PGA Tour: BMW & wTF: Notes from the Ballwasher

First topic message reminder :

1).A short week on the PGA Tour with 69 of the 70 FedEx Play-Off survivors (all except the injured/resting Stenson) high-tailing it from TPC Boston to Crooked Stick GC in the Indianapolis area, 900+ miles to the WSW, for action starting Thursday. Not much time to acclimate to a course most of the field has only seen once before, in 2012, if at all. Rory McIlroy was the winner then, in red hot form having won the previous week at the Deutsche Bank. Sound familiar?

2).And, at the start of a four-tournament series to determine careers (in the short-term at least), the web.com Tour Finals commence at Canterbury Golf Club, home of 2 past US Opens and a PGA Championship, in the Cleveland area of Ohio.

3).What a great win for McIlroy on Monday. Welcome back Rory, Darren Clarke is pleased to see you.
And another disappointment for Paul Casey, his sixth Tour runner-up finish against one win, gift-wrapped seven years ago in Houston by JB Holmes.
Casey's career on the PGA Tour has been a mixed bag, with two terrific years  in 2009/2010, followed by four largely barren years dominated by injuries, bad form and divorce. Now last year's comeback followed by another decent, could yet be great, year.

4).We tend to think Casey's been around forever, but most of his career has been spent piling up European Tour wins and cash.
Despite playing the PGA Tour on and off for a decade, Casey "only" ranks 82nd in career earnings. He found out the hard way a few years ago that his only enduring exemption standing on Tour is his "Past Champion" status, significant but only yielding a place in about 1/3 of tournaments; and he has only chalked up 136 cuts. Without higher career earnings, or at least another win, he wouldn't have an exemption onto the Champions Tour, in 11 years' time. He may still be an angry young man at being left behind in Ryder Cup selection since 2008, but it's quite likely that a purely pragmatic streak also played a part in his decision to focus 100% on the PGA Tour this year.

5). It's difficult to imagine that LoveIII learned much from the Deutsche Bank play, at least as far as looking for Ryder Cup contenders in sparkling form is concerned. Perhaps he might have liked Chappell (8th), Ryan Moore (8th) or Kaufman (24th) to have enjoyed a strong Monday, but they faltered, as did Furyk and Stricker who thus failed to qualify for the BMW Championship. Other "prospects" include:
Watson, Thomas, Hoffman, Horschel all missed the cut.
Bill Haas: 67th
Piercy: 53rd
Fowler, Kuchar, Kisner: 46th
Berger: 41st
Dufner, Holmes: 33rd
Not a pretty sight.
I still think he'll go for the safe (i.e. uncontroversial) choice of proven RC losers Watson, Fowler and Kuchar (who comes with popular caddie John Wood), plus JB Holmes. But the Beemer could change/confuse things again.

6).16 golfers qualified for the (10-year-old) FedEx Play-Offs for the tenth time, another 10 qualified for Round 2 for the tenth time. But, of those, Donald, HowellIII, Kuchar, Moore, Rose and Snedeker had fallen short of qualifying for Round 3 at least once, and Furyk misses out this time.
QUIZ! Which three golfers qualify for the BMW Championship for the tenth time??

7).The narrative tends to be that Rory has had a rotten season but he still ranks high in owgr points for 2016. These nine have racked up 200 owgr points so far:
384: Day
356: DJohnson
292: McIlroy
285: Stenson
261: Spieth
255: Scott
241: Reed
220: Willett
200: Walker

8).The club of three-time FedEx Play-Off tournament winners grew to two with Rory joining Tiger at the top. Two-time winners include:
Vijay, Camilo, Phil, Stricker, DJ, Billy Ho, Stenson and Day.

9).Most interesting competitor to many Europeans in the first web.com Tour Final tournament will be Andrew Johnston, especially with Beef having taken a few weeks off then bellying straight back up to the bar with last week's 3rd place finish in the Swiss Alps. We'll keep an eye on this action over the next month.

