PGA Tour: Final Tournament of the Year: Notes from the Ballwasher

First topic message reminder :

1). Final tournament of the year, but already the 8th of the 2018/19 season, or about 18% of the schedule (realistically for most members, 20%). So, if you're an international player double-dipping, and you haven't got some points on the board, you're already slipping behind. Whereas the likes of Rafa C-B, Rose, Casey, Poulter, Noren & Hatton are at least 25% of the way towards keeping their cards.

2).I didn't see any notice of it, but Career Builder is no longer a Tour sponsor - instead the January Palm Desert event is recorded on the Tour calendar as the "Desert Classic"; not sure what happened there. Any ideas? Laid off presumably.

3).The US Ryder Cup entourage spawned winners in Las Vegas (DeChambeau) and Mayakoba (Kuchar). DeChambeau has now won more Tour events in 73 Tour appearances than Rickie Fowler (218). Not sure what that means, but through all his lengthy calibrations, DeC is a winner (except en France and Germany). Fowler is too good for the game not to become a serial winner too, but he needs to get a move on.

4).Meanwhile, Kuchar's win was his 8th, and first since holing out a 72nd hole bunker shot to beat the late, great Luke Donald at Hilton Head four years ago. And in the process Kuchar has overtaken Stricker, Zach J and DL111 to 10th place ($45M) in the career earnings list behind:
TW, Phil, Vijay, Furyk, DJ, Rose, Scott, Ernie & Sergio.
Speculation in the US media that Kuchar would have been a welcome choice for the Ryder Cup, but would he really? In four RC's he's only won 6 matches, twice the tally of Rickie, also in four appearances, but would say he had to earn an automatic qualifying place with the Task Force reserving a spot apiece for Woods & Mickelson.

5).With only a few events still to be played around the world this year, we're close to the year-end cut-off of the Top 50 in the World Rankings who qualify for Augusta.
I'm guessing the current Top 40 will qualify, if they haven't already, so that would include Aphibarnrat, Poulter, Pepperell and Rafa beyond the obvious. Westwood's win in SA rocketed him to 64th so he still needs a good result this week in Dubai.
Others not yet in the field between #41 and Lee at #64 include:
#41: Haotong Li: His recent haul of points should ensure he'll make it.
#42: Olesen: I'd think he'll make it.
#43: Fitzpatrick: He needs a good result this week as his points are depleting fast.
#45: Harman: In terrible form. He's playing this week and needs a strong finish.
#46: Grace: You'd think he's too good not to make it, but similar to Fitz in needing to play well in Dubai.
#46: Bjerregard: Should be OK (as Li) but play well in Dubai to make sure. Could be suited to Augusta.
#48: Grillo: Not playing this week and could well slip out unless he has another event up his sleeve.
#51: Ben An: Similar to Grillo - EDIT: Playing in Australia
#54: Berger: Injured
#56: Perez: Similar to Grillo & An.
#57: Wallace: Needs a top finish in Dubai - I'd love to see him in The Masters.
#58: Reavie: Injured.
#59: List: Playing RSM but needs something special.
#60: Hadley: Similar to List.
#61: Hadwin: Not playing
#62: Imahira: Assume he's playing the Dunlop Phoenix - in great form!

6).Vijay Singh won the season ending Champions Tour event but the inevitable Bernhard Langer won the season-long Charles Schwab Cup - 62 next year, how long can he keep this up?

7).Every so often when following pros on the course you're lucky enough to see a player hit a remarkable shot. Tim Petkovich had a journeyman Tour career with just one win but plodded along in his late 40's and took decent form to the Champions Tour.
He was leading early in a tournament we were at a couple of years ago but had pushed his tee shot on a Par-4 into thick rough under a tree with overhanging branches.
He had about 175 to the hole on an elevated green, playing over water and it looked as if his caddie was trying to dissuade him from taking the shot on. But Petkovich played it, a low, rising ball that he somehow squeezed out of the spinach to land on the green about 20 feet from the pin. Remarkable. He handed his club to his caddie and said, "That's the best I've got". Pretty neat when you see a guy playing a worldy like that. Commonplace to the Tigers of this world perhaps, but I reckon Petkovich surprised himself. I love moments like that on the course . . . . . the Tour is right, those "guys are good".

