PGA Tour: One Hundred Years of Byron Nelson: Notes from the Ballwasher

1).Another week, another win for an under-achieving American golfer!
Harsh? Perhaps but, let's face it, Kuchar should be winning more often, and hopefully he and Rickie Fowler will be accumulating wins rather than mere cash. The "Young Americans" generation is still not producing consistent winners, so much so that when guys like Kooch and Bubba actually win, we forget that they're in their mid-thirties!

2).Kuchar was certainly a popular winner in his (grating?) "aw shucks" way, though he failed to capture the imagination of casual fans, as TV ratings were flat compared with KJ's win last year. Lots from the pundits about the course, and the fact that it threw up 20 consecutive years and 20 different winners. Who cares? It identified the best player for the week and offered up a compelling climax (almost!) - can't expect much better than that.

3).Kevin Na certainly made a name for himself, and not how he planned. Lots from everyone from Woods and Finchem on down about slow play, but there are twenty others who dawdle at least as much as Na, and perhaps they're publicly discussing Na more due to his unpopularity than anything else. Plenty at Tour HQ probably wish he'd have a waggle or ten, or hold up mid-swing, before his periodic demolition of tee-markers, or excavation of the 18th tee at East Lake a couple of years ago.

4).And I am sick and tired of TV, Kelly Tilghman of course is the worst, waxing orgasmic over Rickie Fowler. The fawning over McIlroy is bad enough, but at least he's won consistently, if not frequently. Come on!!!!

5).But Americans are winning an ever-increasing percentage of tournaments and we noted that this is, to some extent, due to the "Internationals" going awol these past few years. Exaggeration? I don't think so. Look at this lot:
~Australians: Only Adam Scott's win at last year's Bridgestone since Baddeley's win at Riviera last year.
Jason Day: Two years to the week since his one win.
Ogilvy: 28 months since he last cashed his Tournament of Champions annuity.
Allenby: It's been 11 years! And Appleby has nothing better than a T10 since his Greenbrier 59.
Senden: One small win six years ago.

~South Africans: No wins since Schwartzel's win at Augusta. Sabbatini at last year's Honda before that.
Otherwise Tim Clark's TPC win two years ago was the last win in America.

~Asians: KJ Choi at the 2011 Players was the last. Otherwise, nothing since Atwal at Greensboro in 2010 (and he'll likely lose his card this year).

~Non-US Americas: No luck since Jhonny Vegas's miracle in the desert last year, Camilo's 2010 Honda win before that.

Wouldn't fancy the job of "Internationals" Presidents Cup Captain.

6).One by-product of all these one-and-done trips to the winners enclosure is that there will be "parity" in the US Ryder Cup qualifying points list; Fowler and Kuchar have kicked, temporarily of course, Snedeker and Woods (who committed this week to the Greenbrier) out of the top eight. Haas, Simpson and Watney among others off the pace as things stand.

7).As is Dustin Johnson, who was due to return from injury this week, but will apparently rehab for two more weeks before returning at Memorial. There have been rumours that his accident lifting his jet-ski was merely a smokescreen for a drug-related ban - his agent is quoted on golfchannel.com as telling CBS:
"Dustin is not serving a drug suspension. I will make it clear - he has been injured."
Certainly hope that denial is true - still think Dustin's the best of this generation of Americans and would hate to see his career get derailed.

8).Byron Nelson was born in Waxahatchie, TX, 100 years ago, and the centenary of his birth has attracted Els, Harrington, Scott and Mickelson to this week's "HP Byron Nelson Championship". But it's very much a mixed bag of a field, striking that two of the year's biggest benefactors for charity, Texas Open and Byron Nelson, attract such disappointing fields.
Kuchar is in the field and Keegan Bradley defends after his coming out party success last year. Bradley looks decidedly out of gas right now and he's among the most likely to slip out of the Ryder Cup list.

