PGA Tour: web.com Finals Get Underway: Notes from the Ballwasher

1).Opinions clearly divided as to whether Stenson bottled his opportunity to win the DeutscheBank Championship - I would suggest poor decision-making and, possibly, club selection, but that Stenson at his best is a winner!
Regardless, he certainly missed a great chance for a confidence-boosting return to the very high table of World Golf and opened the door for Rickie Fowler to lobby for Top Four contention.

2).The usual garbage (even from the estimable Doug Ferguson) in the US media this week about "Number One" and some lack of understanding how the owgr's work. What cannot be in dispute is the league table of World Golf achievement so far in 2015. Here is the Top Nine as measured in owgr points:
Spieth (525)
Day (372)
McIlroy (293)
Fowler (275)
Dustin (243)
Rose (234)
Watson (230)
Stenson (228)
Zach (216)
Tenth is Walker, a long way behind with 174 points followed closely by Grace, Oosthuizen, Holmes, Reed, Koepka, Casey.

3).The FedEx Play-Offs are taking the week off to allow the survivors to take a breather. Those departing the scene include Europeans Cejka, Donald, Laird, Pettersson plus Camilo, Leishman and Matt Every.
Round 3, the BMW Championship, will be staged at Conway Farms in Chicago starting Thursday, Sept 17th.

4).While the European Tour takes centre-stage at the very excellent Kennemer and the KLM Dutch Open, the US attention moves to Round 1 of the web.com Tour Finals (WTF's), played in Fort Wayne, Indiana, with Rounds 2, 3 and 4 to follow in N.Carolina, Ohio and Florida. These have been good tournaments in their own right over the past couple of years and last year's 25 "graduates" included golfers who made the FedEx Play-Offs on the "Big Tour". e.g.: John Peterson, Sean O'Hair, Knost, Lingmerth, Blair, Owen, Pinckney, JJ Henry, Swafford, Chad Collins and Nick Taylor.  

5).This year, 25 web.com Members have already earned Tour cards for 2015/16 including Golden Oldies like Dicky Pride, Pampling and Steve Marino; one-time Golden Boy Jamie Lovemark, and promising rookies like money-winner Patton Kizzire (what were the Kizzires thinking?), Michael Kim and Smylie (I know!) Kaufman.

6)."Notables" contesting the WTF's include:
Aussie old lags Allenby, Appleby, Baddeley, Goggin, Steve Allan, Percy, Chalmers,
Major Champion: Lucas Glover
US Tour winners: Byrd, Michael Thompson, John Merrick, Herron, Petrovic, Garrigus, Gainey, Axley, Chris Smith, Vaughn Taylor, Reavie, Points, Lunde, Rollins
Europeans: Brian Davis, Greg Eason, Gonzo, Norlander, Seamus Power, Siem
International players: Aiken, Grillo, Iwata, Lahiri
It's not clear to moi how many other non-Americans were eligible to compete but chose not to, but some qualified for PGA Tour Membership via the excellence of their golf thru' the "15 season: Grace, Lowry and, I think, Cameron Smith among them. Patrick Rodgers also qualified, primarily because of his T2 at Quail Hollow.
One youngster to watch this week is Austin Cook who went the Patrick Reed route and Monday qualified for 6 of the 7 qualies he entered and turned most in to Tour Top 25's.

7).The PGA Of America confirmed Oak Hill, Rochester, NY, as the site of the 2023 PGA Championship and stated there are currently no plans to relocate their 2022 PGA from Trump's Bedminster course in New Jersey. (Though there's every chance that Trump's mouth will have the last say in that decision.)

8).Last note, promise. Those already eliminated from FedEx Play-Off competition earn significant bonuses so are not going home empty-handed:
Positions #126 - 150 receive $32K.
101 - 125 receive $70K
81 - 100 receive $75K
and 71 - 80 leave with $80K
The minimum for qualifying for Round 3 (BMW) is $110K, the minimum for reaching East Lake's Tour Championship is $175K.
And that's when the really big money opportunities begin!

Good one Kwini. Interesting number of notables playing. Looked up to find out more about the WTF's - always think of text speak when I see those three letters! - and note that Justin Leonard is taking his one time career money exemption for next year, and that - as has already been discussed - Kaymer and Dubuisson are not eligible for membership next year.