10).Pete Dye is now about 145 but Crooked Stick endures as one of his landmark designs, made famous in 1991 when John Daly gripped it and ripped his way to become PGA Champion. It took the PGA Tour until 2012 to come to the course for the first time and McIlroy made off with the Championship by two strokes from Mickelson and some guy called Westwood. Other Top 25 finishers then who return for more include:
T6: Dustin and (my idea of closest pursuer to Rory this week) Adam Scott.
T10: Ryan Moore
T12: Zach, Kirk, Bubba
T16: Rose (what happened to him yesterday?   ), Oosthuizen
T24: Sergio

PS: Three more US Ryder Cuppers due to be selected following the Beemer (which should be Sunday but not a great forecast in prospect).
Also: Nice to see Darren Clarke grouped with Stewart Cink in Switzerland - good health to the Cinks.
And: Don't forget Trivia in Note 6). above.

Sky Sports getting all huffy with US broadcasters who have stopped their coverage. Still getting some coverage here in the UK

Are we talking about former world number 1 Lee Westwood.
How many world number 1s on the US team? One

I really don't understand the questioning of Westwood's pick. I'm still fairly confident the US will win this one though

Super: Comparing Westwood against Woods, Furyk and Stricker is just as valid as comparing him against Trevino, Nicklaus, and Palmer.

Keep cherry picking your constraints and you will get the result that you desire.

JB Holmes sending a message to DL3 at the BMW.... "Remember me? OH... And in case you've forgotten.... How about my undefeated record in my only Ryder Cup.... "

All the BS aside... bout all I have to say in the Lee Westwood Ryder cup debate.... If he were available for the USA side... I'd take him. If I'm reading his past results correctly... he's not had a losing record in his last 3 RC's... Good enough for me.

WTF update.

Zach Sucher is leading in a weather delay.

DeChapeau is currently T2nd, with both rounds complete.   (tied with Stuart Appleby among others)

Sabbatini is 2 back.

Beef is doing OK. T17th.

Missing the Cut

Camilo Villegas
Olympian CT Pan
Olympian Kiradech Aphibarnrat
Ollie Schniederjans
Brendan de Jonge
Wes Bryan

Matt Jones WD

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Edit:

Sucher bogeyed 3 holes this morning. Dechambeau is a 5 way T1 with Stuart Appleby, Scott Harrington, Whee Kim, and Cameron Percy.

Only 6 shots separate the Leaders and the cutline.

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

And Happy 87th Birthday to the King...Arnold Palmer

GPB wrote:Only 6 shots separate the Leaders and the cutline.

That's crazy tight.... for once it really is anybody's tournament to win this weekend.

Kwini

Just in case you are still in any doubt, pea brain is the guy that smashed his putter in a tantrum.

Jason Day's #1 OWGR spot is not in jeopardy either this week or at the Tour Championship.

Every tournament Dustin Johnson plays until February adds a tournament to his divisor; he is about 175 points behind Day.

After the Tour Championship, Jason is probably not playing any tournaments until he goes to Australia where I think he is playing the Aussie Open and World Cup. The Aussie Open is Nov 17-20

Jason is playing The World Cup which is the following week, but that will not be a OWGR event because it includes two round of foursomes.

I haven't seen any of Dustin's plans after the Ryder Cup. I would guess that he will be trying to collect some Appearance Money, somewhere. HSBC-China is probably on his schedule as he is a former winner of that tournament.

Jason Day's WD officially knocks him out of the Vardon race.... even though DJ's dominant scoring this week had probably ended it anyway. And assuming DJ goes on to win, Day not earning a paycheck this week makes it all but impossible to win the PGA of America points version POY.

Day might still have a shot at the players POY vote. But I'd think even with a win next week it's a long shot now.

PS... And this is a scenario assuming a DJ win this week... Which is still far from certain with 5 holes to play

Garcias tantrums probably cost him a trip to East Lake.
Fowler missed out as well.

