PGA Tour: Dear Lee, Sergio, Martin; Love Darren: Notes from the Ballwasher

1).Well lads, wrote Darren probably, you've been so important to Europe's success in the Ryder Cup over the years, but you've had a terrible 2015 and I'm not going to choose you for my Team unless you pull your English, Spanish, German fingers out. Look, even Vic and McDool have taken home trophies in the past few weeks; if they can do it, I'm bl00dy sure you can. etc, etc.

2).At a time when the likes of Knox, Lowry, Broberg, Fitzpatrick, Kjeldsen, Pieters, Sullivan, Wiesberger and Willett, etc, are winning tournaments, DC's qualifiers for Hazeltine show every sign of leaving plenty of European stalwarts behind, waiting for the Captain's phone call. Some of the veterans, at least, will miss out with Poulter and Westwood looking especially at risk.

3).Look at the Gleneagles heroes and how many can you possibly award an "A" to for their 2015 efforts? Let's have a go:
A: Justin Rose, McIlroy
B+: Stenson
C: Garcia and a pair of "E"'s until the past month: Dubuisson and McDowell
D: Westwood, Kaymer, Poulter
E: Donaldson, Gallacher
F: Bjorn.
Add in stalwarts of the past Donald (D) and Molinari (C) and it's pretty obvious we're in a mess.

4).And that makes Casey's abandonment of the European Tour all the more regrettable, not to mention the protracted launching of Russell Knox as a European Tour member, 12 points gained in Mexico still not credited to his Ryder Cup account.

5).But Dubuisson's Turkey win was encouraging, and McDowell played Mayakoba's first hole in five-over-par yet still squeaked home with a glorious 5-iron in the play-off. OK, the field was pretty weak, but a win is a win and will hopefully spark some ambition for the year ahead.

6).The past two weeks of PGA Tour action have seen Monday finishes, but the weather is a bit more promising for Sea Island, Georgia, site of this week's "RSM Classic", RSM being the new brand name for established sponsor McGladrey. 156 hopefuls will be teeing it up, 78 on each of two courses to start with, then cut survivors playing Rounds 3 & 4 at "Seaside", so there should be daylight to finish Round 2 by Friday evening, even if threatened storms on Thursday disrupt Round 1 action.

7).web.com Q-School continues this week, and First Stage of Champions Tour is being contested also, Paul Broadhurst among those trying his luck.

8).I'm looking forward to seeing the newly added "Plantation Course" at the RSM Classic; the "Seaside Course" is visually beautiful and hoping the "Plantation" matches it.
Local (Carolinas, Georgia, N.Florida) golfers have been strongly favoured here in the past, with 7 of the 12 winners/runners up of its 5-year history falling in this category. McDowell won just up the coast at Hilton Head a couple of years ago and good luck again to him this week, but I'm putting my five cents each way on left-handed Brian Harman.

Cheers kwini

Re #1: Of the old stallwarts I think Westy and Donald are toast. Garcia and Kaymer will be back and so will McDool. Poults is the big question mark here.

Rose, Rory and Hedrick will of course be there, probably also with Vic. The rest will be rookies, with Lowry and Wiesberger the most obvious.

VC's will be Westy, Bjorn and MAJ.

You could be spot on there pedro,

Very disappointing that neither Chesters nor Mullen made the European Tour Q-School cut. Hope Paul Dunne qualifies.

Davis Love has appointed three Ryder Cup Vice Captains: Furyk, Stricker, Woods, along with Tom Lehman who was apparently announced previously. No Hal Sutton??
Would imagine Stricker will be happy to postpone his huntin' season for a week, but Furyk and Woods will surely aspire to be playing. Wouldn't you think?

9C, one of USA's worst ever Ryder Cup players, with more losses than anyone except Mickelson has been given a VC role!

That's like letting Fred West look after your children.

Congratulations to Europe on winning the Ryder Cup 2016 even with 6 Rookies.

