PGA Tour: The Life Of Bryans: Notes from the Ballwasher

1).That was The Masters that was.
Not my favourite Masters ever; for a tournament leaderboard to be so full of top players, it was possibly the least likely one of them to come out on top. Patrick Reed had gone through a lousy start to the season, but his form perked up with a second-place finish at the Valspar and came to Augusta with three Top Tens running. But still!
Regardless, congratulations to him, won it fair and fairly square.

2).What of the rest?
Of the contenders, only Fowler, Rahm and Spieth really came to play on Sunday; Stenson, Dustin & Bubba seemed to flirt with the leaderboard without making a proper run and Rory's Sunday has been done to death on this board already,
I fancied Oosthuizen and Rose but both had OK tournaments without contending, while Fleetwood, Thomas, Mickelson and Woods pretty much disappeared.
Gutsy effort from Finau and another excellent tournament from Cameron Smith - not many pros playing better right now than the baby-faced Aussie, just one cut missed in the past six months after a miserable run of form after his Team win in New Orleans. Difficult to believe he won't break through again soon. This week perhaps?  

3).Which brings me to Wes Bryan, playing his first Masters after winning last year at the RBC Heritage 52 weeks ago at Harbour Town. Bryan's play at Augusta was forgettable, especially for a local-ish lad as he missed the cut convincingly.
But Doug Ferguson of the AP wrote an interesting few paragraphs last week telling a story I'd not previously heard.

4).I'll quote excerpts from Ferguson's piece:
"The late Hootie Johnson fiercely defended the lengthening of Augusta National during his term as club chairman. Johnson said the changes were to keep current with the modern game, and he leaned on his own experience.
But he wasn't playing in March 2005 with a PGA Tour player. He was playing with teenagers.
'I had a guest down here in March 2005 - 17 years old. He hit pitching wedges into 17 and 7. A lot had been written that we'd been trying to Tiger-proof our golf course. We weren't worried about Tiger, we were worried about these 17-year-olds.'
The 17-year-old was George Bryan. Also playing that day was his 14-year-old brother, Wesley Bryan."

5).Now you know the Bryan Brothers for their best-selling videos of their trick-shot artistry. George, "He always hit the ball farther than I did", is now on the Latino America Tour, while Wes broke through on the web.com Tour a couple of years ago, earned a "battlefield promotion" to the PGA Tour with three wins, and immediately made his mark before winning at Harbour Town.
Tour life for him hasn't been so successful recently, but I'd never heard the story of his little mark in Masters history before. Hopefully he'll enjoy more success before returning to his trick-shot circus act.

6).We are past the halfway stage of the season now, and chances for double-dippers outside the owgr Top 50 dwindle exponentially.
Graeme McDowell is playing the "RBC Heritage" this week on a course where he's won and might be expected to have a decent week. He needs it.
Ross Fisher's season is in dire straits, a little money for nothing so far this year and only 32 FedEx points - dismal at Augusta and difficult to know why his form has slumped. Golfers just like anyone else I suppose, they can get stale, industrial disease perhaps?
Shane Lowry, in his infinite wisdom, has taken the week off (not actually 100% sure he qualifies for this "Invitational"), and he also has his work cut out for him.

7).And then there's Luke Donald. Amazing to think he's been second here FIVE times, including last year behind the aforesaid Bryan. While Davis Love has won here five times.
Luke is having a shocking year. And here are some clues why:
Driving accuracy: 206th out of 210 (Woods and Mickelson are also in the bottom ten, but at least they're long with their waywardness).
Total Driving (distance + accuracy): 205th
Greens in Regulation: 206th out of 210 (Harrington is 209th)
Scrambling: 125th
Sand Saves (28th) and Putting (25th) are still strengths, but even they are not what they were.
If Luke can't manage a decent week at Harbour Town it's difficult to see where his career goes.

8).The pros will be enjoying what Jason Isbell describes as "The water color sky at Hilton Head" this week, at lovely Harbour Town, home of the RBC Heritage.
Course specialists thrive here, as Luke and DLIII demonstrate. Length is important, but less of a factor than on most courses and guys like Furyk, Snedeker, Harman, Kisner, Kuchar, Simpson all play well here.
There's a decent GB&I representation with Casey, Fish, Fitz, Hatton, Knox, Laird and Poults (had a great chance to win last year) joining Donald & McDowell. Would think this place would suit Fitz - he played well here four years ago, but hasn't made the cut since.

9).Golfers who have close connection to the American south-east tend to thrive these next few weeks, especially those who also fancy Pete Dye courses. I was going to go against that trend and pick Adam Hadwin as my one-and-done but he's withdrawn. Think I'll give Streelman a whirl instead, but with very little conviction.

