PGA Tour: Happy New Year - But Not New Season: Notes from the Ballwasher

First topic message reminder :

1).Yup, Only about six weeks ago that Charlie Howell won the RSM Classic in Georgia's gorgeous Golden Isles to wrap up the prologue part of the 2018/2019 PGA Tour Season. And that's about 17% of the season in the book. Or down the drain for those whose tournaments were more "fall" than autumn.

2).One imagines that Howell's win was a popular one for his fellow pros, he's certainly one of the more interesting players; can he turn that W into success (more wins anyway) more reflective of his 20th position ($37M) on the career money list? Whichever way you cut it, it's been an interesting trip from the deer-in-the-headlights ute that won the "Michelob" in Williamsburg back in 2002, when he was obliged to confess he didn't expect to celebrate by drinking the sponsor's product because he didn't drink beer - presumably he's subsequently figured out that Michelob barely qualifies.

3).Not much has happened since the "RSM", a couple of senior pros (Zach, Henrik) have changed caddies, there's a Slovakian at #27 ($31M) on that same career money list, Tiger Woods has turned 43 and the Goose is just about to see his 50th birthday; the last bloke to wear shorts whilst competing in a US Open has gone to the clubhouse in the sky and some new rules are applicable as of Jan 1st.

4).The two most notables rules tweaks are the modification to the drop rule (was from shoulder height, now knee height) and the option to leave the flag in when putting. I disagree with both, but you can only imagine that DeChambeau has been out with his setsquare and sliderule in his everlasting quest to gain a scientific edge.

5).And Rory McIlroy & Franny Molinari have been raising the spectre of dispensing with European Tour membership.

6).Regardless of the merits of their respective arguments, it can't be denied that 2019 opens with its most crowded calendar ever. Between mid-February and the LA Open @ Riviera and mid-June (US Open), the Tour doesn't go more than one week without a tournament that they have deemed even more prestigious than the usual events, EXCEPT the four weeks between Augusta and the PGA.
Those four weeks feature Hilton Head, New Orleans, Quail Hollow and the Byron Nelson, and good luck to Tournament Directors trying to attract leading pros for more than one of that lot.
And for the very excellent Travelers Championship the week following the Pebble Beach US Open. Despite The Travelers being the Players' Choice for best tournament for the past two years.

7).We'll try to continue to keep an eye on the Tour's Europeans, just as much on the journeymen as the galacticos, past (Donald, McDowell: big year for both!) and present. Only Poults, Rory, Casey, Molinari & Rahm in this week's field.

OK, Not much else to add. Happy New Year and I for one can't wait until Thursday afternoon (Klopp vs Pep, what else?), then the action from Kapalua.

GPB wrote:Kwini:  ICYMI, the Webbie event went with threesomes off the first tee only in the 4th round.

I can't remember the last time a PGATour or Webbie event did that for a regular event.

It has always been two-somes off one tee, or three-somes off split tees.

I think three-somes when there is more than 78 players (and enough daylight, good weather) should be the default.

Maybe there is a change in policy for 2019?

Hadn't see that, but no problem with it either. Hoffmann T26 with just a few groups to finish. What a performance!


They probably have this rule every year, but I see that, if there are more than 78 golfers making this week's cut, they revert to Top 60 and ties playing on Sunday, a la Pebble Beach.

super_realist wrote:Well well well. Fat pig Shane leading in the dessert.

Fixed it.

Yes Kwini, Solid Performance from Hoffmann.