PGA Tour: The Florida / Mexico / Florida, Florida Swing: Notes from the Ballwasher

First topic message reminder :

1).The traditional Florida / Texas countdown to Augusta will take a detour for a few years as the Tour was unable to find the sponsor necessary to share double-billing with Doral's owner and keep it on the Florida Swing schedule. It seems the WGC was, essentially, bought by Mexico. Unintended consequences, and now ironic in the extreme. (Better not go there.)

2).There was some speculation when "WGC-Mexico" was announced that the field for "Honda" would be affected, but it's still pretty strong; certainly the Mexican diversion is not the reason for Rory's absence, but the other five members of the owgr Top Six who have separated themselves from the rest are absentees, and the strength of field is the least strong it's been since Rors won in 2012.
Without Doral, the road to The Masters looks like this:
Honda, Mexico, Valspar/Innisbrook, Bay Hill, WGC-Matchplay, Houston, The Masters.

3).Good news coming from the sponsor this week is the renewal of their contract to play "The Honda Classic" at PGA National thru' 2021, which will be the 40th "renewal" of one of the Tour's longest running sponsorships.
This tournament is far better known as "the Honda" than by any other name, something the sponsor has earned, you'd think, by sticking with its South Florida commitment through thick and a lot of thin.
For me, as a European just starting to double-dip, one of its predecessors, the "Jackie Gleason Inverrary Classic" is the first non-Major US event I can remember sitting down to watch, glued to the screen as Jack Nicklaus rattled off birdies on the five closing holes to squeak by a shell-shocked Grier Jones. The only Tour events Jones won after that were as a caddie for Gibby Gilbert on the Senior Tour.

4).The Honda has been as generous to non-Americans as any event on Tour, with only 3 x US wins (Mark Wilson, Michael Thompson & Russell Henley) in the past twelve runnings. Not surprising Jordan Spieth and Dustin Johnson are not playing this week.

5).Cunning segue to Dustin who looked a good bet going in to Riviera and certainly proved it by dominating pretty much throughout. And now he's Number One in the world and, seemingly anyway, couldn't care less; probably the best recipe for staying there for a while. He's got to be on any short list for Augusta, will probably disappear for a few weeks, then defends his title at the US Open at Wisconsin's Erin Hills, where no-one in the tournament will have competed as a Pro.
DJ deposed Jason Day who seems to feel much more competitive about earning a quick return to #1: "If I could stay there for ten years I would." Whereas DJ just wants to win and have fun, and not necessarily in that order.

6).I love watching golf at Riviera, definitely on my bucket list to watch a tournament at; and the pros seem to feel the same way despite the drenching the course took and disruption to the schedule.
Royal St.George's got more than it's share of lousy weather for the 2011 Open Championship; I love the Pete Cowen quote from a recent Golf Digest about joining Darren Clarke on the range two days before the start:
PC: "Are you all right, Darren?"
DC: "No, I'm f*cking not. I can't hit the ball. I'm wasting my time. I might as well go home."
PC: "Look, the weather is going to be terrible, and you're the best bad-weather player in the world. Why would you think you've got no chance? Let's have a look at you."
After watching Clarke hit balls briefly, Cowen gave him one thing to think about. Within two hours his demeanour had changed completely.
DC: "Watch me hit this stinger . . . . . . watch me hit this high draw."
Cowen: It was an incredible display of shot-making.
PC: "Are you OK now?"
DC: "Yeah, but I still can't f*cking putt."

7).Darren will be hoping for galeforce winds and teeming rain in 2020 then as RSG gets The Open again.
2017: Birkdale
2018: Carnoustie
2019: Portrush
2020: RSG
2021: St.Andrews presumably.

8).Happy 50th Birthday on Thursday to Steve Stricker, about the most unassuming top golfer we're likely to have watched for the past 25 years.
Stricker will go down among the very few (Verplank, Westwood, one or two others) to have suffered a Duval-like slump in form and return better than ever to tell the tale.
After struggling to earn $1M in 2003 thru 2005 combined, and having lost his Tour card, Stricker was rewarded for his loyalty to the Houston Open with a sponsor's invitation in 2006, finished 3rd, qualified for Winged Foot and followed his 6th place result there with a runner-up at TPC Avenel and went on to bank $30M the next seven seasons. Two seasons as "Comeback Player of the Year" were enough to see the award retired.

9).Let's get back in to the Honda: There's a strong European entry: Pieters, Molinari, Hatton, McDowell, Casey, Fitzpatrick, Willett, Rafa, Kjeldsen, Sergio, Knox, Kaymer . . . . and the returns of Poulter, (and Freddie Jac following his detention for suspicion of terroristic behaviour in Sweden).
Past winner Luke Donald is here, as is Padraig Harrington, twice the Honda Champion - and he's apparently satisfied with the tinkering of his swing, now debating whether or not to tinker with his body and have neck surgery. (Tip: Don't use Woods's surgeon if he applies for the job.)

