PGATour Running Commentary January 2022

First topic message reminder :

Happy New Year.  After a nearly a year and half, its time for a new thread.

39 ofthe 40 Players eligible to play Sentry ToC are playing.  Only one missing is Rory McIlroy.

navyblueshorts wrote:Looks like that overrated new boy, Ludvig Åberg, isn't really doing a great deal...

Good weekend for Scandinavian golfers, with Nicolai Hojgaard cleaning up at the DPW Tour Championship as well.

Perhaps Mac can suggest a feline name for him.

Garfield?


Fat Bob secured his PGAT card. How badly will he struggle?

Just doesn't seem to thrive in uncomfortable environments. Although his waistline might struggle more than his golf on an American diet.

McLaren wrote:Garfield?


Fat Bob secured his PGAT card. How badly will he struggle?

Just doesn't seem to thrive in uncomfortable environments. Although his waistline might struggle more than his golf on an American diet.

He'll get homesick because no one will be interested in hearing about "shinty"

navyblueshorts wrote:Looks like that overrated new boy, Ludvig Åberg, isn't really doing a great deal...

Good weekend for Scandinavian golfers, with Nicolai Hojgaard cleaning up at the DPW Tour Championship as well.

Hojgaard was superb down the stretch in the DPW Tour Champ - he seems to have a much higher ceiling than his brother. It will be interesting to see how he does on the PGAT this upcoming year

Tiger and Rory's indoor golf league postponed until 2025. The tent got blown over.

McLaren wrote:Tiger and Rory's indoor golf league postponed until 2025. The tent got blown over.

Surprised you haven't been a bit more scathing of such a laughable "exhibition".

Watching the ridiculously contrived Hero World Challenge, does anyone else get the feeling they are watching a version of the Emperor’s New Clothes? Commentators and the media are waxing lyrical about Woods and how well he’s playing and how close he is to winning. I’m seeing a bloated individual (steroids?) limping and grimacing around the course and sweating so profusely that his trousers were almost see-through. I know it’s hot but no-one else was suffering like him. Pain and/or drugs can induce that reaction. I can’t understand how I (and his Lordship) seem to be only person who can see it.

Ladyputt

I agree, Tiger didn't look well by the end. Not sure we will see him once a month next year, as he claims his schedule will be.

LadyPutt wrote:Watching the ridiculously contrived Hero World Challenge, does anyone else get the feeling they are watching a version of the Emperor’s New Clothes? Commentators and the media are waxing lyrical about Woods and how well he’s playing and how close he is to winning. I’m seeing a bloated individual (steroids?) limping and grimacing around the course and sweating so profusely that his trousers were almost see-through. I know it’s hot but no-one else was suffering like him. Pain and/or drugs can induce that reaction. I can’t understand how I (and his Lordship) seem to be only person who can see it.

Only saw a bit and avoided any interest in Woods - he's miles off and well past it. Scheffler looked pretty dialled in, though, and good to see Straka looking like he's good in that sort of company.

McLaren wrote:Ladyputt

I agree, Tiger didn't look well by the end. Not sure we will see him once a month next year, as he claims his schedule will be.

What's happened to his face? He looks like he's stuck his head in a Wasps nest.

super_realist wrote:

McLaren wrote:Ladyputt

I agree, Tiger didn't look well by the end. Not sure we will see him once a month next year, as he claims his schedule will be.

What's happened to his face? He looks like he's stuck his head in a Wasps nest.

Steroids?

RIP mens pro golf. Can't be long now before it tears itself apart.

McLaren wrote:RIP mens pro golf. Can't be long now before it tears itself apart.

No surprise. Most of them are self-centred, money grabbers. They'd play in Hitler's Germany, or Stalin's U.S.S.R., if the money was right. I'm impressed that Rahm managed to spout the utter balls that he did with a straight face. Then again, I guess he'd do anything for that sort of cash.

navyblueshorts wrote:

McLaren wrote:RIP mens pro golf. Can't be long now before it tears itself apart.

No surprise. Most of them are self-centred, money grabbers. They'd play in Hitler's Germany, or Stalin's U.S.S.R., if the money was right. I'm impressed that Rahm managed to spout the utter balls that he did with a straight face. Then again, I guess he'd do anything for that sort of cash.