8).When DeChambeau won the US Amateur a few years ago, he beat Derek Bard (from a club I used to belong to) in the final. Bard just qualified this week for web.com Tour Final Stage Q-School, to be played in early December. Amazing how paths diverge in all walks of life.
And, on the same theme, Phillip Price is once again trying to qualify for the Champions Tour - only 16 years since he outplayed Phil in a Belfry singles. James Kingston, plus RC'ers Sandelin & Levet, also playing, among others.

9).The RSM (McGladrey) event this week has an end-of-year look to it, too bad as it's played on two lovely looking courses on Sea Island, Georgia - a beautiful part of the world. But the purse is good and the FedEx points are just the same as much more prestigious stops. And there'll be an invite to Augusta to the winner. Not much European interest, though Ireland's Olympians are both there, McDowell too.

10).Finally, the Ballwasher "celebrates" Thanksgiving next week and I'll be sitting in the corner with copious amounts of Louis Jadot's finest efforts.
Happy Thanksgiving to McLaren and all American readers.

super_realist wrote:
There seems to be quite a few caddies with a screw loose.

When attending tournaments and experiencing caddies in action you realise that most are of the same depraved, 40 fags-a-day crop. So not surprised really.

pedro wrote:

super_realist wrote:
There seems to be quite a few caddies with a screw loose.

When attending tournaments and experiencing caddies in action you realise that most are of the same depraved, 40 fags-a-day crop. So not surprised really.

I have always found it hard to muster any respect for caddies.  If they are anything like the blow hards you see doing it at places like the TOC then I am probably right not to.

This year, I was on the caddie "hospitality" committee for one of the tournaments in the BMW playoff. The tournament was delayed due to weather (numerous times) so I was with many of the caddies in a comfortable room full of food and drink for extended periods. We also had a cookout for those that wanted to attend (private resident and on Wednesday evening before play started, but after the pro-am).

As with so many things, I find it hard to paint the group with a single brush stroke. There are some really businesslike, quiet caddies ... some very outspoken caddies (Kevin Na's guy!) ... some that drink hard, some that don't drink at all ... etc. But, what struck me was this: It's an all or nothing game. You lose your bag, you probably think about changing professions.

You are probably correct in saying they shouldn't all be painted by the same brush stroke but there is something of the bar bore about a lot of the caddies working at clubs around the country.

For caddies not working for professionals, I tend to agree Mac. From my experience here in the states, I generally run across two basic groups. (1) High School and College Kids earning non-taxable income during the summer. (2) Lifers, also earning non taxable income (by and large). Sometimes the "lifers" are teachers with summers off, etc. but many are living on the fringe. I almost always prefer (1).

McLaren wrote:You are probably correct in saying they shouldn't all be painted by the same brush stroke but there is something of the bar bore about a lot of the caddies working at clubs around the country.

The ones working at St. Andrews are complete bell ends by and large, but I imagine that goes with any job where you have to make small talk all day long.

Surprised you've never fancied it Mac, you could bore them with your tales of Doak and golf course architecture, plus you'd earn more than you do now.

Forbes Magazine reckons Tiger Woods is worth $800M, not bad but I wonder if his wealth was even greater, at least in real terms, ten years ago?
And still a long way to go before he catches up with Michael Jordan ($1.7B).

kwinigolfer wrote:Forbes Magazine reckons Tiger Woods is worth $800M, not bad but I wonder if his wealth was even greater, at least in real terms, ten years ago?

You could probably add 50M per shag.

#firehydrantincident

kwinigolfer wrote:Forbes Magazine reckons Tiger Woods is worth $800M, not bad but I wonder if his wealth was even greater, at least in real terms, ten years ago?
And still a long way to go before he catches up with Michael Jordan ($1.7B).

and how much is Elin worth on the forbes list?

Golf Channel reporting in two separate articles that Chicagoland's Olympia Fields CC will host the 2020 BMW Championship.

And that highly regarded architect Keith Foster is charged with illegally handling goods made from endangered species and other wildlife.

The Olympia Fields article makes no mention of the fact that the aforesaid Mister Foster is currently engaged in renovating Olympia Fields.

Smugglers Blues.

Now Franny Molinari suggesting he might forego his ET card if his PGA Tour season gets off to a slow start. Even raising the possibility that he might miss Mrs Molinari's British Masters.