9).Apart from Harrington, Europe is poorly represented, Carl Pettersson and Brian Davis apart. But this is a big week for some of our lesser lights as the PGA Tour season is more than half over, and some favourites are really struggling, well behind the pace necessary to keep their cards:
Karlsson has played 8 events for $250K and will have to improve to make the Play-Offs.
Gary Christian: 13 tournaments so far for $196K
Knox: 10 for $82K
Chopra: 8 for $18K
These last three have only 9 events at the most before the Play-Offs.
And Casey (if he even cares - who knows about him any more?), Cejka and Richard Johnson are on Q-School pace the way they're going.

10).Finally, I noticed European Tour Senior Q-School winner Dick Mast had a decent start to last week's Mallorca event. He is the first golfer I saw hit a shot on the Nationwide fore-runner, the Ben Hogan Tour, in 1990.
Out of interest, I checked out which other names were in the same event, and the leaderboard included:
5th: Lehman
11th: Chamblee
14th: Ames
18th: Maggert
23rd: Olin Browne (3-time Tour winner, US Senior Open Champion and a major influence on Rickie Fowler's career - as Rickie "dates" his daughter!).
Others who played that Ben Hogan season include Daly, Janzen, Stricker and Toms. Those guys were good!

Good article kwiniaskagolfer, in relation to Dustin- if he was serving a drug ban would this not be public knowledge? Or is golf different to other sports in this respect?

Thanks incont,
PGA Tour Golf IS "different from other sports" in that the PGA Tour don't disclose any disciplinary actions or penalties, so no fine, suspension or other such sanction is publicised by the Tour.

This is at variance from the European Tour's policy which is to report most, if not all, such actions.

As far as drug violations are concerned especially, this can be a double-edged sword with a situation such as Dustin's being subject to the rumour mill only, with no announcement, positive or negative, from the PGA Tour.

Not good in my opinion and certain to come in to question in the event of a drug ban being applied to a top player.

Cheers Kwini, good stuff as always.

Do we know whether we talking "performance-enhancing" with Dustin, or "recreational" a la Matt Every? The length of "suspension" and Dustin's previous would suggest the latter is more likely, if either. As it is I think the rumour's probably nonsense, for the reason that as I recall, his layoff began with him missing Augusta, which he clearly wouldn't sit out voluntarily and which I imagine Finchem has sod-all control over when it comes to "bans", secret or otherwise.

I see Ben Curtis has confirmed his Wentworth appearance, as predicted on here last week. Still don't see him meeting his 13 tournaments though, by my reckoning Wentworth + Lytham + Kiawah makes 6, and I don't think he's in the US Open or the two WGCs yet. Can't see him making another 7 appearances in Europe.
Sticking with Curtis... a side effect of his four good rounds at Sawgrass was that he now has enough rounds to show up on the PGA Tour stats page. 14th in driving accuracy,
11th in GiR,
9th in scrambling,
1st by a ridiculous amount in "proximity to hole" (1' 4'' ahead of 2nd, when only 8'' separates the rest of the top 10)
1st by a similarly enormous amount in "strokes gained - putting", no idea how they calculate that or even what it really represents, but 1.24 when no-one has ever finished a season over 1.04 is clearly pretty good.
No wonder he's strung together a few good results...

Cheers Ned,
Let's hope the DJ thing is just a rumour - I was just reporting but clearly mud sticks to Johnson in comparison to most of his peers. We'll have to wait and see.

Love the Ben Curtis stat's!
One thing I will say in reference to his future plans is that he's played quite a bit in Europe, embracing the experience as well as the bennies accruing from his Open Championship. So you never know!
Difficult to believe he's 35 now (almost), seems from a past generation.

So does golf (PGA tour) not follow any sort of WADA guidelines, which would be odd given golf is now in the Olympics and presumably obliged to follow IOC rules?

It would explain how tiger got away with just a few months ban and no long term ban when he was found to be taking some sort of blood boosting drug.


When you say Ricky is “dating” Olin’s daughter do the quotation marks indicate she is just a cover or something?

Mac, are you saying your hero is a drugs cheat?


I think the quotation marks in relation to fowler is because he's a bible thumper and is unlikely to be doiny any shagging.

Super

I am pretty sure at least one of tigers spells out of the game were either a drugs ban or a way to avoid a drugs test.

Very interesting mac, I'd never considered that it was actually true.
What do you think he was taking and for what benefit? Mental edge? As there is no real benefit to golf to being musclebound, his body shape is as bad as a fat man for golf.

