DP World Tour chat

First topic message reminder :

As Pedro says, there isn’t a thread for this so I thought I’d start one (sticky, please?).

A great British Masters tournament and fantastic to see Thunderbear put all his past woes behind him and win again, thanks to two monster putts on 17 and 18, having done pretty much the same on Saturday.

On to Belgium this week.

I'm never wrong wrote:

super_realist wrote:What are your views on European Ryder Cup team?
Seems front loaded to me. Surprised to see an out of form and non Matchplay specialist like Fat Lowry in there. Has barely done a thing in 9 months. Would have preferred Meronk, especially as he's won at that course.

I agree with you Super, I would have swapped Lowry for Meronk. I did wonder if Luke would make a "brave" call - as commentators like to say - with Aberg, but if, as everyone is saying he is THAT good, then he should go. I wonder if the "confirmed" players (McIlroy?) wanted Lowry?

That's what it reeks of to me. Sheer nepotism. I suppose a tatty muncher pairing is potentially a good thing if team dynamics are being emphasised or potentially a fat boy pairing with Bob Mac. Meronk maybe in a bit of no mans land as a Sausage Roll.

I don't suppose it matters, I can't see anything except a European gubbing from a strong US team.

super_realist wrote:

I'm never wrong wrote:

super_realist wrote:What are your views on European Ryder Cup team?
Seems front loaded to me. Surprised to see an out of form and non Matchplay specialist like Fat Lowry in there. Has barely done a thing in 9 months. Would have preferred Meronk, especially as he's won at that course.

I agree with you Super, I would have swapped Lowry for Meronk. I did wonder if Luke would make a "brave" call - as commentators like to say - with Aberg, but if, as everyone is saying he is THAT good, then he should go. I wonder if the "confirmed" players (McIlroy?) wanted Lowry?

That's what it reeks of to me. Sheer nepotism. I suppose a tatty muncher pairing is potentially a good thing if team dynamics are being emphasised or potentially a fat boy pairing with Bob Mac. Meronk maybe in a bit of no mans land as a Sausage Roll.

I don't suppose it matters, I can't see anything except a European gubbing from a strong US team.

Nepotism? Are Donald & Lowry related??

JAS wrote:

super_realist wrote:

I'm never wrong wrote:

super_realist wrote:What are your views on European Ryder Cup team?
Seems front loaded to me. Surprised to see an out of form and non Matchplay specialist like Fat Lowry in there. Has barely done a thing in 9 months. Would have preferred Meronk, especially as he's won at that course.

I agree with you Super, I would have swapped Lowry for Meronk. I did wonder if Luke would make a "brave" call - as commentators like to say - with Aberg, but if, as everyone is saying he is THAT good, then he should go. I wonder if the "confirmed" players (McIlroy?) wanted Lowry?

That's what it reeks of to me. Sheer nepotism. I suppose a tatty muncher pairing is potentially a good thing if team dynamics are being emphasised or potentially a fat boy pairing with Bob Mac. Meronk maybe in a bit of no mans land as a Sausage Roll.

I don't suppose it matters, I can't see anything except a European gubbing from a strong US team.

Nepotism? Are Donald & Lowry related??

I'm talking about McIlroy using undue influence to get his lard arse, out of form, low point scoring mate in. Nepotism isn't just about being related.

super_realist wrote:

JAS wrote:

super_realist wrote:

I'm never wrong wrote:

super_realist wrote:What are your views on European Ryder Cup team?
Seems front loaded to me. Surprised to see an out of form and non Matchplay specialist like Fat Lowry in there. Has barely done a thing in 9 months. Would have preferred Meronk, especially as he's won at that course.

I agree with you Super, I would have swapped Lowry for Meronk. I did wonder if Luke would make a "brave" call - as commentators like to say - with Aberg, but if, as everyone is saying he is THAT good, then he should go. I wonder if the "confirmed" players (McIlroy?) wanted Lowry?

That's what it reeks of to me. Sheer nepotism. I suppose a tatty muncher pairing is potentially a good thing if team dynamics are being emphasised or potentially a fat boy pairing with Bob Mac. Meronk maybe in a bit of no mans land as a Sausage Roll.

I don't suppose it matters, I can't see anything except a European gubbing from a strong US team.

Nepotism? Are Donald & Lowry related??

I'm talking about McIlroy using undue influence to get his lard arse, out of form, low point scoring mate in. Nepotism isn't just about being related.