Guess Chico wants some of the same Pelley Payola that Rory got

super_realist wrote:Matt Wallace to win The Masters, get your money on now.

Well, Super, I did it today. Didn't think any of the bookies would have any prices this far in advance but Messrs Hill took my £5 each way at 100/1.
I usually have a small bet on the Majors and look for a long shot, so this has suited me. Thank you. Cheque will be in the post if I win.

Stingy price there Inw.


Long odds against Woods taking his place at the TOC next week in Kapalua. Golf Channel reckon he'll be a non-starter, back for San Diego.

I'm never wrong wrote:

super_realist wrote:Matt Wallace to win The Masters, get your money on now.

Well, Super, I did it today. Didn't think any of the bookies would have any prices this far in advance but Messrs Hill took my £5 each way at 100/1.
I usually have a small bet on the Majors and look for a long shot, so this has suited me. Thank you.  Cheque will be in the post if I win.

Picking a few players at around 100/1 E/W is always a good idea in Golf. Had Schwartzel at 90/1 when he won it and Kjeldsen at 150/1 when he finished top 6 in a major, something similar on the morbidly obese Carl Peterson and Officer Barbrady Hoffman too.
Always worth a Saffer in there early season too.

The field for the Tournament of Champions @ Kapalua next week will be announced shortly (presumably Woods, Phil & Justin Rose will be no-shows), but here are a couple of caddie-centric articles you might be interested in:

Caddie pay:
https://golfweek.com/2018/12/27/what-is-the-percentage-of-winnings-for-caddies-in-golf/

And John Wood's Ryder Cup:
https://golfweek.com/2018/11/16/caddie-john-wood-offers-glimpse-inside-team-usas-crushing-ryder-cup-loss/

(Wood is a highly regarded presence in all US "Team"rooms . . . . . . )

OK, Casey, Rors, Poults, Molinari, Rahm amongst the confirmed starters at Kapalua.

Can't wait for that to start next Thursday, Almost whatever the weather the views at Kapalua are fab.

Cheers Kwini and All... Best wishes for a Happy New Year for you and yours...

Regards, Robo

GPB wrote:Guess Chico wants some of the same Pelley Payola that Rory got

Fire up "Air Wentworth" and point it towards Italy with bags-o-cash on board.

But seriously... I can't blame the ET's top players for skipping the ET until at least the Open, especially since both tours have basically incentivized them to do exactly that.  But it's still too easy for the top ET guys to get their 4 in now, so it doesn't make sense that any of them won't. Even in a non Ryder Cup year, and skipping the M.E., if they play just one extra before the Open, then 3 from Sept-Nov, they got it done.

robopz wrote:Cheers Kwini and All... Best wishes for a Happy New Year for you and yours...

Regards, Robo

Cheers robo,

Much appreciate all your insight,

Happy New Year and best wishes to you and yours, and one and all .. . . .

robopz wrote:

GPB wrote:Guess Chico wants some of the same Pelley Payola that Rory got

Fire up "Air Wentworth" and point it towards Italy with bags-o-cash on board.

But seriously... I can't blame the ET's top players for skipping the ET until at least the Open, especially since both tours have basically incentivized them to do exactly that.  But it's still too easy for the top ET guys to get their 4 in now, so it doesn't make sense that any of them won't. Even in a non Ryder Cup year, and skipping the M.E., if they play just one extra before the Open, then 3 from Sept-Nov, they got it done.

It makes sense for Euro players that are not necessarily automatic Ryder Cup qualifiers to wait until September 2019 to play the 4 required tournaments if all they want to play is the minimum.

GPB wrote:

robopz wrote:

GPB wrote:Guess Chico wants some of the same Pelley Payola that Rory got

Fire up "Air Wentworth" and point it towards Italy with bags-o-cash on board.

But seriously... I can't blame the ET's top players for skipping the ET until at least the Open, especially since both tours have basically incentivized them to do exactly that.  But it's still too easy for the top ET guys to get their 4 in now, so it doesn't make sense that any of them won't. Even in a non Ryder Cup year, and skipping the M.E., if they play just one extra before the Open, then 3 from Sept-Nov, they got it done.

It makes sense for Euro players that are not necessarily automatic Ryder Cup qualifiers to wait until September 2019 to play the 4 required tournaments if all they want to play is the minimum.

Of course, seeing as players don't start accruing points until that point, why would they bother before?