10).After the classic challenge of Riviera, puligny contrasted the course with the water park golf to follow.
(And the Gil Hanse owner-inspired re-do of Doral, ripping up the Dick Wilson original which was playable whatever the weather, made it almost unplayable in strong winds, and may have been a contributory factor in taking the WGC across the border.) PGA National is the most unforgiving course for a hacker (viz me) that I've played, and I spent the last few holes wishing I was at Typhoon Lagoon or Blizzard Beach instead.
Who knows who'll win, following Adam Scott's battle with Sergio last year. Either could be a good bet, but Russell Knox has the best recent course form of any British golfer and might be worth an each way investment.

Apparently Angel Cabrera is being investigated for domestic abuse in Argentina.

http://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/golf/cabrera-investigated-for-causing-injuries-to-ex-partner/ar-AAnhio7?li=BBnb7Kz

Big fan of Angel, hope the allegations are wrong.

If true, he will be even more popular than Sergio on here.

kwinigolfer wrote:Don't watch GOT's so no idea.
They call him tyRRELL.

Is that not right? How else is it pronounced?

TY-rell would be an alternate pronunciation here.

I thought his name was pronounced more tyrrell (rhymes with squirrel) as in Ken and the rest of them?

Two Lukes playing together tomorrow: List and Donald: The Long and The Short (no Tall).

WGC-Mexico field

Everyone that has qualified has committed.  (75 players)

KT Kim is in the field.

Party crashers include players that crack the OWGR Top 50 and the FEX top 10.  At least 2 (Perez, Steele) and probably 4, perhaps  5 (Hughes, Ch-III, Swafford) will become eligible on Monday via FEX Top 10.

Perhaps one or two more via OWGR Top 50.

Robo is telling me that Rory didn't commit until today.  He is supposed to play the Seminole Member-Pro on Monday.  Stenson didn't commit until Tuesday.

edit

link

https://t.co/d7nYViuHie

Pieters misses the cut.  Goes from t2nd to a Miss Cut.

Guess Pieters just decided to mail it in this week and didn't care how he finished.

Anyone pick up what for 5 minutes was a developing controversy during commentary last night, and then just disappeared? Sergio and Casey apparently queried Zac walking onto a green, his ball was off the green, and using his hand to test the grain by sweeping it across the surface. Radar Riley was very excited, but subsequently explained that it had all died down after the players discussed it and Zac explained it was ok and he always did it?

Also I see some comment on slow play, ready golf etc. The only thing which will have play proceed at a reasonable pace is a preparedness among players to get on with it. Let me give an example of spectator frustration - I had a couple of days downtime in the week, and had saved recording of final day at Pebble to watch in the event of poor weather. Snedeker - a player I really enjoy watching. If ever a player deserved a hard object in the shape of a golf rule book at the cranium it was him. Standing endlessly having a caddy chat, waiting for the wind to change etc etc. What a self absorbed t..t. Just an example - I am sure there are worse but he was a key player in the coverage that day and was an utter disgrace. Moreover the commentary was pathetic as Ian Baker-Finch, someone I like to listen to, totally opted out with a statement along the lines of - I like the way Sneds plays, admittedly he took a long time to choose the club but once he's over the ball he's very quick! No Ian, your job is to call it out, and along with the officials do something about it. Ready golf means you wait after you've hit rather than before! Hey ho, happy days.

Pieters can be very inconsistent! Grace too!!


puligny,
Didn't see the incident you refer to, though Roger Maltbie mentioned the abuse that Sergio was receiving a number of times. The "Snedeker's a fast player" narrative is a myth; he and Scott Vail are as bad as Spieth and Geller when it comes to "deliberations".
I B-F doesn't "call it out", apparently a very nice guy, but he wouldn't call out Jack The Ripper, let alone Lord Sneds.

Back at it for Round 3 in an hour!

Out of interest Kwini, what is Sergio abused for? Not still the "fried chicken" stuff is it?

Not clear what they were saying, super. So I don't know.
But Sergio has got to be the world's most unpopular golfer, and gets an especially bad time over here, fuelled sometimes by press and definitely by NBC commentators like Jacobsen (defines empty chair), who was working yesterday, and Johnny Miller. Would say that Golf Channel broadcasts are very pro-US players, very selective on coverage of others.
You might find Miller's bombastic non-fact-based comments which fuel anti-European behaviour not dissimilar to a certain office-holder in Washington, though obviously other nationalities suffer worse in that regard. Say it often enough and the "base" will believe it. #alternativefacts.
Sergio played one of the all-time great duels last year, with Phil at Hazeltine, and neither ever got any credit for their extraordinary play, much lower scores than Rory & Reed for instance.