So several things there 1. You already doubt Donald’s leadership qualities? 2. He has a 1-1-0 record in 4bbb, hasn’t played 4somes 3. You’ve always been one for trotting out the line “strokeplay  form, even Majors has nothing to do with potential matchplay form” oh and 4. You had the cheek to call me conspiratorial on another thread earlier :-p

My point is that even if you're out of form your merit can be placed on your Matchplay prowess. Lowry has neither really. 
I'm not doubting Donald, I'm saying it seems likely  McIlroy wanted Billy Bunter in. I really think Lowry has dined out long enough on his Open win, don't you? Literally and figuratively.

super_realist wrote:My point is that even if you're out of form your merit can be placed on your Matchplay prowess. Lowry has neither really. 
I'm not doubting Donald, I'm saying it seems likely  McIlroy wanted Billy Bunter in. I really think Lowry has dined out long enough on his Open win, don't you? Literally and figuratively.

I’m not sure on the finer numbers Donald would have looked at, the main controversial omission for me is Meronk who only just missed automatic qualification and won the Italian open on that course only a few weeks ago. I would have had Meronk in for sure but whether Lowry or Hojgaard makes way…I don’t know, it’s not a clear cut call for me.

If the Ryder Cup was being played on a tight, windy links I'd put Lowry in, as I think that's where his strength is. I don't see it on a US style resort course.

On another note, and related to the Commonwealth Games, Birmingham Council have admitted they are bankrupt.

super_realist wrote:On another note, and related to the Commonwealth Games, Birmingham Council have admitted they are bankrupt.

They're not the first and they won't be the last. Central Gov't funding of local gov't has plummeted in the past decade...what did they think would happen??. Yes Brum is a Labour council but the last one I remember from a couple of years back (Northampton?) was a Tory council. Doesn't excuse the purse string holders if they couldn't make the tough choices required to stay afloat though.

Actually on checking it was 5 years ago Northampton went bust.

JAS wrote:

super_realist wrote:On another note, and related to the Commonwealth Games, Birmingham Council have admitted they are bankrupt.

They're not the first and they won't be the last. Central Gov't funding of local gov't has plummeted in the past decade...what did they think would happen??. Yes Brum is a Labour council but the last one I remember from a couple of years back (Northampton?) was a Tory council. Doesn't excuse the purse string holders if they couldn't make the tough choices required to stay afloat though.

Actually on checking it was 5 years ago Northampton went bust.

Birmingham Council built an athlete's village for Commonwealth Games at a cost of 500m. It wasn't completed in time and they had to use student accomodation, which is what they should have done in the first place.
Birmingham Council is the biggest council in Europe. I actually heard one of their MPs blame not having external auditors in place, which is ridiculous. 
Instead of spending money renaming streets Diversity Avenue and Equality Street as they did they should have paid people equally for the same job which has got them in serious trouble.

Actually think Yannik Paul is just as unlucky as Meronk not to make it. Have to think whatever model they were using to make the picks it favoured the world list. Positions 6-9 (Fleetwood, Straka, Lowry and rose) all picked. And as I have pointed out before if you assume the top 3 of the Euro list are also in the top 3 world list then picking from the Euro list first actually favours those on the world list. Doing it this way around you potentially get world positions 4-6 as automatic picks. Picking from world first you would get positions 4-6 on the euro list as automatic.

The weird pick for me is Nicolai Hojgaard. Fair enough have one wildcard rookie pick but why 2? And the obvious wildcard pick is Aberg. Meronk is obviously a better pick than Hojgaard.

USA team would have been about the same strength no matter who they picked from the top 20 of the qualification list. JT might seem like a controversial pick but with the Euros going for Aberg and N. Hojgaard he seems safe in comparisson.

Donald has to balance experience, form and possible pairings. And then you can’t ignore course performance.

Meronk won at the 2023 Marco Simone and had a 2nd in 2021 and is in decent form. I don’t understand why he didn’t get a pick. Maybe he’s an a-hole, who knows?

Hojgaard won at Marco Simone in 2021 and came 5th this year. But just as Lowry may be Rory’s pick, Hojgaard could just as well be Bjorn’s pick (not denying his huge talent btw).

Besides Lowry, the dodgy one for me is Aberg, he has hardly played any pro tournaments. Maybe they should just have taken him along as a buggy driver?

Anyway I would have left out Lowry or Aberg for Meronk.

Personally think the Nicolai Hojgaard pick is more than justified - as Pedro says he has course form, and also clearly a very bright future. I don't think you could really leave out Aberg either.

Meronk I think needed to grab that auto qualifying spot that MacIntyre took, and there was always going to be one unlucky player the way things turned out in the end. Obviously he can feel fairly hard done by to miss out, but it's not like he didn't have the opportunity these past few weeks to auto qualify. Donald challenged Aberg to come over and play well in Europe, and he rose to that and finished 4th in Czech and then won at Crans.
Meronk finished T62 in Czech, and then needed a T2 last week to auto qualify on points and didn't live upto it. He also went over to play PGA Tour earlier this year (Genesis, Arnold Palmer and Honda Classic) when actually he could have stayed on DPWT for those three weeks and picked up more points. MacIntyre did that, and ended up being what less than 200 points ahead of him? If making the team was his one goal...then maybe commit to it like MacIntyre did.