I think DL-III picks Kuch-Holmes and either Rickie or Berger.

If he picks Rickie, then Bubba-Berger-Justin Thomas are playing for the 11th hour pick.

Looks good for Kuchar, increasingly better for Holmes.
Fowlers case is worsening.

But acc to Phil 2-3 picks were decided weeks ago. So it probably still means Fowler, Kooch, Furyk.

Can't see the case for Rickie given his current form.

And, speaking of current form - GLAD Casey won't be representing "Europe"; but perhaps he won't even be needed.

Just some more evidence that ol' pea brain is a spoiled, arrogant self-important dweeb. Never has someone done so little with so much talent.

Shotrock wrote:Can't see the case for Rickie given his current form.

I can't see the case for {pick a US Pro not on the team} given his current form.

Maybe he should pick DeChambeau!

Holmes and Kuch got a T4 while sittting at 10 and 12 in the rankings. That can't have harmed their chances too badly. I think it would be a shame if JB were to loose out.

McLaren wrote:I do have some grammer issues.  

This is quite possibly my favourite post ever.

Should DL3 pick from players going to East Lake?

So picking from

Thomas
Moore
Chappell
Kuchar
Kisner
Woodland
Castro
Na
McGirt
O'Hair (Nice going to get to the final 30)
Berger
Dufner
Holmes


And some notables missing out

Fowler
Palmer
Piercy
Haas
Horschel
Stricker


Looking at the lists I would advise that he does pick from those in form and going to the tour champs.

McLaren wrote:I do have some grammer issues.  

Fixed it

Not saying Day lies about his injuries and illness issues but does anyone else get the feeling he way over plays event he slightest niggle?

McLaren wrote:I do have some grammer issues.  

It appears it's spelling as well as GRAMMAR Mac.

Tiger has probably been injured more often than not and been in the worst form of his career since his last major win, and yet.

Most PGAT wins since 2008;

tiger 18
DJ 12
Rory 12

super_realist wrote:

McLaren wrote:I do have some grammer issues.  

It appears it's spelling as well as GRAMMAR Mac.

This has got to be my favourite post ever.

And TW is Tied for last for most wins since Oct-2013.

Behind players like Nick Taylor and Alex Cejka

I can cherry pick dates too!

Mac,
Missed most of the Golf over the weekend - has Crenshaw broken his putter again?

Why do you omit Bubba Watson from your list of possibles for LoveIII?

Given that there isn't a HOT American golfer, why wouldn't Love just make four selections today? I was expecting MK, JBH, BW and RF all along with the caveat that he seems to have a hard on to choose Thomas. Who racked up a back door Top 35 yesterday which is not too hot.

He'll look pretty stupid hanging one of the 9 - 12 guys out to dry, then having to choose him.

kwinigolfer wrote:has Crenshaw broken his putter again?

No

kwinigolfer wrote:Why do you omit Bubba Watson from your list of possibles for LoveIII?

Poor copying, certainly nothing conspiratorial.

GPB wrote:And TW is Tied for last for most wins since Oct-2013.

Behind players like Nick Taylor and Alex Cejka

I can cherry pick dates too!

Not sure this stat was meant to be taken too seriously, but it popped up many times on my twitter feed so I thought I would share it.

Think Davis will go for Fowler, Kuchar and Watson! With JB being picked Sunday week! I think both Daniel Berger and Justin Thomas should be picked tbh

GPB.... Some housekeeping from last week.

While it's all but mathematically over and thus pretty much a moot point now... Confirmed that a tie in PGA of A POY points results in co-winners.

- - - - -

EDIT: Perhaps I spoke too soon on the above... it's NOT as moot a point as I said, as there is a somewhat reasonable scenario for Jason Day to still tie the PGA of A POY points race and be co-winner with Dustin Johnson.

With a win at East Lake, Jason Day can still win the money list. Due to Day's WD, he's ineligible for the Vardon Trophy, but his scoring average still counts in the POY points race with a 1/10th of a stroke addition to his scoring average.