10).I see the Zurich Classic Team Event at New Orleans will be the first PGA Tour event with "first tee walk up" music. Hope Fleetwood and Paisley pick something north of England, but what would you pick?

It's amazing how far Luke Donald has fallen, from being easily the most consistently good player for 12 full months, he's now consistently one of the worst players. Hard to imagine how a swing (which looks) so good, can be so bad in result.

Surprised to see Poulter playing.

I'm sure some w@@@@@r will pick Ed Sheeran. First time I heard one of his songs, I thought he was a novelty act like Black Lace or Joe Dolce.

Think I'd go with some instrumental riffs from the Allman Brothers.


Good forecast, sun, dry, mild, intermittently breezy, for the first three days at Harbour Town, then some Stormy-ness on Sunday. No Daniels but likely strong winds and rain.

Cheers Kwini. Jason Isbell  Best musical reference in your notes since the Lucinda Williams-themed set.

Doubt anyone will choose either at New Orleans although you never know with some of the Southern ole boys. I don't think I'd be able to resist taking the piss. Maybe a bit of Orbison, I drove all night. Or Iron Butterfly.

NedB-H wrote:Cheers Kwini. Jason Isbell  Best musical reference in your notes since the Lucinda Williams-themed set.

Doubt anyone will choose either at New Orleans although you never know with some of the Southern ole boys. I don't think I'd be able to resist taking the piss. Maybe a bit of Orbison, I drove all night. Or Iron Butterfly.

Lucinda wasn't looking too clever last time I saw her, some of the gravel from "Car Wheels" has started to scramble her voice too. Still, she IS from Louisiana so you never know!

Thanks for a great article again Kwini.

Re 4), ANGC surely can't think it's OK to continually lengthen the course? That's a dumb solution to this 'distance problem'. Making it essentially a pure bombers course surely isn't good for the game and for having the Masters as a bona fide Major. Would think they'll have to consider some judicious additional fairway hazards and make bombing a huge drive real risk/reward.

Music to walk on to? 'Rock and Roll' - Led Zeppelin? 'Wherever I May Roam' - Metallica?

S_R

I don't get Ed Sheeran either. Weird. Each to their own though.

Thanks for another interesting article kwini.


Especially interested in the Bryan brothers story, hadn't heard about that before. I agree with navy that continued lengthening of the course seems a fruitless task but I would not alter the hazards. They might just have to accept shorter irons into greens and lower winning scores.

Interesting test by Rick Shiels recently testing old Pro V's v New Ones, hardly any difference in them at all.

There's a very interesting article on caddies in the May Golf Digest, but I can't link it yet.


But, in the aftermath of the post-mortem on Rory's Masters experience, thought I'd re-paste an earlier Undercover Pro piece on who benefits most from caddies, who might do just as well carrying their own bag:

https://www.golfdigest.com/story/undercover-tour-pro-what-if-we-had-to-play-without-caddies

Interesting perceptions!

Cheers kwini
I’d also like to see them without yardage books.

I've said for a while it would be interesting to have a tournament without caddies. Actually, I'm not actually sure why golf allows caddies in the first place. Seems a rather Victorian thing to have.

I love Harbour Town, one of my favourite stops on the PGA tour.

PS Music taste is subjective. Nobody is right, nobody is wrong. Everybody has perfect music taste, for themselves.

Probably discriminatory to remove their use now, lawsuits everywhere. Also, don't forget Williams won loads of events with Tiger in front of his bag.

No bag men, no green maps (maps of the greens rather than maps coloured green for the more facetious of us), official stroke savers only that they have to buy from the pro shop, 200, 150 and 100 to the front markers by the side of the fairway (for the sake of Woods and Phil (and Luke per the Notes) I'll allow the poles to be off the fairway as a disc in the middle of the fairway is too far off their line )

Nice note on who they were defending Augusta against, teenagers. Surely all they'd need to do would be switch the wi-fi off - no teenager would be within 5 miles of the place!

No 5 hour, 40 minute rounds today, not at Harbour Town. First group out on the 15th tee after 3 hrs 10 mins.

Scoring good, reflecting excellent conditions.

Oh dear Luke.

Pitiful procession:
+2: McDowell, Molinari
+4: Casey, Hatton
+5: Donald
+6: Fish

Good job Poults, Matty F and Team Scotland had their wits about them. Decent round from Martin Kaymer also, showing some form after his break.

Hatton was going well early on. Can’t imagine Harbour Town suiting an angry Tyrrell though

Chris Paisley among the entries for Valero Texas Open - warm up for playing the Zurich Classic team game with Tommy F?

But no sign of Paul Dunne taking his start for his Houston top ten result; though he is entered in the Morocco "clash" - rocking the casbah.

kwinigolfer wrote:No 5 hour, 40 minute rounds today, not at Harbour Town. First group out on the 15th tee after 3 hrs 10 mins.