Pedro/Olly

Think we probably all agree that Aberg or Hojgaard would have made more sense than both.

If there had been a ryder cup in 1996 would even Tiger have been picked. Aberg had better be pretty damn good.

McLaren wrote:Pedro/Olly

Think we probably all agree that Aberg or Hojgaard would have made more sense than both.

If there had been a ryder cup in 1996 would even Tiger have been picked. Aberg had better be pretty damn good.

Based on his Walker Cup performance in 1995 (2/4) probably not, nothing special :-p

Aberg didn't even get picked for the Walker Cup.

Dunno who advocated for Aberg. But I have more trust in Bjorn’s judgment (presumably advocating for Hojgaard) than Rory’s, or even Donald’s - presumably advocating for Lowry resp. Aberg. Aberg has yet to prove himself being more than a flash in the pan, and Lowry seems more interested in what’s actually on the pan.

McLaren wrote:Aberg didn't even get picked for the Walker Cup.

Actually the more I think about it, Aberg is a crazy pick. But it's only an exhibition.

McLaren wrote:Actually the more I think about it, Aberg is a crazy pick. But it's only an exhibition.

I disagree. He's a talent. He could be a Paul Way and disappear, but probably after this year's RC. If he proves his worth this year, but then fades, what of it?
I think he could go either way with this - 1) freeze, or 2) youth/talent/confidence from recent win giving him freedom to just play unencumbered, which could be good. Having picked him though, it would be disappointing if his only outing were to be the final day singles.

ralphjohn69 wrote:

McLaren wrote:Aberg didn't even get picked for the Walker Cup.

What an awful oversight...especially if he had any GB & I heritage :-p

navyblueshorts wrote:

McLaren wrote:Actually the more I think about it, Aberg is a crazy pick. But it's only an exhibition.

I disagree. He's a talent. He could be a Paul Way and disappear, but probably after this year's RC. If he proves his worth this year, but then fades, what of it?
I think he could go either way with this - 1) freeze, or 2) youth/talent/confidence from recent win giving him freedom to just play unencumbered, which could be good. Having picked him though, it would be disappointing if his only outing were to be the final day singles.

The transition from the amatuer to the professional game is notoriously tough. In winning an ET event already I guess he has made the transition more smoothly than most.

Although didn't Hovland, Morikawa and matt wolff all arrive on the scene around the same time with great hype. Wolff won almost instantly and where is he now?

McLaren wrote:

navyblueshorts wrote:

McLaren wrote:Actually the more I think about it, Aberg is a crazy pick. But it's only an exhibition.

I disagree. He's a talent. He could be a Paul Way and disappear, but probably after this year's RC. If he proves his worth this year, but then fades, what of it?
I think he could go either way with this - 1) freeze, or 2) youth/talent/confidence from recent win giving him freedom to just play unencumbered, which could be good. Having picked him though, it would be disappointing if his only outing were to be the final day singles.

The transition from the amatuer to the professional game is notoriously tough. In winning an ET event already I guess he has made the transition more smoothly than most.

Although didn't Hovland, Morikawa and matt wolff all arrive on the scene around the same time with great hype. Wolff won almost instantly and where is he now?

All we can go on is what we have in front of us, which suggests he's pretty damned good right now.

Watching a but of the BMW PGA and Tyrrell Hatton has been causing the commentators some issues with his swearing. Lots of apologies. Just seen him miss a putt so he will make a double bogey. Sky muted the on course sound for a couple of seconds. They're learning!

Aberg leads by two after 54 holes at Wentworth. What a talent this kid appears to be!

Aberg was a a flash in the pan.

DP World have put a number of videos on YouTube recently. Most are compilation videos of good and bad shots etc, but one posted today is about qualifying from Q School The channel is HERE

It certainly shows just how tough and determined you have to be, to get through and make a living. An old teammate and friend of mine Dale Whitnell, won the 25th and final Tour card at Q School in 2020 after 11 years of trying. In June 2023 he won his first DP World Tour title at the Volvo Car Scandinavian Mixed in Sweden.

When a sponsors invite doesn't work out......
Ken Weyand is a club professional from the USA currently playing in the Dubai Invitational and is currently last at 38 over par. He was a sponsors invite due to the fact he is the pro at Michael Jordans golf club. Jordan was due to play and asked (and got) Weyand to play as well. Unfortunately Jordan didn't make it. Weyand has no ranking and this is the first pro tournament he has played in. One or two players who missed out are not happy. (See Eddie Pepperells "X" feed). I'm all for sponsors invite, but I feel this one missed the mark, and shouldn't have happened. Hey ho.