Thanks Inw,
I'm assuming that Bo Van Pelt is also taking a career earnings (Top 50) exemption but am not sure when the cut-off date is, after the regular season, or after the Play-Offs. Trouble is, he was 49th last week but was overtaken by Rickie Fowler and is 50th now, but with Henrik Stenson sure to pass him in the next three weeks.
That would be unfortunate in the extreme for BVP as this week's WTF is in his home State and would presumably have some homefield advantage! I'm sure the answer is in the Tour's fine print somewhere, but gawd knows where.

Is it just me or is lifetime career earnings a strange category of exemption? You could probably finish runner up in a few WGC's and surpass the lifetime earnings of the Jack.

Quite; but you have to get into those events and do well first. Spieth up to 62nd.

I think the idea is sound; right to reward players of some tenure and achievement but who might have endured a lean year or two (quite possibly for reasons beyond their control).
Just think there should be a statute of limitations, and not reward guys who go to the Champions Tour and decide to pick and choose long after their competitive years are behind them; Scott Verplank among the '14/'15 beneficiaries.

Cameron Smith would have been in the Top 125 of the money list, so a PGATour card is his if he wants one.  Jamie Donaldson kept his tour card via the money list.

FWIW: Lahiri is listed in the field for the European Open in two weeks.

Numbers 5 through 19 were eligible to play the WTF series in this list

http://www.pgatour.com/stats/stat.02398.html

I think I saw Grace will take up his card; haven't knowingly seen anything about Willett (except his ambition to play on the PGA Tour) or Smith.

If Grillo can putt halfway decent he'll qualify easily. 'Course, you can say the same about Lucas Glover.

FWIW, there are two lifetime money exemptions available to players, one for being in the top 25 and one being in the top 50.

Mulligans for having a decent career.

I think the money list is used so really old guys don't use the lifetime exemption.

GPB

Good points, and I have just had a look and you would need about $20.5 million to get in the top 50 of career earners. Which is actually a pretty decent haul.

http://www.irishtimes.com/sport/golf/shane-lowry-time-off-should-help-me-end-the-year-strongly-1.2345911

Lowry's latest Irish Times article, including details of his fitness regimen for those who think he is slacking. Fair play to him for not answering the "who my least favourite player is on tour" question at corporate Q&A gigs, too easy to get drawn into controversy that way.

Seems a decent guy, but I'd love to watch one of his "fitness" sessions.

Not often you see Shane Lowry and "sprints" in the same article.

Good read, Thanks for the link, inco.

Lowry would do well to look at his PGA Tour demands as well as the R2D stuff. Committing to play the CIMB as well as the WGC-HSBC Champions would get an event ticked off early without having to commit to travel to the States.

We're all pretty much agreed that double-dipping ain't easy, especially next year with Olympic and Ryder Cup demands. Does Olympic participation count as a Tour event (as the RC does) on either Tour?

Depends what is involved Kwini. If it is Lowry, Sprint, Cakes then I think you'd find them in the same sentence

In other news, golfchannel.com is reporting that Shotrock has finally persuaded the PGA Tour to stage the BMW Championship at Aronomink, confirmed apparently for 2018. See you there Sr, if I'm still standing.

Other announced sites:
2016: Crooked Stick
2017: Conway Farms
2019: Medinah

Don't think I've seen that before. Still strange that all the 2018 Play-Off events will be played along the Philly, NYC, Bawston corridor, plus Hotlanta.
Doesn't do much for geographical diversity, another missed opportunity to go to Detroit or Minneapolis or St.Louis or Milwaukee or younameit.

Love to see the early Ryder Cup qualification rankings. Looking good for Europe with this lot. Top nine:
Slattery, Horsey, Pablo Martin, Heath, Stenson, Robinson, Huizing, Henningsson, Hoey. Plus McIlroy?, Rose??, Garcia or Kaymer???

US Top Ten:
Spieth, Dustin, Zach, Fowler, Mickelson, Koepka, Watson, Holmes, Furyk, Kisner. Plus Drew Love and a text from Webb Simpson.

Look forward to hosting you Kwin! Member/Guest this weekend so I'm guaranteed at least 6th place in our flight (of 6)!

kwinigolfer wrote:Not often you see Shane Lowry and "sprints" in the same article.