Kwini
Garcia is hugely with Sky Sports for some reason, I don't get how he is so popular with them!?

Sergio hasn't helped himself over the years.

General petulance
Chucking a shoe
hacking divots after poor shots
making a meal of Tiger's club jangle
Then making racist comments just to make it better
Spitting in the cup
choking in the majors

It is all personal taste but I get the impression that Sergio would not be the sort of guy I would want to play many rounds with.

There aren't many people you'd like to play a round of golf with Mac, so that's not a surprise you wouldn't want to play with Sergio. Perhaps you could see if Jeremy Corbyn fancies a game, he's going to be out of a job soon.

Mac,
We've followed him a few times and he's been terrific; quite agree he has the petulant gene, but so do dozens of others.

But his putting stroke on shorties looked ugly yesterday.

For some reason I've seen Justin Rose booed and barracked a few times on TV recently; can't imagine what he would ever do to inflame the yahoo element of the gallery.

Loads of pro's I would like to play a round with. Rory (despite his Trump error), Scott, Spieth, DJ, Stenson, Donald, Pieters, Tiger, and many more.

Impressive start by Hatton to his run of US events. Seems to be the real deal, could be a decent each way bet for Masters, think he already has a couple of top tens in majors?

Mac - any redeeming features for Sergio? Must say if I got offered a game with top pros he'd be well up the list

Kwini

Very odd if Rose is getting abuse. Really can't think why, maybe beating Phil to the US open?

Puligny

I don't think there are any features that can redeem some of Sergio's worst traits.

Mac - each to their own. He's scored high on the petulance scale at times, but always seemed very popular with other players, and despite the 'failure' to win a major which is sooooo important to some, has been a superb player for a long time now.

A year ago, I watched Sergio play a charity poker tournament online. He was in the Bahamas and played with a couple (relatively) famous & attractive poker girls, a poker announcer.

He told this joke.

Spoiler:

I would expect this tacky joke from a sophomoric 14 year old in a Jr. high lockerroom. But not from 36 year adult in mixed company on a online TV broadcast.

I don't think he has matured much in the last 18 years.

1. middle finger salute
2. whining about weather he gave at Bethpage,
3. Spitting into the cup
4. complaints about Tiger's club jangling,
5. Fried chicken comments.

There is not much I find likable about Sergio. There is no excuse for heckling, however, the crowd didn't target him because he is a saint.

Sergio's patience will be tested today, playing with Ben Crane. Where's Sabbatini when you need him?
Lousy start from both of them.

Should be a perfect day for scoring at Typhoon Lagoon today, a bit too breezy for comfort tomorrow.

GPB - I agree the alternative version is funnier.
Chap sees dog licking himself.
Says to dogs owner "I wish I could do that"
Owner says "well if you give him a biscuit he'd probably let you"

Puligny

That fact you use the better version of the joke is why I would happily tee it up with you and not sergio.

But not a Doak course!!

But they do tend to be in pretty nice locations.

As you know I've played a few. I've been Overwhelmed and underwhelmed by same architect which makes me think it's all a bit hit and miss. But just my unqualified opinion.
Sergio on the other hand, top player.

McLaren wrote:Sergio hasn't helped himself over the years...


choking in the majors

Just cos Montgomerie and Scott Hoch are bumholes, this seems a harsh criterion. Westwood seems pleasant enough.

Woods seems at least an unlikeable a personality as Garcia, not sure why you'd want to play with one and not the other. Although a threeball with both would be fun.

McLaren wrote:Loads of pro's I would like to play a round with.  Rory (despite his Trump error), Scott, Spieth, DJ, Stenson, Donald, Pieters, Tiger, and many more.

Do you think Spieth would be good to play with? He seems exceptionally dreary. I wouldn't want to play with any of the hypocritical god squad.

Strange you'd want to play with Woods, a loathsome character who matches many of the traits you list which would stop you playing with Sergio. Double standards?

Also strange you call McIlroy's Trump game an "error". I thought his explanation of his round with the wig was quite a good one.

Super

After the many years we have been conversing on here are you that surprised I would like to play with Tiger?

And yes, a major error from Rory. Very naive of him to think that round didn't in some way endorse Trump.

Strange tournament to follow this, with such penal holes awaiting pretty much all through the back nine, there's no way you can fiddle your way into the clubhouse.
Rotten day for Fitzpatrick, and opportunities missed by Kjeldsen - hopefully there'll be some good European rounds to go with those bad 'uns.

