OWGR - March 2016

Here is what the OWGR rankings should look like on March 7th, 2016.

 

1	Jordan	Spieth		11.355
2	Rory	McIlroy		9.870
3	Jason	Day		9.637
4	Bubba	Watson		9.016
5	Rickie	Fowler		8.184
6	Adam	Scott		7.481
7	Henrik	Stenson		7.186
8	Justin	Rose		6.221
9	Dustin	Johnson		5.995
10	Patrick	Reed		4.900
11	Danny	Willett		4.724
12	Branden	Grace		4.702
13	Sergio	Garcia		4.677
14	Hideki	Matsuyama		4.526
15	Jim	Furyk		4.368
16	Brandt	Snedeker		4.106
17	Phil	Mickelson		4.023
18	Louis	Oosthuizen		4.004
19	Brooks	Koepka		4.001
20	Zach	Johnson		3.989
21	Kevin	Kisner		3.919
22	Jimmy	Walker		3.476
23	J.B.	Holmes		3.425
24	Shane	Lowry		3.278
25	Paul	Casey		3.276
26	Kevin	Na		3.223
27	Byeong Hun	An		3.191
28	Matt	Kuchar		3.184
29	Marc	Leishman		3.170
30	Andy	Sullivan		3.138
31	Justin	Thomas		2.980
32	Charl	Schwartzel		2.939
33	Russell	Knox		2.874
34	Danny	Lee		2.769
35	Emiliano	Grillo		2.753
36	Bernd	Wiesberger		2.749
37	Thongchai	Jaidee		2.729
38	David	Lingmerth		2.617
39	Victor	Dubuisson		2.616
40	Martin	Kaymer		2.605
41	Billy	Horschel		2.564
42	Soren	Kjeldsen		2.556
43	Bill	Haas		2.555
44	Kiradech	Aphibarnrat		2.518
45	Chris	Wood		2.514
46	Matthew	Fitzpatrick		2.508
47	Scott	Piercy		2.495
48	Robert	Streb		2.467
49	Smylie	Kaufman		2.343
50	Anirban	Lahiri		2.321
----Masters Bubble
51	Jaco	Van Zyl		2.317
52	Jamie	Donaldson		2.290
53	Rafael	Cabrera Bello		2.239
54	Chris	Kirk		2.189
55	Graeme	McDowell		2.183
56	Fabian	Gomez		2.170
57	Daniel	Berger		2.158	*
58	Matt	Jones		2.152
59	Charley	Hoffman		2.145	*
60	Lee	Westwood		2.141
61	Ryan	Moore		2.123	*
62	Jason	Dufner		2.122	*
63	Marcus	Fraser		2.107
64	Ian	Poulter		2.068	*
65	Thorbjorn	Olesen		2.057
66	Thomas	Pieters		2.049	**
---------
67	Ryan	Palmer		2.012	*
68	Patton	Kizzire		2.000	*
69	Gary	Woodland		1.983	*
70	Harris	English		1.964	*
71	Kristoffer	Broberg		1.962	**
72	Shingo	Katayama		1.949	**
73	K.T.	Kim		1.932
74	Jason	Bohn		1.905
75	Webb	Simpson		1.865	*
76	Brendan	Steele		1.820
77	Joost	Luiten		1.801	**
78	George	Coetzee		1.800
79	Steven	Bowditch		1.767	*
80	Francesco	Molinari		1.737	*
81	Tommy	Fleetwood		1.730
82	Ricardo	Gouveia		1.712
83	Russell	Henley		1.697
84	Cameron	Tringale		1.669
85	Ross	Fisher		1.664
86	Dean	Burmester		1.642
87	Hunter	Mahan		1.599
88	Keegan	Bradley		1.595
89	Marc	Warren		1.594
90	Luke	Donald		1.586
91	Yuta	Ikeda		1.566
92	John	Senden		1.560
93	Ben	Martin		1.530
94	Alexander	Levy		1.510
95	Cameron	Smith		1.496
96	Vaughn	Taylor		1.494
97	Tony	Finau		1.490
98	Freddie	Jacobson		1.487
99	James	Morrison		1.474
100	Hiroshi	Iwata		1.474
101	Yusaku	Miyazato		1.457
102	Alexander	Noren		1.454
103	K.J.	Choi		1.453

Everyone in the top 50 is already exempt for the 2016 Masters, bolded players out of the top 50 are also already exempt for the 2016 Masters.

