opinion pal. Let's see. I have never seen casey so chilled out .and Rose had loads of birdies yesterday it's just he also had loads of bogeys . So all he needs to do is cut out the mistakes

GPB wrote:

mystiroakey wrote:Yeah I don't really get that comment..

It was a joke!  Lighten up Francis.

Another comment that makes no sense. It must be the Atlantic divide.And I wasn't the first one to point it out.

incontinentia wrote:

mystiroakey wrote:

All have a shot if Speith shots a 72 plus . But to a state DJ is above the others isn't logical.

DJ is destroying the par 5's, he's far better suited to this course than Rose or Casey.

So he is also better suited than Speith who has laid up on every par 5.. Come on a few Eagles and you are drooling. Golf doesn't work like that.

mystiroakey wrote:

GPB wrote:

mystiroakey wrote:Yeah I don't really get that comment..

It was a joke!  Lighten up Francis.

Another comment that makes no sense. It must be the Atlantic divide.And I wasn't the first one to point it out.

The emoticons (  ) should have been a clue. 

And Lighten Up Francis comes from the movie Stripes.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0OnpkDWbeJs

mysti,
I'll drool as well, DJ ahead of Casey in most respects, at least until Paul starts winning again.
And Justin Rose has just played by far the best two rounds of his season; can he keep it up? Not sure that he can.
DJ has an extra gear . . . . . .

Hey, have they just struck oil in your neck of the woods???!!!

Stripes. Ta got it.

Anyway let's not forget pmick who is the only one who has proven to be the real deal on this course (that may have a chance)and is only 1 behind those 3.

It will be interesting to see how Casey can cope playing alongside him.

Here is the Masters tweet on Saturday hole locations

https://twitter.com/TheMasters/status/586867899148697600

Does anyone know what the green boxes to the right of each green represents?

It says underneath that the green grids represent 5 square yards.

GPB wrote:Here is the Masters tweet on Saturday hole locations

https://twitter.com/TheMasters/status/586867899148697600

Does anyone know what the green boxes to the right of each green represents?

there's really small text at the bottom- "green diagram grids represent 5 square yards". I guess it's to give them scale.(or maybe not, I have no idea)

mystiroakey wrote:It says underneath that the green grids represent 5 square yards.

Thanks, the resolution of the my laptop is not that good.  And neither are my eyes.

If interested, Jimmy Walker's wife is writing a blog for Golf Digest this week.

She talk about the par 3 contest and trying to follow Jimmy's group on Thu (in the same group as Tiger).

http://www.golfdigest.com/blogs/the-loop/2015/04/tour-wife-diary-erin-walker-masters-tiger-woods.html

GPB wrote:If interested, Jimmy Walker's wife is writing a blog for Golf Digest this week.

She talk about the par 3 contest and trying to follow Jimmy's group on Thu (in the same group as Tiger).

http://www.golfdigest.com/blogs/the-loop/2015/04/tour-wife-diary-erin-walker-masters-tiger-woods.html

Thanks GPB. I read this bit and it made me laugh. Unfortunately, our putter hasn't been as cooperative as it was a week ago.
Love the "our" bit. But I suppose golfers think themselves as a team these days.

It looks like Westwood & Lahiri are right on the tail of Steve Stricker. Where's the timing gestapo, stopwatches out please chaps.

Good to see signs of life from Hedrick, must be a nice change for him to have 14 clubs in his bag again. Imagine he'll be extra p1ssed off if his group is being held up by Stricker - perhaps he's got Silly Billy Payne as a "marker"?

The course seems a bit trickier today but a good score still seems very much possible

kwinigolfer wrote:It looks like Westwood & Lahiri are right on the tail of Steve Stricker. Where's the timing gestapo, stopwatches out please chaps.

Good to see signs of life from Hedrick, must be a nice change for him to have 14 clubs in his bag again. Imagine he'll be extra p1ssed off if his group is being held up by Stricker - perhaps he's got Silly Billy Payne as a "marker"?

Stricker is playing ANGC member Jeff Knox.  Very accomplished player.  And Rory says he is a fast player.  (he played with him last year).  Stricker/Knox are on a sub 4 hour pace.

Stenson and Kuchar were on 11th green while Westy/Lahiri are hitting 2nd shots into 13.  Looks like Stenson is slow playing.  Stenson took forever (5 min+) on hole 15 yesterday deciding on his third shot.

Bubba starts with a triple bogey! Yikes!

An eagle for Rory on 2!

Great rounds from Fowler and Koepka in progress!

GPB,
That's when Hedrick snapped his club!
It looks like last year's edition of Rickie Fowler has decided to turn up today . . . . . .

DJ, I recall a talking head saying yesterday, has won an event every year he's been on tour.

Sergio may yet win a major. I'm, however, not betting on it. Extra gear, all the shots ... simply pea-brained on so many shot decisions down the stretch. Not just in majors, it happens a lot.

Would like to see Jordan finish this off in the style he started. It's rare when a major is dominated end to end.