I wait to see what Kwini thinks, but I certainly think some of his absences were a little suspect.

Mac,
I've got no reason to believe, Woods ever got sanctioned in any way due to his association with Doctor Blood - his only absence for anything other than injury appears to have been a second trip to his favourite sex clinic to fulfil stipulations made by Elin to be a fit and proper guardian for his children.

But there could very easily have been a ban given that none of the Majors are run by the PGA Tour and, as Sabbatini found last year, he could play them but not the Tour. Doubt it though.

As Kevin Keegan would say, I would love it if Woods was exposed as a drugs cheat.

A few notes (and clarifications) on the PGA Tour (PGAT) Anti-Doping Program

BANNED SUBSTANCES:
The PGA TOUR’s List of Prohibited Substances is based on the World Anti-Doping Agency List, with a few differences. The PGA TOUR does not ban a very specific list of WADA prohibited items in the Asthma, Allergy/Anti-Inflammatories and Pseudoephedrine categories. (the exception has been euphemistically referred to as Greg Norman rule: as in "my allergies are so bad I can't play Texas and the Florida swing without them)

However, when players participate in the British Open or in a few years for the Olympics, they are subject to the full WADA list. So if a PGA Tour player uses any of the PGAT's WADA excluded substances, they are required to either a) get a therapeutic use exemption (TUE) from WADA or b) discontinue their use. And Pseudoephedrine is not specifically banned by WADA either, but it's levels are monitored. (not to be greater than 150 mg per ml in urine)

PENALTIES AND NOTIFICATION:
Here are the two important paragraphs directly from the PGAT Anti-Doping manual:

The PGA TOUR will not publicly disclose the identity of a player whose sample has resulted in an Adverse Analytical Finding or who has been alleged to have committed an anti-doping rule violation until after the process described in Sections H and I has been completed. In each case where a period of Ineligibility has been imposed or tournament results have been Disqualified, the PGA TOUR will, at a minimum, publish the name of the player, the fact that the player committed an anti-doping rule violation, and the sanction imposed.

As an exception, the PGA TOUR may decide not to publish information on cases involving Drugs of Abuse. The PGA TOUR will only discuss the specifics of cases still pending under Sections H and I where to do so is appropriate in response to public comments attributed to the player or player’s representative.

So in response to some of the comments in this thread... Dustin Johnson an/or Tiger Woods have NOT ever been suspended from the PGAT for the use of PED's... otherwise we would know as the PGAT is required to notify publicly.

However the rumors surrounding DJ all these years have been about "drugs of abuse" as defined by the policy... or recreational drugs to all of us. Any player could have been suspended by the PGAT for those and we "might" not know it. But it is fair to note that the PGA Tour has "sent a signal" with the Matt Every suspension that a suspension would more than likely be 3 months... and that doesn't fit DJ's time frame. DJ's injuries prior to the re-injuring himself just prior to the Masters have been verified... so the time that could be in question would be the weeks since the Masters... and that doesn't add up to 3 months.

Also NOTE the 2nd paragraph above copied from the manual. It in effect says the PGAT CAN dispute erroneous information regarding suspensions coming from a player or agent. Thus it seems to me it is extremely unlikely David Winkle (DJ's agent) would deny an actual suspension if there was one. To do so would almost force the PGAT's hand to verifying the suspension. So if they are denying a suspension that actually occurred... then that's dumber than a box of rocks.

Oh and one last thing... McL... I dispute the likelihood that any of TW's absences were related to a drug suspension or to avoid testing. The dates don't fit. I find it interesting that when Ernie was out for 8 months with a knee reconstruction, nobody questioned him, but when Tiger was out for the same 8 months, he's a doper? And Galea certainly didn't turn out to be the smoking gun some thought he might be. To me if Galea had done TW with HGH he or his assistant would have said so as they were singing like canaries to "get a deal". It makes no sense that Galea would implicate other extremely high profile athletes, but then risk prison to lie to protect Tiger?