So if Day were to win next week and and take the money title, he can still finish 2nd in the scoring average and finish the year with 88 points. Unless DJ totally craters at East Lake, he will win the scoring average and the worst he can finish in money is 2nd, which would also give him 88 points.

So the PGA of A POY race isn't quite over yet.

kwinigolfer wrote:he seems to have a hard on to choose Thomas. Who racked up a back door Top 35 yesterday which is not too hot.

Do you think Thomas's fedex ranking could provide the "justification" DL3 would need to pick him?

Very different to the European Team selection where there was a plethora of players in form vying to be picked, seems from an American perspective that there is a paucity of such players. Thickens the plot a little to have precious few Americans, qualified or not, up against a European team which is largely returning to some sort of form.

Super... I agree with you about form of the two teams. Euro team seems to have as many if not even more players trending better in form. Add that to what I think is more pressure than ever on the Americans... And I see it all adding up to a Euro win.

If I were choosing all 4 USA RC players today... I'd go with Kuchar, JB, Berger and Moore. I have NO clue what DL3 is gonna do except I sense Fowler seems to be in there.

I think it would be a 'uuuuge call for LoveIII to leave Bubba and Rickie at home after they stood up for the goodoldusa by going to Rio. Would be a terrible mixed message - the two are obviously quite separate and but inextricably linked.

I think it's very tough to call Robopz, I expect America will win, but unlike Truss I think it will be very close, unless the "rookies" freeze, but I don't think the "rookie" element is as important these days with all of them having significant experience of playing in America in front of American crowds, not like the days of Coltart etc when people stuck rigidly to one tour and only ever went to America for the 3 majors there.
Probably far worse for an American "rookie" to come to Europe as they will have played here far less frequently.

Be interesting to see how Davis Love the Turd sets up the course, with a couple of bombers on the team I presume he can't afford too much rough as this could nullify the likes of Dustin Johnson and Mickelson if they are a little skewiff off the tee.

I'm with Robo here ... think the US Squad throws up all over themselves once again. And that's why I would NOT put Rickie or Bubba (and obviously no Furyk or Stricker) on the team.

Not knowing the players as some of you may do, does anyone see Bubba as an Ian Poulter/Patrick Reed type character, getting fired up for the competition? Would that count in his favour?

So Kuchar, Holmes and Fowler.....No Bubba yet....

INW - BUT -- Poulter actually wins these friendly, exhibition competitions. He's got a wonderful record, whereas Bubba ...

Good to hear LoveIII's appreciation for T.Woods's strategic assistance and focus - it'll make all the difference.

Wonder how Bubba will react to being put on ice? He can be a fragile personality and perhaps his omission might mean he won't be the twelth man.

I'm never wrong wrote:Not knowing the players as some of you may do, does anyone see Bubba as an Ian Poulter/Patrick Reed type character, getting fired up for the competition? Would that count in his favour?

His abysmal record in the RC would demonstrate he doesn't or can't.

Furyk as VC kind of saves everybodys face. Of course Jim had to be part of the thing, one way or the other. Having him as VC freed up a pick already from the beginning.
And with a late pick, and only one rookie on the team, I think DLoveThree will feel pressured to pick a rookie who's somewhat in form. He cannot risk being blamed picking 3 proven losers. Therefore I think he'll pick the 'hotter' of Thomas, Moore or Berger regardless what Bubba does. He's toast.

Meanwhile...  in the PGA Tour's worst nightmare scenario... Paul Casey has a mathematical chance to win the FedEx Cup with a winless season including a solo or 2-way T2 in the Tour Championship.  And it's not quite as outlandish a chance as one may think...

Setting ties aside, if Casey were to finish 2-way T2, he could win the FE Cup IF:

• Nobody going in Top-17 wins. then...
• DJ would need to finish 12th or worse, then...
• Reed would need to finish 5th or worse, then...
• Scott would need to finish 4th or worse, then...
• Day finishes below the 2-way T2.