Come on America. Stop with this sentiment nonsense, and pick people who actually know what they are doing and who understand the word "team", obviously thin on the ground, but how shallow is your barrel you have to go to a Ryder Cup deadbeat like 9C, a man with no personality, an atrocious public speaker who has to rely on a script and handpicked questions, perhaps the least inspirational RC player of the last 20 years. can't wait to see another Mickelson type outburst.

The cynic in me thinks he's only there because he hasn't  a hope of playing and somehow the Yanks think his scowling, petted bottom lip sat on a buggy will draw in the viewers.

I know you consider Phil Mickelson to be not much removed from Woods in terms of RC achievement, but is it meant to be a dis to Phil that Love is taking Woods (and Furyk) and not him? Or has Phil said he wanted to play or nothing?
Only surprise here is that they haven't chosen Task Force Member Rickie Fowler, he of the long-running RC futility.

Super

When was the last time a top player turned out to be a good manager? Maybe Woods pitiful record makes him perfect for the role of VC?

Woods' person will overshadow what it's all about. He will intimidate his own team by his mere presence.

Adam Scott off to a good start at Huntingdale.

McLaren wrote:Super

When was the last time a top player turned out to be a good manager?  Maybe Woods pitiful record makes him perfect for the role of VC?

I think you're missing the point Mac. When Europe have picked either a "top player" or a "non top player" for that matter to be Captain, they've had the big traits in common. Ryder Cup achievement and a real understanding of the competition/team mentality. In reality, they've only failed under the stewardship of Faldo lately. That's a pretty good strike rate and seems the be the magic formula.

Woods has a shiversome record in the Ryder Cup, and it's a competition in which he's blatantly failed to be interested and when he's played he's been divisive and tried to play as an individual. Under what circumstances could someone as insular and isolated as 9C be a good VC?

9C has zero personality (as far as we know) I'd take the likes of Clarke/McGinley/MAJ/Seve any day over 9C, even though they've had less glittering careers. How could he inspire anyone?

"Listen to me lads, because my record is about as bad as it can get and I've lost more games than just about anyone" About as likely to raise the troops as a legless veteran did the last time.

Of course, I could be wrong, and it wouldn't be the first time, but on the face of it, this is another example of America picking on name, sentiment and reputation and is symptomatic of America's recent failures.

Apparently Woods has been very keen on getting the gig. Reports are that Woods “applied” for the position himself, rather than the other way around. Now, it could be BS but why lie about that?

Does that mean he text the captain (or someone did on his behalf) and begged to be picked, a la Jesus Simpson?

Cheers Kwini

I'm not sure losing the stalwarts is necessarily a bad thing - time we had some fresh blood in the teams I think.

Woods as a VC - an odd choice but all part of his rehabilitation to hero (in his own mind at least).

'Morning All,
Poulter and Kaymer seem to have got the message anyway, even Molinari too.
Saw that Donald was five under after seven holes, but ran out of birds.
Bob, Only thing about the core of veterans is that they know how to win, even when they haven't been playing their best. But not suggesting it's a good reason to carry dead wood.

Apparently Woods called Fred Couples in S.Korea and wound up speaking to DLIII about being part of the RC set-up - not sure being a VC will help or hurt though. All a bit strange.

Obviously Super loves a bit of good old fashioned Tiger bashing. It would be racialist if Woods was Irish.

But there is another way to look at it.

He's played in 7 Ryder Cups, so has a depth of experience to draw on, and is one of the few Americans to have won it. OK he's lost quite a few matches, but he's got a lot of wins too. Maybe this record makes him more relatable and gives him a good platform to inspire the team.

He's the "most winningest" golfer around with the most majors and WGCs. I know these are individual wins, but he is a born winner and maybe he can pass on a bit of that self belief and will to win.

And the whole personality thing, well none of us know what he's like, he's been trained to display a media veil in front of the press and who can blame him for that? In real life I'm sure he's much more interesting and has always seemed to get along with other players like Darren Clarke for example. He's never come across as a loner, ignoring his partners like Faldo.