Good read, Thanks for the link, inco.
?
Lowry would do well to look at his PGA Tour demands as well as the R2D stuff. Committing to play the CIMB as well as the WGC-HSBC Champions would get an event ticked off early without having to commit to travel to the States.

We're all pretty much agreed that double-dipping ain't easy, especially next year with Olympic and Ryder Cup demands. Does Olympic participation count as a Tour event (as the RC does) on either Tour?

Because Ireland to Malaysia/China is easier travel than Ireland to the USA?

Lowry didn't play the Mideast events this year so I would guess he starts the new year in Hawaii and the West Coast.  He played San Diego and Pebble this year.  He definitely should play Hyundai.  Guaranteed ~40 FEX pts even he finishes Dead Last.

No! Because he's presumably already going to play in China, which would count for both Tours.

Do you know the answer to the Bo Van Pelt conundrum? Or does robo??

Agree about making the most of the West Coast tournaments - he could knock off his commitment by the end of February if he's smart. But haven't seen any confirmation of that, hence the point made above.

If BVP didn't have a top 50 money list exemption in hip pocket, I can't imagine why he would not be playing the WTF series.

Especially this week, Ft Wayne Indiana is only about 100 miles from where he grew up in Richmond IN.

Yup, That's the point I made Wednesday, all down to when is the cut-off date for exemptions I guess. Dunno what that is.

Cheers Kwini - very comprehensive.

Re point 7 "and stated there are currently no plans to relocate their 2022 PGA from Trump's Bedminster course in New Jersey."

Not surprising really as firstly it's still a long way away - no need to jump the gun yet, and secondly, given the volatility of Trump's business dealings, he may well not own the course come 2022.

Trump might be a national hero by 2022, having served one of the greatest terms as president ever. #Trump4POTUS

Hopefully he'll be dead, interred side by side with Cheney.

Kwini... GPB.. . RE: Bo Van Pelt....

The top-25 and top-50 career money exemptions are as of the conclusion of the last event prior to the start of the playoffs... or the Wyndham. So Van Pelt does have his top-50 exemption available. To use it, he must have notified the Tour within 10-days of the conclusion of the Wyndham.... or Sept 5.

The only thing I am not sure of, and doesn't seem to be specified in the policy, is what happens should BVP have notified the Tour of his intent to use his top-50... can he then still attempt to qualify via the WTF and if successful then choose to rescind his choice of using his top-50?

Just my opinion... even IF earning a WTF exemption and rescinding top-50 option exists... I still think it would probably be better for BVP to use his top-50 now. By doing so he gets a mostly full schedule of events of his choice out of top-50 category, but via a WTF exemption he has to play what he can get into. And if he doesn't play well enough out of the WTF category next season to gain #125... I very much doubt he'd get back in the top-50 career money... so it looks kind of like a case of maybe "Use it or lose it" with the top-50. I suspect that's why he's not in the field this week.

Makes sense to me, robo, pretty much what I assumed.
Thanks!

kwinigolfer wrote:Hopefully he'll be dead, interred side by side with Cheney.

Prime example of why discussion of politics might best be left off golf boards..

But Robo

Who is the better golfer, Trump or Obama?

Do we know if Hillary plays?

kwinigolfer wrote:Hopefully he'll be dead, interred side by side with Cheney.

Really?

Really. Preferably in Aleppo or Fallujah.


Much more appetizing fare going on in Indiana, with most Europeans starting off with a Round 1 pace that will bring them closer to securing PGA Tour cards for 15/16. Exceptions being Seamus Power who'll have his work cut out (probably needs at least a 69) to make the 36-hole cut, and Gonzo who needs to shoot a good round today.
Happy to see Young Gun of the past, Jamie Lovemark, finally playing with fitness and confidence.

Brad Fritsch off to a good start: -5 after 6 holes. Been very unlucky with his efforts to stay on the PGA Tour for three years now; hope he "graduates" again via these WTF's.
Gonzo also looking much better, -3 early.

Tiger and Rory formerly commit to Frys Tournament.

That's good GPB, I know the obligations (plus TW's relationship w/Frys.com) are there, but Johnny Miller seems determined to build this tournament up, build Silverado up even more.
Good for him; looks a very attractive course.


Well done Gonzalo, get this WTF series off to a flying start. Hope he gets through this. Would think he would then benefit from his two full seasons of experience to plan for success in his schedule, less of the desperation.

Bronson Burgoon. Another name for the books.