#57-#80 are considered bubble players for the 2016 Matchplay.  If they have no asterisk, it means they are not playing next week.  If they have one asterisk, they are playing Valspar, in Tampa, if they have two asterisk, they are playing in Thailand.


I am assuming that only Stenson and Furyk are skipping the Match Play.

Good stuff GPB,
I think you can add Donaldson, Kirk, Bowditch, Mahan and Smith to those who already have invites to Augusta.

Don't think they added any more to the 91 or 92 who've already qualified this week - small field, so perhaps they'll open up the special invitations? Nah!

Thanks Kwini, Done.

Although Billy Payne might have rescinded Bowditch's invite after failing to break 80 this week.

Bowditch should be suspended from any WGC play for a year.
More important though, the WGC MatchPlay has become very important for Rafa C-B. I reckon he needs a couple of wins to assure himself a trip to Augusta. So near.
Fingers crossed for Matt Jones also.

kwinigolfer wrote:Bowditch should be suspended from any WGC play for a year.

Bow & Ditch

You mean if he doesn't Bow out gracefully they should ditch him?

SmithersJones wrote:You mean if he doesn't Bow out gracefully they should ditch him?

Yeah, or bend him over and throw him away. The bugger is even proud he made $48K despite playing sh!te. How arrogant is that. Almost Bubba'esque.

''I shot 37 over par and still made a paycheck,'' Bowditch said. ''All's not that bad.''

http://www.golfchannel.com/news/associated-press/bowditch-fails-break-80-doral-its-just-golf/

the guy has mental health issues- hes clearly battling some demons- lay off the guy!

hend0,
He does, but he's just shown up the folly of these no-cut, money-for-nothing limited field events.
He receives plaudits when he plays well after all, demons and all.
Goes again this week, but he won't have the chance to shoot four x 80's, guarantee that.

Incidentally, it makes the owner of the previous four-rounds-in-the-eighties a neat trivia question, as it wasn't in a limited field tournament . . . . . . Easily googleable and in reports of Bowditch's high numbers, but a curiosity nevertheless.

Kwini get that on the quiz thread.

Nah,
Anyone interested can read the Bowditch reports, otherwise the name of the golfer is too obtuse, even for the most rabid fan.

It does remind one though, that 30+ years ago, one player had the outright 72-hole lead in two tournaments in the same year but failed to win either! Think it was Johnny Miller, but can't be sure.

Is the Las Vegas tourney still being played over 5 rounds? If yes, maybe it'd be an idea for Rory to join giving his 4th round choking prowess.

hend085 wrote:the guy has mental health issues- hes clearly battling some demons- lay off the guy!

Maybe the Tour should suspend him. He's doing far greater damage to the sport than Dustin or Tiger.

his management team should suggest a donation to charity for the 45k.

Poulter just barely inside the Top 66 bubble going into Valspar.

PD compiled a list on what players have to do to pass Poulter assuming Poulter whiffs this week.  (finishes outside the Top 52).  Right now, Poulter is T24, so the hurdle gets a little larger the better he finishes, and of course he could pass players ahead of him. but I don't think he is passing anyone yet.

Spoiler:

Still a long way to go, but I don't think Poulter can pass anyone with a T22 finish, but Kizzire at T10 has passed Poulter, Pieters and Oleson

Poulter is now outside the Match Play Bubble.  Kizzire is projected to pass him.  (so would Stricker if he wins and Poulters finishes worse than T52)

The Sunshine Tour had a sanctioned tournament this week won by Haydn Porteous, the Investec.  It was a winner take all tournament (250,000 Rand)

I think it was basically their Tour Championship, and it only had 16 players. But the OWGR did not sanctioned it and so no pts for Porteous.

Robopz made an inquiry and this was his answer

OWGR Rep wrote:The field for this year's Investec Cup is reduced to 16 players meaning it is now classified as a limited field tournament. Limited field tournaments need approval from the OWGR Technical Committee and Board to be included. This wasn't forthcoming this year.

=======

Depending on Valspar results, Hend could crack the Top 80 after his win in Thailand.  Pieters gets to the mid 50's with his win and closer to a Masters Invite.

Key Valspar projections:

Haas gets as high as #22 if wins.
Delaet would crack the Top 64 and probably knock Oleson out of the Match Play, depending on Kizzire's finish
Moore and Hoffman gets to about #30 should they win.

Looks like Poulter is tanking today and will fall out of the Top 66 should Kizzire finish T52nd or better or Delaet wins.