Now don't get me wrong... I'm not so naive to think that NOBODY in golf has ever used PED's. Even Tiger has freely admitted that he and "Pops" were regulars at their local GNC type store ever since he was a kid... trying to put something on that scrawny frame of his. And as we NOW know... dozens of those types of supplements... that were perfectly legal and over the counter... and being used by millions of High School and college kids... are now banned by WADA and thus the PGAT.

So YES... we can surmise there was probably use of banned substances before testing... but as far as I know there is NO even remotely reliable record or link to ABUSE of BANNED or ILLEGAL substances with any Pro golfer anywhere, even before testing, much less after. And the types of PED's that athletes in other sports were using during those times certainly would have fallen under either the banned or illegal categories. Sure it's possible, but ratting people out has become so fashionable these days... seems to me like we would have a smoking gun on somebody by now, don't ya think?

Robo

In all honesty I made the comments in a bit of a WUM fashion to help expose anyone who really hated tiger, so don’t worry, I doubt tiger did take anything.

Although it would be naïve to think that the PGAT would not do all it could to protect itself should a major asset (Tiger) decide to dabble in some PED’s. I certainly don’t for a minute think the PGAT follows everything it puts down in writing.

As for DJ, he is not back yet is he? So lets wait and see if he makes it to the three month mark. And again I have no doubt the PGAT tour, like DJ’s manger, would rather any drug related offence suppressed.

kwinigolfer wrote: But there could very easily have been a ban given that none of the Majors are run by the PGA Tour and, as Sabbatini found last year, he could play them but not the Tour. Doubt it though.

Actually that is incorrect. All parties of the International Federation of Golf Tours have agreed to honor the disciplinary actions of the other tours as it relates to Anti-Doping violations for performance enhancing drugs. The U.S.G.A, R&A and PGA of America are also party to that agreement. I'm not sure about the Masters. So a player suspended for doping here could not go play any of the worlds major tours. I suppose he could play some mini-tours somewhere... but not the Nationwide or Challenge Tours. (I'm not sure if this applies to "drugs of abuse" or if it's only PEDs)

Disciplinary actions for being a "tool" are not subject to any such agreement... such as when Daly was suspended from the PGAT for... um... EVERYTHING short of PED's. He still found plenty of playing opportunities in Europe and elsewhere.

McLaren wrote:Robo

In all honesty I made the comments in a bit of a WUM fashion to help expose anyone who really hated tiger, so don’t worry, I doubt tiger did take anything.

HA... well I see it worked.

And as for the PGAT not imposing penalties to Tiger. I dunno about that. He's said himself that he's the most fined player on tour, and judging from what I've seen... I have no reason to doubt that.

And I would guess if TW were found in violation of the anti-doping policy and the Tour did nothing... it would certainly come out sooner or later... and there would be "Armageddon" in Ponte Vedre Beach. So no... the suits might not like it... and they might be puking their guts out as they composed the suspension notice... but I think they would impose the sanctions regardless.

"HA... well I see it worked. "

not really, only super took the bait and not even with his usual level of hateful bile.

Anyway I feel pretty bad about wumming on Kwini's thread so lets move on. It was a slow work day so far.

robo,
All the articles I've read say quite specifically that Sabbatini was able to contest the US Open and Open Championship during his PGA Tour ban.

Stephanie Wei, for instance, "Sabbatini's next two events, the US Open and the British Open, are not PGA Tour-sanctioned events so any suspension from the Tour would not apply".

Ah ha: I think I get it! The distinction must be drug-related as this suspension was merely a behavioural sanction.


Whatever Tiger's been up to, I wish he'd get trousers that fit; his strides these days look like they've got some sort of baggy sanitary device tucked into them.

But he's not in Dallas (as far as we know) and the Byron Nelson is on its way with a fine four-day forecast, not too stifling hot but chances that strong breezes may offer some defence to the TPC Las Colinas Friday and Saturday. Otherwise, expect scores to be low!

Are you down in that neck of the "woods" robo?