If he's up for it, Tiger could be an inspired choice as VC.

Ray, there's a long long history of the number of Majors, Tournament wins etc being completely irrelevant in Ryder Cup.
On the other hand, there's a great record of players with modest strokeplay careers being outstanding Ryder Cup players.

Seems to be the underdog, unfancied and under-rated players (at least the Europeans) who turn up.

He might be good, but in all reality, there hasn't been a good American Captain/VC in about 20 years. Azinger being the obvious outlier.
Can't see 9C being anything than another false dawn. Hopefully, seems he isn't taking being out of the limelight very well, so begs to be part of a team. How ironic.

Reminds me if the old Genesis song 'Jesus he loves me': Just do as I say, don't do as I do.

Seems Phil told Love he wasn't interested in anything other than playing his way on to the Team.

Showery morning at the RSM Classic but no word to suggest they won't be off on time.

Can't believe Woods has only won one Ryder cup from 7 attempts, a shocking return. Of course not his fault as it is a team contest after all. The Guardian are inferring from Woods acceptance of the VC role that he is about to hang up his balls and retire.

incontinentia wrote:Can't believe Woods has only won one Ryder cup from 7 attempts, a shocking return. Of course not his fault as it is a team contest after all. The Guardian are inferring from Woods acceptance of the VC role that he is about to hang up his balls and retire.

That would be fantastic news, although currently stinking out the house at 387, he's virtually retired already.

incontinentia wrote: he is about to hang up his balls and retire.

Tiger's a d-o-g-g. Can't see him hanging up his balls any time soon, unless it's on a porn star's chin.

raycastleunited wrote:

incontinentia wrote: he is about to hang up his balls and retire.

Tiger's a d-o-g-g. Can't see him hanging up his balls any time soon, unless it's on a porn star's chin.

In light of the Charlie Sheen furore, I would imagine that 9C will be getting some reps done down the clap clinic.

Waaaay to early for me to offer a prediction on the Country V Continent exhibition event
... but it is clear to me that no single event is more important to the ET (and most European golf fans from my observation) than the RC.

Knox keeps up this form and he's a shoe-in. I just hope Sergio gets in.

Will the other players want a single Tiger on the prowl round the wives and girlfriends. Can see him a Dustin teaming up, in his "pod" or whatever Davis Love 123 called it.

super_realist wrote:

McLaren wrote:Super

When was the last time a top player turned out to be a good manager?  Maybe Woods pitiful record makes him perfect for the role of VC?

I think  you're missing the point Mac.

Are you sure it wasn't you that missed the point?

I was clearly taking the p155.




As for Tiger and the Ryder cup, is it safe to assume that had it meant anything to him his record would have been a lot better?

I think he was (maybe still is) in Rory's "it's only an exhibition" camp.  Maybe now he realizes he will need to be a captain one day to maintain his media profile after what appears to be the end of his playing days.

I doubt he will NEED to be captain Mac. No reason he would put himself forward if he didn't want it.

Shotrock wrote:Waaaay to early for me to offer a prediction on the Country V Continent exhibition event

That'll be the country with 25 million golfers vs the continent with 4.1 million?

That would still be Country V Continent!

And, of course, it would still be an exhibition event.

And it would still be the most important event on the European Tour.

And still prop up the careers of Europeans who have failed in the majors.

Just how important is this every other year exhibition event to the ET? RC hero Ian Poulter explains as follows:

http://www.golf.com/tour-and-news/ian-poulter-says-ryder-cup-only-thing-keeping-european-tour-going

I don't think anyone denies it SR.

Doesn't make it a bad thing.

I totally agree Super.

Good to see a Millwall fan has named his lad Bermondsey - should earn him a spot on the PGA Tour if he doesn't fancy life at The Den.

We're playing there on Saturday Kwin - I don't fancy it much either!

Is the New Den a different place completely to the one I used to attend and occasionally be terrified? Never dared boo 'Arry Cripps or Barry Kitchener . . . . . . .