Scoring good, reflecting excellent conditions.

132 players vs 144 players helps

Field size is a big contributor to slow play.

GPB wrote:

kwinigolfer wrote:No 5 hour, 40 minute rounds today, not at Harbour Town. First group out on the 15th tee after 3 hrs 10 mins.

Scoring good, reflecting excellent conditions.

132 players vs 144 players helps

Field size is a big contributor to slow play.  

87 players versus 132 obviously doesn't . . . . . . . . . !

Poulter having a good morning, played so well for 54 holes here last year; hopefully he can keep it going.

Poults on fire. Managed a little ew on him at 80-1 last night when he dropped back to even par. He will be close in this form. He is a man reborn. Luke probably needs to birdie the last to even sniff the cut come close of play.

kwinigolfer wrote:Pitiful procession:
+2: McDowell, Molinari
+4: Casey, Hatton
+5: Donald
+6: Fish

Good job Poults, Matty F and Team Scotland had their wits about them. Decent round from Martin Kaymer also, showing some form after his break.

Casey, Donald (most likely), Fish & Hatton outathere. Agree about Poults, blistering, and Fitz playing well too.

Good stuff from Luke early on with the cut looking like Even. Then misses a 14 footer on 5, a 12 footer on 6, a 12 footer on 8 and a 5 footer on 9 for the final birdie he needed. Probably gonna miss by one... least he’s got that career money exemption.

I was surprised to see Poulter playing after the last couple of weeks, but I think he knows he is on form and likes this course. It's so obvious he wants to be in the Ryder Cup team on merit and not pick. Get his Fedex points sorted now and then as he says he will play a lot in Europe over the summer.

87 players versus 132 obviously doesn't . . . . . . . . . !

I think ANGC is a little bit bigger than HT.  The walk from the 10th green to 11th tee is long par 3.

Also two waves of 66 at HT.


Casey leads the tour in active made Cut streak at 29 events.  Coming to an end today

Assuming Kuchar makes the cut, he will be the new leader at 27 events.

Interwsting that Poulter is talking of playing in Europe with the RC in his sights: he’s nowhere much on the European points qualification table, much better on the world points. He’s also never yet qualified for a Tour Championship, perhaps doesn’t care too much but this may be his best chance to have a FedEx run. On the flip side Kaymer in his interview last night was making lots of noises about a busy American summer, in respect to fulfilling his 15 event requirement. Good to hear someone with their head screwed on for a schedule, as opposed to the Fishers and Lowrys of the world, even if I still don’t really understand what Kaymer’s doing out there.

I reckon Bjorn would take the top twelve in World Points right now and run straight to Paris:
Rose, Rahm, Hatton, McIlroy, Fleetwood, Garcia, Noren, Fitzpatrick, Poulter, Stenson, R C-B, Casey.

Can imagine Paul Dunne having something to say about that, but no-one else unless they win a Major, Players or Bridgestone.

Not an especially diverse team, just three countries and one tin pot province represented. Would that be the least number represented since pre European days?

Quite possibly!

Anyone you'd want to add? I could see Molinari and/or Kaymer if they had a golden summer, but no sign of that coming.

In terms of widening the representation it's quite a difficult one. I suppose someone could turn it round, but people like Luiten, Levy, Molinari, Pieters, Molinari etc are hardly pulling up any trees at present with less than 4 months of points to play for.

No one really deserving to be there other than those 12 you mentioned Kwini, which is still a very good team, but I think someone from leftfield is always good to have in there, just like Pieters, Colsaerts and Dubuisson were in their debut's.

Fitzpatrick looks the most vulnerable of those to me, not playing great this year. Franny and Pieters will still be interested although both are also scratching around, as is Kaymer although he has previous for winning big things out of nowhere. Half expect Alex Levy to have a good summer and make a case for a home wildcard at the very least. Seems a bit of a nearlyman of European golf so far, record stands comparison with the likes of Wiesberger and Luiten who seem to qualify for much more.

Hadn’t realised Si Woo Kim had a share of the clubhouse lead today despite a two shot penalty for sweeping sand of the fringe. Good effort that. Sihwan Kim going well in Spain too just to confuse things.

I'd agree Ned, I'd add Hatton into that too, far too streaky and a questionable temperament too. Not sure who'd want to play with him.
Wiesberger is a good shout for someone a bit different.

There will be some pressure on Bjorn to take a Frenchman.  And then probably give him the Coltart, Jarmo, Van de Velde treatment.

edit: Has Bjorn announced any vice-Captains yet?

Robbie Karlsson is a VC.


Most likely Frenchman to be picked is Alex Levy - don't know that anyone looks to enjoy his golf more. Imagine he'd be as thrilled to play once (which won't happen) or twice as he would be to play five times.