Weyland ended 53 over par. What a joke.

One thing about that, though. Weyand is a pro, so presumably can play the game; at least a bit, and probably far better than most here. However, he finishes at +53 cf. the winner's -19. If nothing else, that at least puts some context on just how good those at the top really are.

Decent result for Smith in Dubai. What's the Masters cut off these days in terms of OWGR and when does it fall?

The pro at my club said the difference between me and him is the same as the difference between him and a tour pro. Ken just proved it.

JAS wrote:Decent result for Smith in Dubai. What's the Masters cut off these days in terms of OWGR and when does it fall?

Top 50 OWGR week before the Masters.

Well, he tried to throw it away at the death, but how good was McIlroy's third round 63 cf. the rest of the field? Next best was 67 and I reckon the field average was 70+.

Shackles off somewhat now he doesn't have to do any golf politics nonsense? Augusta might be interesting.

Did you also watch the 20 year old amateur Nick Dunlap win on the PGA Tour last night? Incredible performance, first amateur to win on the Tour since Phil Mickelson in 1991.

BlueCoverman wrote:Did you also watch the 20 year old amateur Nick Dunlap win on the PGA Tour last night? Incredible performance, first amateur to win on the Tour since Phil Mickelson in 1991.

Yep saw that as well. Thought both final rounds weren't spectacular golf as Navy said, but interesting viewing. Dunlap might not get the $1.5 million that Bezuidenhout got, but he gets a two year exemption. Does that exemption start from when he won the tournament, or is he exempt until end of 2026 season?

BlueCoverman wrote:Did you also watch the 20 year old amateur Nick Dunlap win on the PGA Tour last night? Incredible performance, first amateur to win on the Tour since Phil Mickelson in 1991.

Saw some of it. Pretty impressive over the 4 days and, ignoring Burns's collapse, he still managed to get it done when he must surely have been very nervous. Let's hope he isn't as much of a pillock as Mickleson, for all the latter can/could play a bit.

I still find it almost unbelievable that an inexperienced amateur can triumph among a field of professionals. I'm struggling to think of another sport other than golf, where this can happen. No doubt somebody will soon give me a number of examples!

Meronk on his way to LIV? And are they still talking to Hatton?

I'm never wrong wrote:Meronk on his way to LIV? And are they still talking to Hatton?

Hatton no great loss IMO; he's a bit different, but the surly attitude goes too far sometimes. Meronk? Probably still whining about being overlooked for the last RC. Good luck to them both, if so. Just creates opportunities for bright new talent.

Anyone watching this morning? 8 consecutive birdies for Callum Shinkwin!

Rasmus Hojgaard up and around the top of the leaderboard again to start the week - since he saw his brother play in the Ryder Cup, he's really seemed to take a little step up, without translating that into a win. Hope he can do so this week

Could be a good weekend for both twins. Rasmus tied for the lead in his event after two rounds, Nicolai one shot off the lead in his event after two rounds.

Duty281 wrote:Could be a good weekend for both twins. Rasmus tied for the lead in his event after two rounds, Nicolai one shot off the lead in his event after two rounds.

And they both finished second! Great win for Matthieu Paton on PGAT and lovely to see Thorbjorn Olesen back in the winner’s circle.

The PGAT tries to close shop and become about 30 ish so called elite players. Then two of the more compelling PGAT events in recent years "fail" to live up to that narrative.

I watched some of the Farmers over the weekend. Some thoughts:

- What an awful looking course. Set on spectacular coastline, but did it ever look dull as dishwater.
- Wow. What huge galleries. Not. There's something wrong w/ the metrics etc. Who's watching? It's not worth the money paid as far as I can see. I guess advertisers/sponsors must think they get something out of it, given it's four days on TV.

I agree the setting was poor. Torrry Pines has no architectural merit. I just meant that a relatively unknown player, to US eyes at least, won from seemingly nowhere. Matthieu Pavon was not in Delaware, to put it another way.

Duty281 wrote:Could be a good weekend for both twins. Rasmus tied for the lead in his event after two rounds, Nicolai one shot off the lead in his event after two rounds.

And they both finished second! Great win for Matthieu Paton on PGAT and lovely to see Thorbjorn Olesen back in the winner’s circle.

McLaren wrote:I agree the setting was poor. Torrry Pines has no architectural merit. I just meant that a relatively unknown player, to US eyes at least, won from seemingly nowhere. Matthieu Pavon was not in Delaware, to put it another way.

What do you define as architectural merit?