You'd have to be pretty naive to think that PEDs aren't widespread in golf - it may not be an issue that comes out very often but the unavoidable fact of the matter is that most sports are full of drug cheats, and only a few organisations seem to actually care about exposing them/cleaning up the sport and are very image conscious.
Although golf is different to many in that technique is the most important thing there's a variety of reasons golfers would take PEDs - not just being able to drive as far as the rest of the field but taking things which help wrt concentration and keep nerves in check. However I find it unlikely that it's like some other sports where there are blood transfusions in order to peak events - I would be suspicious of anyone whose driving distance etc. fluctuates noticeably throughout the season though.

These hidden drug bans are actually quite common in other sports too.

Does anyone think Serena Williams cut the top of her food with a piece of glass and it kept her out for over a year? There are also rumours that Robin Soderling is currently out on a sabbatical too.

Also, Usain Bolt's training partner, the Antiguan Daniel Bailey was reported to have failed a test after the 2009 world championships, but this was quickly denied by the IAAF. But strangely, after finishing 4th in the 100m, he went back to Antigua and decided to skip all the lucrative end of season events in places like Zurich and China. He was not really seen again for a good year. He denied being injured, stating that he wanted to go home because he was being awarded a plot of land for his achievement.

A number of Ethiopian athletes also randomly pulled out of a major event at the same time, many of them linked and many in great form. All citing unfortunate and sudden injuries.

It's a way of dealing with a doping problem without putting the sport under the microscope. Do it in secret while keeping on pointing the finger at cycling for being dirty.

kwinigolfer wrote:robo,
All the articles I've read say quite specifically that Sabbatini was able to contest the US Open and Open Championship during his PGA Tour ban.

That is correct... maybe I wasn't clear above... the other organizations observe and honor suspensions for PEDS from any of the other tours. But that DOES NOT apply to other disciplinary actions, and Sabo was suspended for Conduct unbecoming... not PEDS. John Daly playing on the Euro and Asian Tours during his PGAT "conduct unbecoming" suspension is another example.

djlovesyou wrote:These hidden drug bans are actually quite common in other sports too.

Your use of "too" implies that "hidden drug bans" are happening in golf. I don't believe it... not in relation to PED's anyway. IMO the only possible way the PGA Tour's could "game" the penalty phase wouldn't be by hiding bans they are supposed to impose... instead it would be by not instituting a ban in the first place. ALMOST impossible. With the PGA Tour the process works like this...

1. A drug test is found to be positive.

2. Then the Program admistrator checks to see if a TUE has been granted, if not the player is notified and the B sample is sent for testing. (Players are allowed to have a representative present during the B sample testing).

3. If the B sample is positive then notification and potential appeals process begins within 7 days if initiated by the player. The appeal process gives the player a chance to submit any explanations or extenuating circumstances. At that point the Commissioner, in consultation with the program administrator, decides to go forward (or not) with the violation.

4. Assuming it goes forward, then the penalty is imposed. Either way, the Commissioner provides a report of his findings to WADA. And as a matter of course, the penalty MUST comply with WADA's penalty structure.

5. Then comes a potential FINAL appeal process. If the player disputes the Commissioners findings... then he appeals to a 3-person arbitration panel made up of a PGA Tour rep, and AAA arbitrator who is also on the WADA approved list from the International Court of Arbitration for Sport, and a director of a WADA-acredited laboratory.

BOTTOM LINE:
It seems to me that the only way an adverse PED finding can be "subjugated by fruad" or "hidden from view" would be for the Commissioner of the PGA Tour, the PGA Tour program administrator and the WADA approved lab to conspire to not notify WADA of a positive test. I don't believe for a second Tim Finchem, Andy Levinson and Dr. Hospel would do that... NOR do I believe any WADA approved lab would risk their accrediation by taking part in such a fraud. If any of you want to believe it... that's up to you... but guess I can't be quite that cynical... at least not yet.

kwinigolfer wrote:

Are you down in that neck of the "woods" robo?

Yep... :-)

Nice day then??!!
Went to the BN once when it was at Preston Trail and I lived nearby; in a later life used to be able to check out the Las Colinas action from my manager's office via his strategically positioned telescope!