Interesting situation on the Champions Tour in Atlanta - evidently the weather forecast for Sunday is so bad they're playing 36 holes on Saturday in an effort to complete the event.

Luke Donald is headed to Mike Weir and David Duval - ville.

He is 189th in FEX Standings, misses the cut on perhaps his favorite PGATour course

He is 19th on the all time money so he has a top 25 and top 50 career exemption in his back pocket (so did Weir and Duval). But beyond 2020, his future doesn't look so good.

His tenure in the Top 25 probably won't last beyond 2018 so he will have to use his Top 25 exemption in 2019. Good chance that Cink, CH3, and Rickie passes him before season end.

Maybe Luke can gain some ground next week, it’s a very average field in Texas. Forget which Texas tournament is on the ropes at the moment, seems to be an agreement that at least one of Valero, Houston and Colonial has to be facing extinction at any given time.

At least there is some variation of field quality on the main tour I guess. 8th event of the web.com season next week, Jimmy Stanger is currently first alternate. He’s already been first alternate and missed out on two tournaments this year, and been the last man in after withdrawals at two more. Good consistency.

Valero is SAFE as houses! Long-term sponsor contract and a bountiful charitable contribution. Seriously doubt Luke would do especially well there though.

I'd say though that having Houston & Colonial on the rocks is most unfortunate - two long-running traditional tournaments that the Tour can ill afford to lose.


Sounds like any chance of the PGA Tour expanding to Syria have been put on hold for another few months.

Hadn't spotted that Bridgestone continue their sponsorship at Firestone with next year's Senior Players Championship, for the next four years at least.

(It'll be interesting to see how many Seniors make it round all 36 holes today in Atlanta . . . . . . )

Jim Furyk is teaming up with David Duval in the Zurich Classic. Duval could be angling for a vice Captain position in the Ryder Cup, joining Stricker, Love, and Woods.

A brand new golf tournament with DeChambeau going to the third tee with steam coming out of both ears.
Not yet a "villain", but I can't warm to him at all - miserable to follow when we had the chance a couple of years ago.

DeChambeau deshambling along a hole and a half off the pace - halfway thru the front nine. That's slow!

DeC and Hatton in a match-play situation would be something to see. Or avoid.

Paul Dunne not exercising his Houston Top 10 into another PGATour start.  He is playing in Morocco, and not San Antonio. Julian Suri is playing Valero.

I guess Sergio was too busy prepping for Valero to play the Open de Espana.

Notable Brit in the Valero field is Chris Paisley who is also in the Zurich field, playing with Fleetwood  (a Zurich Ambassador BTW).

PD has tweeted that is Dustin Johnson fails to finish better than 32nd this week, Justin Thomas will become the new #1 after the Zurich.  A backdoor #1, reminiscent of Lee Westwood becoming #1 back in 2010

You're reading my posts again GPB, good to see.

Snedeker & Kuchar doing what they do here.

I missed your post Kwini.

I quite like DeChambeau, for all his slowness I have a soft spot for anyone who goes about things a bit differently. Don’t think Kim is the quickest either, and Poults is rattling around today. They are miles behind though.

super_realist wrote:Interesting test by Rick Shiels recently testing old Pro V's v New Ones, hardly any difference in them at all.

Saw that Super, really interesting comparisons. I do like Shiels and Finch they come across as good lads and have a genuine laugh too. They played golf in Dubai with Tyrrell Hatton a couple of years back and had great fun. First time I'd seen Hatton.

Split tees and morning tee times for RBC on Sunday. Thunderstorms in the afternoon forecast. Tape delay coverage on this side of the pond.

GPB wrote:Split tees and morning tee times for RBC on Sunday.  Thunderstorms in the afternoon forecast. Tape delay coverage on this side of the pond.

Hope they get going the absolute earliest they can - it ain't gonna get any better.

Meanwhile, interesting to hear Kostis say that SiWoo Kim's slightly discombobulated (everything's relative) because of pace of play - he doesn't have to look too far to find the culprit.

Bogey free since the front nine on Thursday for Poults, hell of an effort on a course this tight. If he can finish that off today and do the same tomorrow it could play a lot of a people out of this, not a lot of experience amongst List, Pan and Kim either. Has anyone ever won the week before and the week after a major, I wonder.

Impressive again from Poults, some great scrambling there. Can't see past him on this form. My 80-1 looking good. Let's hope I don't get twitchy cash out finger :-)

It's going to be quite windy, gusty on Sunday.
And it'll get worse as the day goes on; not an ideal position for the front-runners if an early starter goes low - hopefully they'll get going as early as they possibly can. They''ll be buckling seatbelts by about 2.00 p.m.

Bl00dy snowing here . . . . . . 5 - 8 inches likely by Monday morning.