Sky showed 2006 Honda won by Luke today. Where did it all go wrong Luke - hope we are seeing green shoots.

It's all down to the short game with Luke; after 6 holes he's -3 "shots gained putting" and that won't get it done.

Very impressed with Wes Bryan, fun to watch last week, love his trick shots, gets a move on, and looking comfortable in the shake-up.

I don't like the word "overachiever", as you obviously generally get the success your ability warrants. I do think Luke's had a great career and hit heights I thought beyond him. His lack of length on today's monster courses put a lot of pressure on all aspects of his game to be perfect, especially his short game. And for a few years he managed to pull it off which is very impressive. Was always going to be hard to keep it going though.

How is it "endorsing" anything Mac? McIlroy is not American and cannot vote in American elections. He's never pretended to be American and I'm sure if Obama owned a string of courses he'd have played with him too.

Would you be saying that was an "error" or "endorsing" Obama? No, you simply don't like Trump, which is fair enough, but you shouldn't try to shoehorn your likes and dislikes into how someone like McIlroy sees something.

I'm sure you've played with people who held views contrary to what you hold, does that mean you are endorsing them or have you made an error by playing with them? No. It doesn't.

Now Trump is an obvious plank, but playing a game of golf with him doesn't do anything to "promote" Trump, nor does it even infer that Mcilroy agrees with Trump on ANYTHING.

You really do try and look far too deeply into things Mac.

They didn't agree on anything, not even how much they'd played.
The White House people told the press Rory's host had just played a few holes.
Which was an #alternative fact, a presidential porky (one of several thousand in the past month of course!
Good job Rory confirmed they'd played the full 18.

I agree that it doesn't really endorse anything. I wouldn't pee on Trimp if he was on fire but I think Id play golf with him, I guess I'd be curious to know a bit about the guy who has a fair chance of ending life as we know it on this planet.

puligny wrote:Sky showed 2006 Honda won by Luke today. Where did it all go wrong Luke - hope we are seeing green shoots.

Maybe its because he is scared of birdies

Spoiler:

Tyrrell Hatton looking good - not physically though, spent too much time with that Wayne Shaw feller. (See their goalie got injured early today and they didn't have a sub goalie so stuck in a midfielder - still won though.)

Just getting a chance to dip in now, at a vendor conference in Berlin all week. Top of the LB lookin great, still a long way to go of course. Looks like a supercharged Sunday!

Strange old ruling for Rickie - Hatton should review that and make sure he claims it next time.

Fowler annoys me so much.

Don't know if he needed that drop. But he's a class golfer, can't deny him that.

Just about a flawless round from Rickie though; he doesn't annoy me as much as the commentators fawning all over him. Miller dismissive of Kaymer, yet look at their respective records.
Still, if Fowler wins tomorrow he'll go one win ahead of Martin Laird, and you can't take that away from him.

Lol Kwini, No. Although Martin might still be celebrating a little more tonight. The valleys may be a little quieter all the same.

Wow!
Hadn't seen that; fantastic win for your guys too, n'est ce pas?

Power a touch unlucky not to get to play this weekend - he can take a couple of weeks off now.

Sergio = Like every professional golfer, gets the usual pandering pass from the US commentators. He's a racist, shoe-throwing, hole spitting, spoiled twit who I expect to implode when in contention for any major from this point forward. Prove me wrong Sergio ... after all, we know all about your outstanding "ball striking", yadda, yadda, yadda. Just my opinion, of course ...

Meanwhile, and speaking of Ryder Cup winning golfers who have not notched a major, let's see if Fowler can finish this event off.

A top 5 for O'Hair?

Sergio might be disliked in America, but I would very much doubt it would be because of any of the things you mentioned, as many American golfers are just as bad in that respect, and are liked.

Indeed Kwini, always nice to beat the French, it was a tough match.

Power threw away a decent opportunity by the looks of it, needs to be gettin paid...

Quite right, super, but Shotrock's week wouldn't be complete without his anti-Sergio vitriol being spouted.


Another warm day in South Florida, fairly calm at the moment but forecast to get windy and blustrous later on. Obviously Fowler's tournament to win, he's tattooed the field so far, and leads Hatton by 4 strokes, the rest of the field by 6. Would think something's got to go seriously wrong with Rickie's golf for anyone, Hatton apart, to win - hope it's not another Spieth-like procession.
And the commentators got Hatton's name right yesterday; amazing. Feherty must have had a word.

Among 12 golfers tied for 8th is Franny Molinari and a decent round today would wrap up his Tour card for another year; this is Franny's third year of double-dipping and he seems to have got the balance just right, a recipe others would do well to follow. Good for him.