Oleson will be out of the match play if Kizzire finishes 33rd or better and Delaet wins.

With a win, Jason Day would get within about 0.3 pts of Spieth if he wins the API.

SSP Chawrasia's win in the Indian Open gets him inside the Top 150.

Lahiri's T2nd should be enough to get him back into the Top 50 and will be a C-Player this week in the match play rather than a D-Player.

Zach Johnson needs to finish better than Solo 40th to claim the last spot as an A-Player in the Dell Match Play and nudge out Mickelson.

Should they win the API:

Day will be #2
Stenson will be #6
Merritt inside the Top 50
Chappell to about 50th.

This week is the 2nd deadline for the Top 50 Exemption into the Masters

VanZyl, Cabrera-Bello, Pieters, Fraser, Jones, Kizzire, and Oleson are playing in the match play but not yet qualifed for the Masters.

Van Zyl can probably get there by advancing to the Knockout Round. 
Oleson needs to get to the Semi finals.

Hi GPB. What's the situation re Poulter in the Match Play? Is he sitting on the sidelines waiting for news? If so, when's the cutoff time/date?

INW, with his ranking of 67 he's currently first reserve needing another player to withdraw. Stenson and Furyk are sitting out allowing Patton Kizzire and Thorbjorn Olesen to step up.

The draw for the sixteen groups takes place today and I would think Poulter would replace the next guy that withdraws regardless of the seeding if the draw has been completed.

Thanks Grumps. Caught this TWEET by Poulter and wondered.

Shane Lowry was bored waiting for a connecting flight at a Chicago Airport so Poulter would be happy to wait to play in the WGC. Apparently Bernd Wiesberger is also bored waiting for his connecting flight at Newark airport. The exciting stuff that professional golfers get up to away from the course

Lowry can impossibly be bored after just one hour of eating.

Poulter is in the Puerto Rico field.

If any player WD's before their Wed match, Poulter is entitled take his place, even if it is a top ranked player.

However, Poulter is probably obligated to play the pro-am in Puerto Rico on Wednesday, so if someone WDs on Wed morning, not sure if Poults can get to Austin in time.

Poulter will be waiting a long time. Is it likely that his OWGR will ever improve again?

pedro wrote:Lowry can impossibly be bored after just one hour of eating.

Your physique is obviously perfect pedro but your English is Poopie.

The winner from the Puerto Rico field cannot earn enough points to get a Masters invite.  Poulter can get into the Top 50 if he should win, but he already has an invite from his performance last year.

Coetzee can get close as can Dean Burmeister.  Burmeister said in a Golfweek interview that he wants to top 10 at Puerto Rico and win at Houston to get a 11th hour invite.

It looks like the Masters field is going to be in the low 90's this year after getting really close to a 100 in the past few years.

SmithersJones wrote:

pedro wrote:Lowry can impossibly be bored after just one hour of eating.

Your physique is obviously perfect pedro but your English is Poopie.

Typing while eating, smithers...

The OWGR (nee Sony Rankings) is 30 yrs old this week.

Here is the original top 10 and some notables

1. Bernhard Langer
2. Seve Ballesteros
3. Sandy Lyle
4. Tom Watson
5, Mark O'Meara
6. Greg Norman
7. Tommy Nakajima
8. Hal Sutton
9. Corey Pavin
10. Calvin Peete

24. Nick Faldo
33. Jack Nicklaus
55. Johnny Miller

http://dps.endavadigital.net/owgr/doc/content/archive/1986/owgr01f1986.pdf

and here is the press release from the Ian Barker and the OWGR

OWGR Press Release:

GPB,
Did you see princedrac's twittered three "myths" . . . . . ??!!
Made me smile!

kwinigolfer wrote:GPB,
Did you see princedrac's twittered three "myths" . . . . . ??!!
Made me smile!

Yes, I saw them.

The first myth is a case of "Figures don't lie but liars figure".  The average age of the original top 10 and todays top 10 is 31.1 yrs old.

The original the original rankings had two African Americans in the Top 30 (Peete at #10 and Thorpe at #27).  Harold Varner III is currently the highest ranked African American at ~#260.

You would think nearly 20 years after Tiger turned pro, there would have been more diversification, not less.

Jim Herman gets inside the Top 70 thanks to his win.

Andrew Svoboda climbs into the Top 400 by winning in Brazil.

Pavit Tangkamolprasert wins on the Asian Development Tour in Taiwan and also gets inside the Top 400.