Joey Snyder III is making his first PGAT in over 6 years this week. He has been on Major Medical since Doral 2006 because of a frozen shoulder which apparently doctors were unable to diagnose for a long time. Even par thru 2 holes

To retain full playing status, Alex Cejka needs to finish in a two way tie for fifth or better.

kwinigolfer wrote:Nice day then??!!
Went to the BN once when it was at Preston Trail and I lived nearby; in a later life used to be able to check out the Las Colinas action from my manager's office via his strategically positioned telescope!

Loved Preston Trail. Micky Mantle stories were legendary, but alas... he seemed sober [and clothed] anytime I saw him. :-) And actually it was there in '80 (and Colonial) that got me sucked back into this game... at least for the next 3 years. I was shooting for the Houston Post at the time (but fixen to get laid off), but happened to do an emergency equipment favor for a UPI guy... and he helped me find a spot.

EDIT: and by the way... I realize the TPC course is ranked WAY low by the pros, like close to last of all PGAT venues... but I suspect a lot of that impression is from prior to the re-vamp and even back when they played the dual course deal with Cottonwood in the rotation. This course doesn't suck. I'm not saying it would top any Tour favorite list now by any stretch... but probably more like middle of the pack, instead of back of the pack. My guess is it would easily be more popular than the new TPC San Antonio... and IMO is far superior than the "more modern" Redstone.

How can you get an excemption that lasts for 6 years?!!!!!

It's not a 6 year exemption... he's been on a Major Medical all that time. It really has taken this long to figure out and finally cure what was wrong with Snyder.

I have no idea what the difference between a medical excemption and a major medical is but the fact is he can tee it up despite not meeting any qualifying criteria for about six years.

Mac,
He was unable to use the exemption he qualified for - hence the extension of that exemption. But the bar is set pretty high for him - he has, in essence, a season's worth of events to earn $650K. Not likely given he's been absent from the competitive arena so long.


robo,
Used to be able to walk to Preston Trail - actually saw a gent get killed by a fallen branch one of the days I attended. Pretty horrific, needless to say.

It is an extension, (not an exemption)

Essentially there is no time limit for a major medical extension. Jose Maria Olazabal is still playing on a major medical extension. He has 10 tournaments left to earn $528,000. Ollie has been nursing his major medical extension since 2008

http://www.pgatour.com/r/2012_medicalextensions/index.html

Kwini, re the comment that this generation of Americans doesn't win often , is that not simply true of all nationalities on the PGA tour. The world number two has what 5 wins after a long career on the tour, the world number 3 has 2 wins.
It doesn't seem right now that Schwartzel will win the number of events say that Goosen won. Even McIlroy has a poor wins to events ratio considering how highly he's been ranked for so long.
I don't think it's an American thing, it's more that its a tough tour with a lot of guys who are good but not great.

I would agree with diggers, in that we are not seeing players match the likes of Els, Vijay, Phil or even some just below them like Furyk in terms of wins.

Digs, Mac,
Certainly agree with that; any time Tiger and Veej are not winning multiple tournaments a year there will be plenty of room for others.
But the Europeans are still winning their fair share, just not the International group, and the Americans are picking up the slack!


No-one really going low, surprised about that.
Agree with what robo says about the course, the bad, well, very bad, rap it used to get somewhat mitigated by Weibring's do-over. Really enjoy the final half dozen holes - as a TV spectacle anyway.

Dismal performance so far by Adam Scott - +5 after 13 holes. Not a great season for Scott so far, and not getting any better.

kwinigolfer wrote:Used to be able to walk to Preston Trail - actually saw a gent get killed by a fallen branch one of the days I attended. Pretty horrific, needless to say.

WOW... small world. I was there too, with Trevino's group maybe 2 groups behind. Word came back pretty quick that something had happened and a lot of people went scrambling up to see what was up. And of course we heard the other ambulance. I stayed with my group during the delay back at the tee, but could see something was pretty serious and found out what had happened, although we weren't aware anyone had been killed for some time.

Did you actually SEE the branch fall?