GPB wrote:Tiger and Rory formerly commit to Frys Tournament.

They were committed but not any more?

Tooth ache perhaps? Or glute issues?

pedro wrote:Bronson Burgoon. Another name for the books.

Fine young man... watched him play his Jr. Golf & High School out of the same club I was a member. My next to youngest was in H.S. with him. H won a Texas State H.S. Championship and was the "hero" of Texas A&M's 2009 NCAA Golf Championship over Arkansas in the first year of Match Play in the NCAAs. The situation was with it 2-2 in the other matches Burgoon's was the last and deciding match. Burgoon had a 4-up lead with 5 holes to play, but then lost 4 straight to square the match going to 18. When it looked like Burgoon was toast in the rough and his oppenent in the FW, Bronson stiffed a wedge to inches on the 18th hole for birdie to seal the championship for his team (his opponent had a long birdie putt try but missed). http://www.golfdigest.com/story/texas-am-takes-ncaa-title-on-b

He was one of those guys we all thought would get his PGA Tour card in short order... but turned out not to be so easy for him. Didn't advance in Q-school in a couple of tries... and struggled on the Web.com and even lost his status there. He ended up going to the PGA LatinoAmerica Tour and finished top-5 money list there, to get on the web.com tour this year... Now as a Top-25'er on the WEB... he's finally got his PGAT card secured... and all he's playing for now is to try to improve his order on the priority list.

Davie

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/tiger-woods-rory-mcilroy-play-frys-com-open-211319198--golf.html

They are playing.

Kwini... was able to confirm BVP has opted to take his top-50 money exemption.  I was also able to confirm Van Pelt still has the option of going the Web finals route... and if successful could possibly save his top-50 for later use... my source did not address if BVP was for sure not going to play any WTF events...  

But as we touched on earlier... probably too much risk in BVP taking the WTF route... as even if successful he would be playing with lower status out of the WTF's than top-50 career money... and no assurance he would still be top-50 to use that exemption next year...  So my guess is he's not gonna play next week or the other events.

EDIT: can confirm Bo Van Pelt is not entered in next weeks WTF event.

I don't think you saw the , Mac. Or maybe you did formerly, but not now . . . . . .

Greg Eason still playing well. His web.com bio says he was born in Leicester City - must have been on Filbert Street then?

Thanks robo,
BVP's only risk now is that he'll fumble his way through another year and be in next year's WTF. Hopefully it won't come to that.

kwinigolfer wrote:Thanks robo,
BVP's only risk now is that he'll fumble his way through another year and be in next year's WTF. Hopefully it won't come to that.

Field for next week is out... without Bo Van Pelt... and 131 players currently committed...

I don't get it. Are they playing or not?

You don't get it.
They are playing.

Formerly and Formally, Mac. Here's some examples you might understand.

Formerly: Tiger formerly married to Elin.

Formally: I don't think we've been formally introduced. I'm Grumps, I run the Fantasy League. You're Mac, right? The uncomprehending SJW.

Well done to Seamus Power, 68 today and through to the weekend. Big deal even if it might just seem a little deal.

And then there are the veteran Aussies:
Allenby: Out
Appleby: Out
Baddeley: Out
Chalmers: Out
Goggin: Out
Pampling: Out
Percy: Out

Just like:
Michael Clark: Out
Shane Watson: Out
David Warner: Outahere

Only Steve Allan survives . . . . and young Ollie Goss.

1GrumpyGolfer wrote:Formerly and Formally, Mac. Here's some examples you might understand.

Formerly: Tiger formerly married to Elin.

Formally: I don't think we've been formally introduced. I'm Grumps, I run the Fantasy League. You're Mac, right? The uncomprehending SJW.

Thanks grumps :hug:

Grammar isn't my strong point so I didn't realise it was some grammar bores inside joke.

What's SJW?

Social Justice Warrior

Cheers robo,
Martin Piller absent with family matters in Germany, but most other candidates seem to be there.

And all 70 eligible for the BMW have signed up, present and mostly correct.

McLaren wrote:
Grammar isn't my strong point so I didn't realise it was some grammar bores inside joke.

It's spelling rather than grammar and I'm not really a spelling Nazi - really I'm not. I only ever point something out if it amuses me in the context and that one does. Like someone saying "bare with me" instead of "bear with me" - makes it sound like a nudist convention