Henrik moves past Adam Scott to the #6 spot and Dustin moves past Justin Rose to the #8 spot.

RCB moves up 4 spots to #33.

==============

Some early projections for next week:

Spieth can retake the #1 spot but only by winning and J-Day finishing 6th or worse.  

Rory cannot claim the #1 spot but can pass Spieth by winning and Speith finishing 4th or worse.

Bubba, Rickie, Henrik, and Adam can snatch the #3 ranking by winning the Masters.

If either Luke or Brian Kokrak win, he should get back inside the Top 50 and probably exempt for the US Open.

Charley Hoffman would get inside the Top 30


Mike Lorenzo-Vera should get inside the top 150 if he wins Open de Espana.
Kaymer inside the Top 40
Luiten inside the Top 60
Johnston inside the Top 125

K.T. Kim has a 4 shot lead going into the final round in Japan.  Its their first domestic event of the year.  Should he go onto win, he could get as high #61

Thanks GPB,
And evebn Sergio's come to play . . . . . .
Good to see Alex Noren apparently fit and on the Espana leaderboard - he'll rocket up the owgr's with some decent results, but must stay healthy.
Having said which,
Come on Luke!

The Beef!!!!

Pretty full schedule of OWGR rated Golf tournaments this week.  

Lets do some Globe Trotting

In Japan:  Yuta Ikeda wins, KT Kim and Marcus Fraser tie for 2nd.  Ikeda should be in the Top 80, KT Kim could move to #61 and Fraser could move to #63

In Egypt:  The Challenge Tour played their 2nd event of 2016.  Englishman Jordan Smith wins and should be ranked about 325th.

In South Africa:  Swede Christofer Blomstrand wins the Sunshine Tour event.


In Korea:  The OWGR recently promoted Korean Tour events from a 6 pt minimum to a nine point minimum.  Jinbo Choi wins the first 9 pt tournament, should get to about 315th.


In Mexico:  On the Web-com Canadian Brad Fritsch is gunning for his 2nd win in as many tournaments.  He will get into the Top 200 and be in serious contention to snatch one of the two Olympic Spots away from PGATour players Delaet, Hearn, Hadwin and Taylor.

In China:  Lee and Levy will get inside the Top 80 and Slattery will get inside the Top 90, should any of them go onto win. 

In Texas:  Barnes would get just outside the Top 100 and Steele inside the Top 50 and Luke inside the Top 45.

Incidentally the Latino Americas tour is in Guatemala, and the Asian Developmental Tour is in the Philippines.

Hoffman should be #34th after the rankings are released tomorrow.

Waiting on the China event, which should not affect his ranking.

Thanks GPB; couldn't be much closer in China, but not close to the Top 35.

KT Kim notches his 7th win in the last 12 months.  That should be enough to get him into the Players Championship and a exemption into the US Open.

Rory cannot pass Spieth this week, even if he wins.

Rory needs to win this week and next to have a chance at getting the #1 spot.

Rickie would get within about 0.25 point of Rory should Rickie win tomorrow and Rory tread water.

Castro would get to about #80 should he win (and a spot in the Players, bumping out Patrick Rodgers)

Justin Rose would get to #8...barely ahead of Dustin Johnson.

Soomin Lee wins again...this time in Korea.  Could get as high as 64th

K.T. Kim finishes T3, could rise a couple spots.  Almost has clinched a spot in the US Open.

Some EuroT projections should they win

Clement and Hanson, both would up to about 250th

Dixon would go from unranked to inside the Top 300.

Wang wins!  3 Asians in row win on the EuroTour.

Jeunghun Wang gets well inside the Top 100.  Needs about 30 more OWGR pts to get inside the 60.

Hahn gets inside the Top 60 with his win.

Wang was #133 going into this week.
Hahn was #134 going into this week.

Jeunghun Wang continues his winning ways.

Depending on results later today, he should be in the Top 70 this week.

Day would have a nearly 2.5 pt lead on Spieth should he go onto win.  That is about equivalent to a 130 OWGR points.

Hideki would probably climb into the Top 10 if he wins.

Cejka into the Top 50

Duke would go from #495 to about 70th.

"Irish" and Byron Nelson both in the owgr forties for the winner.
Then cut-offs for US Open Qualifying (top 60) and Open Championship (Top 50) - another Top 60-as-at-June 13th for US Open.

Plenty of stalwarts of the past five years missing out as things stand: Donald, Mahan, McDowell (in @ Oakmont, not Troon), Molinari, Poulter.