I see Matt Every has withdrawn again, his second of the season, plus three w/d's and a dq last year. What's wrong with that boy, hasn't had a Top 70 for six months? Probably scared sh1tless he'll get drug-tested.

Yeah all joking aside it's completely different now and almost pleasant!

kwinigolfer wrote:

4).And that makes Casey's abandonment of the European Tour all the more regrettable

Is that a done deal? Has Casey said that firmly for next season?

I believe so, unless Pelley changed Casey's (Pollyanna's?) mind.

Happy to see Robert Karlsson in with a decent Round 1 at the RMS.

As Guns says on another thread, congrats to Paul Dunne, but whassup with Chesters, Mullen, Hunter Stewart and Ollie Schneiderjans?

The others are goners but Schneiderjans still has life in him if he can shoot, probably, a 68 today. Dornoch's Jimmy Gunn looks good for advancing.
And Paul Broadhurst is among a number of "International" seniors in good shape to reach the Champions Tour Q-School Finals.


The PGA Tour boys are off and running in Sea Island - yesterday's coverage marred by the constant attention on DLIV; he already looks like a cross between Lucas Glover and Patton Kizzire. Sure Neil Young would have appropriate words to describe him.

Never been to the Den, new or old, but the Millwall away fans terrify me. Never seen such a bunch of thuggish hate filled low life.

Glad I plugged Brian Harman's chances this week. Closer to last than first, stinking the house out.

Very happy to see Freddie Jac up there again. Very unlucky last week as he finished up in terrible conditions, falling foul of foul fall weather. A good finish here should fulfill the requirements of his Exemption criteria.

OK... I've been pretty complimentary to Pelley... but now I'm really starting to wonder. Counting the French Open as TWO counting events against the "5 required". Have they lost their ever loving minds?

The incentive was already for a top ET guy to play the French Open because the WGC Bridgestone wouldn't count on the ET or for RC purposes.... but all this does is probably cause some of the dual tour ET-PGAT guys to play on LESS event in Europe because now they can drop some inconvenient start somewhere else.

IMO, if the French Open is all of a sudden so fricken important... then do something about the purse this one year. Going from €3 million to €3.5 million isn't enough. How about counting it just as ONE event... but the ET stepping in and subsidizing the purse a bunch more so players won't be tempted to go play for the $9.25 mil in the WGC?

Where before I thought Pelley and ET were making some bold moves... but now I'm becoming more of the opinion perhaps they're just in full out panic mode and making decisions without thinking them through.

Agree 100% robo, see comments on sirbenson's European thread.

There'll be more MDF's at Sea Island after Round 3 (87 players!) than bigots chasing the Republican nomination. Georgia boys making all the early moves (except the one I picked of course).

kwinigolfer wrote:Agree 100% robo, see comments on sirbenson's European thread.

There'll be more MDF's at Sea Island after Round 3 (87 players!) than bigots chasing the Republican nomination. Georgia boys making all the early moves (except the one I picked of course).

OH... OK... I didn't see the other thread... my comments would have been better there methinks...

Not sure if anyone has posted this already but casey definitely out of Ryder cup contention.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/golf/34891396

Completely agree with DC's comments; too bad though.

If mcdowell wins this week, does he have his card status till 2020 confirmed? An extra two years on top if the two years he already got for winning already this year? I'm sure I've asked similar before but the whole thing confuses me at times.

Each additional win (in a 2015-16 regular event) will add one year to McDowells exemption.

So last weeks win gives him an exemption for

1. 2016-17
2. 2017-18

and a hypothetical win this week would extend it to the 2018-19 season.

Kisner has been second four times this year, so he deserves the W. But hope McDowell completes his comeback with another win. Or Cejka. Or Freddie.

So you only get one year exemption for an extra win and two for for the first win? If you've won a major is it 5 years? And if you win during that exemption period us it just one year tagged on to the end or two?