PGA Tour - The Valspar

First topic message reminder :

As per Kwini and Ned's requests, enjoy.

No Valspar Notes this week, except to say, and not in a non-u way:

~Innisbrook Resort's Copperhead course is a tough Par-71 with 4 x Par-5's and 5 x Par-3's. Plenty of elevation changes and some terrific holes.

~Decent field with Dustin Johnson confirming he's including Valspar on his schedule as his "one additional" event.

~Plenty of European interest, even after Fleetwood, Laird & Noren opted out. This lot will tee it up in addition to the usual suspects:
Rafa C-B, Casey, Donald (hopefully free from injury), Hatton, Garcia, Rahm, Knox, Stenson, McDowell, Willett.

~Presidents Cup Capt Ernie Els has completed his roster of Vice Captains further to his appointment of Geoff Ogilvy earlier. Choi, Immelman & Weir added.

~And an interesting snippet from Els that I don't think I'd heard before: He apparently received a Special Invitation to last year's Masters, which he declined. His rationale was that, however much he likes Augusta National, it doesn't seem to care much for him and not much point in prolonging the agony.

~Should be fine weather for Valspar action, pretty much always an exciting climax.

Will this be the week for Adam Hadwin?

Just had a look at the groups. Bit of a group of death at number 12 if all are on form. Day, Mickelson, Stenson and Furyk.

I'm never wrong wrote:Just had a look at the groups. Bit of a group of death at number 12 if all are on form. Day, Mickelson, Stenson and Furyk.

Ironically Furyk is probably the most on form of those guys. Day and Stenson will probably fold due to injuries.

I hope there is a enough light in the day for Day and Stenson to get round in time.

kwinigolfer wrote:Why can I never have any sympathy for Feherty?

The opening paragraph should have been a pretty big give away.

Speaking with Bryant Gumbel, Feherty said that he broke his decade-long sobriety after the death of his oldest son, Shey, who died from a drug overdose in the summer of 2017. Shey was found on what would've been his 29th birthday.

But the rest of the story should have shown that he was a p1ss poor Dad, drunk, drugged, away from home, a human wrecking ball of a man. Gifted but misguided.
No sympathy whatsoever.
Invest your sympathy elsewhere Mac, not on some multi-millionaire who's created a brilliant career of abusing his obvious talent, not to mention his various families.

Iain Carter charts the struggling form of Spieth, Mickelson, Xander, JT, BDC, and a few other Americans and how this has contributed to 3 wins in a row for Europeans.  I wouldn't read too much into the three in a row (and no doubt a yank will win the Masters) but Spieth down to 30 in the world is pretty shocking.

If anyone was going to camp out in the top ten for a decade I would have bet on it being him. What is the chat from the pundits on what is up with him?



https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/47695595

Mac,
There's an article in USA Today this morning about Spieth, but I can't find it posted on-line yet.
Basically says:
~In 2017 he was the best iron player on Tour, now he's 129th.
~In 2016 he was the second best putter, now 78th.
~He's 188th in "strokes gained off the tee", whatever that means, but 188th is not good.
~He's 124th around the green, and one assumes that, if he's 87th in putting, his chipping/bunker play is pretty dire.

But why the deterioration? No idea, but no top tens since Carnoustie and no wins since Birkdale. Nothing better than 35th this season, but a win and a half this week should improve upon that.

Mac,
Just read Carter's drivel, which I try to stay away from usually. He's very simplistic; I would say that any perceived lack of US success is at least partly the result of pros figuring out the new schedule.
Obviously that doesn't apply to everyone (Spieth for instance) but golfers are people too, and can't reliably be expected to churn out top results all day, every day.
I am shocked that more top pros haven't taken this week off; can only think it's because most of them want to play before Augusta and don't fancy TPC San Antonio. Expect more than a handful to mail it in this week, especially if they lose on Wednesday.

The season long American wins on the PGAT is presumably in line with the norm? As you say not sure why Carter has highlighted American "struggles" when most of the top 20 in each of those events was probably packed with Americans. Guys can still be playing well without winning.

And as for mailing it this week, I think that tends to happen for most players at this event unless they luck into the QF's.

kwinigolfer wrote:Mac,
There's an article in USA Today this morning about Spieth, but I can't find it posted on-line yet.
.....

Could be this one:
https://golfweek.com/2019/03/24/golf-match-play-jordan-spieth-close-finding-game/

kouchi wrote:

kwinigolfer wrote:Mac,
There's an article in USA Today this morning about Spieth, but I can't find it posted on-line yet.
.....

Could be this one:
https://golfweek.com/2019/03/24/golf-match-play-jordan-spieth-close-finding-game/

Exactly, Thanks kouchi,

I made the post and completely forgot to follow up!

A distinct lack of buzz before tomorrow's MatchPlay action - must admit, I much prefer the straight knock-out. Second chances may be good for petty criminals but not much good in Match Play.

"As far as the full swing goes, it’s just going to require more repetitions"
and:
“... just fine tuning the long game is just repetitions and I should be able to do enough over the next week to be ready for Austin let alone Augusta.”

Whoever was the other guy that just needed more reps ... and in the end made a rather successful return to the vicinity of an OWGR #10 spot?

As a Dutchman and avid supporter of Joost Luiten I am still hoping but this bunch of world class golfers seems very, very healthy these days

Joost is very close to the Top 60, too, and another decent result or two should see him with a ticket to Pebble Beach. Fine recovery from his injury troubles, but too few opportunities in Europe at this time of year.

Luiten appears to be a nearly man. A good handful of wins and in or around the top for many years, but very streaky.

Thanks for the link Kouchi.

Basically every part of his game is goosed, which makes you think it is a mental rather than technical issue.

I remember Joost getting off to a ridiculous start at the PGA at Kiawah that Rory won, something like -8 through 12 on Thursday before the weather turned and he gave them all back again. Since then he seems to have struggled in any stronger field events, and chalks up wins in the smaller tournaments to keep his ranking what it is.

NedB-H wrote:I remember Joost getting off to a ridiculous start at the PGA at Kiawah that Rory won, something like -8 through 12 on Thursday before the weather turned and he gave them all back again. Since then he seems to have struggled in any stronger field events, and chalks up wins in the smaller tournaments to keep his ranking what it is.

Don't tell GPB that . . . . . .

He's actually not done especially badly in WGC's & Majors (despite being cut half the time), but nothing exceptional either - T10 in Mexico a couple of weeks ago.

I'll update this thread to WGC and throw some notes to last week's effort.

It works both ways Kwini! Luiten strikes me as one who is too good for the rank and file events but struggles to step up a level, Wiesberger is another similar, save for one final round blowout at the USPGA. The flip side is someone like Aphibarnrat, or Hatton, who sleepwalk through half their events a year but sustain their ranking with a few top finishes in big events.

Just seen BdeC make an amazing recovery on the 4th. Ball buried short of a par 3 in an atrocious place. Gets up and down for par to halve hole.