That's right! Trevino was playing with Jerry Heard - I was standing halfway down the hill (downhill par-5 right?) and Trevino's group was waiting to hit and we sensed something awry with the tree and saw this huge limb crash down - hit the victim in the neck I think.
Went to see what was going on (seems George Burns was there?) and, by the time I got there, people were helping the man struck and I ended up helping push the ambulance back up the saturated fairway. Got covered in mud from head to foot.
Like you, didn't know he was dead until that evening.
So only saw Trevino play a couple of holes and never saw him again until a Senior Open.
One of Fred Couples' first events and watched him.
Came back on the Sunday and followed Watson.

The tournament that week seemed to have been overshadowed in the local press by Tom Landry making a hole-in-one at the Pro Am.

Never did get to Colonial - the Saturday was washed out and couldn't go any other day.

But went down to Abilene for a couple of LaJet wins (Weiskopf and Levi the winners).

Robo/Kwini: What year was that?

I have no recollection of that incident whatsoever.

1981.

1981? I was probably pre-occupied w/Coeds , Differential Equations , Thermodynamics , and Circuits .

kwinigolfer wrote:robo,
Whatever Tiger's been up to, I wish he'd get trousers that fit; his strides these days look like they've got some sort of baggy sanitary device tucked into them.

Far more important stuff! I totally agree, he manages to be one of the most untrendy golfers out there. Considering he is probably dressed by someone at Nike it is pretty bad that he looks like a pensioner from Florida. Baggy trousers (possibly with pleats, white trainers and a polo shirt..... The shoes are so horrible that I actually looked them up. Apparently they are some sort of special design based on the Nike concept of having soles that are broken up for more flexibility. But surely they can make them look better?

I guess he has got bigger issues like why has my ball gone there, etc.

Good starts by Greg Owen and, so far at least, Jonas Blixt. Promising season in process for both.

Regarding slow play etc etc, I see the PGA Tour is showing:
1).Its sense of humour, or:
2).A vindictive streak,
as they have grouped ultra-fast Sabbatini with slowcoaches Day and Bradley.

Looks like a very reasonable pace of play today relatively speakly.

PMick's group finished in 4 hrs 45 minutes.

Harrington at -4 after 9 holes. Including an EAGLE! Almost unheard of for St.Padraig.
Not for nothing, but he could use a big week. Don't imagine he'll have many more tournaments in the US before the Play-Offs start. He's at Wentworth next week and not sure his destiny after that. He's not in the Bridgestone, so maybe just the Majors and perhaps Hartford where he had a good result a couple of years ago.

Kiwni


Is it me or has harrington had a few good starts to tournaments this year then faded badly on the second day?

As for Scott, you would have thought after his WGC win would push on to another level. Still, looks like a few other Aussies and mix of nationalities near the top at the moment.

Scott, oosthuizen, yang and sabbatini all look like it will be a struggle to make the weekend.

Hi Mac,
Yeah, A couple of times, 61 - 73 at the Transitions and then missing the cut after a soixante neuf last week. But they're really the exceptions - half and half otherwise.

Sabbatini needs to play a couple of rounds with Kevin Na to clear his head; he's in an atrocious trot, only one top 60 since January. Playing as if he doesn't give a toss.

Interesting story on pace of play from the invariably informative Doug Ferguson:

http://www.golfchannel.com/news/doug-ferguson/day-last-player-to-be-penalized-a-stroke-for-slow-play/

Glen Day.
Who used to be known on Tour as Glen All Day.

In a strange coincidence he withdrew from today's first round of the Nationwide event in the Carolinas. Not necessarily because of slow play.


Trivia question:
Which of the golfers named in Doug Ferguson's article had a father who I saw play centre forward for Blackburn Rovers in the late sixties?

Trivia answer: Ed Fryatt

Wow... Alex Cejka needs a 2-way T5 or better in his last major medical start to maintain his status... and he's currently T2. That would be a good story.

Ed Fryatt!! His career kinda vaporised!!

robo,
Very true. I didn't realise until a couple of weeks ago that Cejka's, and De Laet's, in New Orleans that there was an interim point for "Medical Exemption" guys where they have each now earned enough to qualify for conditional status for the season, so they'll get in one or two more events this year at least.
This week is big for Cejka especially as he only needs four more cuts to attain 150 for his career and "veteran" status. Hopefully he'll reach 147 Friday.

PS: We must have been very close at one time, on the same hole at least, 31 years ago!