It gets a little easier if Casey were to finish SOLO 2nd. Nobody going in top-10 or better could win, DJ must finish worse than 3-way T4 and Reed can not finish better than 2-way T3.

Granted a lot of different things have to happen for Casey to win the FECup with winning the Tour Championship... BUT... almost perfect storms of odd things do happen. Bill Haas needed even more unlikely scenarios to win the FE Cup from the 25th seed in 2011, and they all DID happen.
FedEx Cup scenarios for all 30 players here: http://www.pgatour.com/fedexcup/2016/09/12/scenarios-tour-championship.html

Robo:  Winning the FEX Title without winning a tournament is analogous  to winning the Olympic Decathalon without winning one of the ten events comprising of the Decathalon.

Or, to put a golf spin on it, winning a golf tournament without shooting the lowest score in any one round.

70-70-70-70 is better than 66-75-76-65.

IMO, People that B*tch about this scenario are going to B*tch about something.  This is just low hanging fruit for them.

Hadn't realised that Gregory Bourdy has signed up for this week's wTF event in frigid Boise, Idaho.

Bourdy has had a consistent season with T18 finishes in the US Open and PGA Championship. But he's going to struggle to get his card in three events, and then what will his reshuffle status be? Translation: How many events would he get to play in the first half of the 16/17 season??
Prove me wrong Gregory, but why wouldn't you be playing in Italy this week?

GPB wrote:Robo:  Winning the FEX Title without winning a tournament is analogous  to winning the Olympic Decathalon without winning one of the ten events comprising of the Decathalon.

Or, to put a golf spin on it, winning a golf tournament without shooting the lowest score in any one round.

70-70-70-70 is better than 66-75-76-65.

IMO, People that B*tch about this scenario are going to B*tch about something.  This is just low hanging fruit for them.

I'm not sure I get that analogy GPB. No one cares if the winner of a tournament doesn't have the lowest round, similarly no one cares if you win the Decathlon without winning one of the events as everyone understands it amounts to the score you have at the end, not at any point inbetween.

If Bubba wins the Tour Championship then the clamour to put him in will be so great I can't imagine him not getting the final pick.

If he doesn't win it, he isn't getting picked.

For once I hope Bubba will win next week.

Otherwise we might see another Watson being thrown under the bus. So in case, Mac, remember to look out the window.

McLaren wrote:GPB, I think he meant Lee has a better RC record in America compared to members of US RC teams.

Although the rest of the planet has as good a major record as Lee has.

Don't be a c*ck. Of course they don't. Almost none have even played in a Major, let alone have the record of Westwood .

super_realist wrote:

GPB wrote:Robo:  Winning the FEX Title without winning a tournament is analogous  to winning the Olympic Decathalon without winning one of the ten events comprising of the Decathalon.

Or, to put a golf spin on it, winning a golf tournament without shooting the lowest score in any one round.

70-70-70-70 is better than 66-75-76-65.

IMO, People that B*tch about this scenario are going to B*tch about something.  This is just low hanging fruit for them.

I'm not sure I get that analogy GPB. No one cares if the winner of a tournament doesn't have the lowest round, similarly no one cares if you win the Decathlon without winning one of the events as everyone understands it amounts to the score you have at the end, not at any point inbetween.

Similarly: Why should anyone care if the FEX Cup winner didn't win a single tournament all year.

The FEX Cup is not a golf Tournament. Its a 12 month long competition where players accumulate points with more emphasis in the last month and even more emphasis in the last week.

If someone finishes 2nd in the last few tournaments, and should he win the FEX Cup, he should be congratulated and not snarked at for not winning a tournament.

Don't know much about James Corrigan, but he's having a good old snark at the US Ryder Cup Team pantomime:

https://twitter.com/jcorrigangolf

My favourite is the Bubba piece, but all pretty funny . . . . . . . .