I don’t think Rahm is the brightest to have been hoodwinked by Mickelson and Garcia (neither of whom are also blessed with mega intelligence), as his reasoning for joining LIV - growing the game etc and not the money - is just beyond belief ‍� Sad day.

McLaren wrote:RIP mens pro golf. Can't be long now before it tears itself apart.

Seems a powerplay by PIF to try and get this deal with PGA Tour over the line. PGA been exploring other money, PIF throwing a very large “if you don’t take our deal, we’re going to keep doing this”…and to be honest I think it will work.
PGA losing sponsors (Wells Fargo), can’t fulfill promised purses…

There is a world where they come together and you get the top 75-100 playing together 20 times a year all over the world outside of the majors. I think they call it fantasy land…but if there was a visionary in the room between PGA/PIF they could do something pretty good for the viewer…

Likelihood is a fractured world and truly nothing matters beyond the four majors

Think Rahm realised that the PGATs very insular response to the Saudis wasn't for him and he might as well take the cash. Shame he doesn't seem to care about the dubious source of that cash.

The sportwashing is working because very little of the discourse is about how terrible the Saudis are but about how masterfully they are outmaneuvering the PGAT.

McLaren wrote:Think Rahm realised that the PGATs very insular response to the Saudis wasn't for him and he might as well take the cash. Shame he doesn't seem to care about the dubious source of that cash.

The sportwashing is working because very little of the discourse is about how terrible the Saudis are but about how masterfully they are outmaneuvering the PGAT.

There's nothing masterful about what they're doing, IMO. They're simply taking advantage of the trillions of dollars available to throw around, the fact there's clearly now a policy in Saudi to do this, and the fact that too many golf tour pros are grubby and have zero morals. Latter has always been thus.

Navy

Agreed, it's nothing actually masterful but the narrative is now around the political maneuvering rather than the moral aspect of the Saudis owning pro golf. Although it is the case that the PGATs incompetence is making things easy for the Saudis.

McLaren wrote:Navy

Agreed, it's nothing actually masterful but the narrative is now around the political maneuvering rather than the moral aspect of the Saudis owning pro golf. Although it is the case that the PGATs incompetence is making things easy for the Saudis.

Stick your moral rectitude up your rectum Mac. If someone offered you £400m to join you would too, you even said you'd play Trump if I paid you on.

Happy New Year all...

State of the game recap:
LIV is an uninteresting contrived mess.
PGAT and DPWT are being diluted.
It all sucks.

robopz wrote:State of the game recap:
LIV is an uninteresting contrived mess.
PGAT and DPWT are being diluted.
It all sucks.

Happy New Year Robo, yes the State of the Tours is a bit of a mess but….we still start with the Golfporn that is Kapalua tonight :-)

Yes, finally some live golf to watch again!

I even succumbed to watching the darts!

Here's how incoreect information gets around the world so quickly. Justin Rose had a two shot penalty imposed on him for playing the wrong ball. The story came out that Taylor Moore had switched the number of his ball from a 1 to a 2. He hadn't. Moore played with a number 1 ball throughout. Rose had been playing the earlier rounds also with a number 1 ball. But then he switched. So on the 7th hole Rose forgot he had switched and played a number 1 ball - Moores. The fact that effects mics picked up Moore saying "Sorry dude" to Rose, caused the commentators to think Moore had switched without telling Rose. Just done a search on the incident and correspondents are saying its Moores' fault. Just shows.

Isn't it noticeable, in the midst of the furore over Nick Dunlap's win, the likes of Koepka, DeChambeau, Cam Smith etc soon get practically forgotten about?

BlueCoverman wrote:Isn't it noticeable, in the midst of the furore over Nick Dunlap's win, the likes of Koepka, DeChambeau, Cam Smith etc soon get practically forgotten about?  

Yep. What's the betting LIV are trying all they can to turn this guy's head right about now...? I wouldn't bet against them either because, you know, sport and politics should be separate, right? What's the State-sanctioned murder of a US journalist on the orders of the virtual head of state between friends? Money trumps all, eh?

Looks like Adrian Meronk is off to LIV Golf as well, after withdrawing from the Farmers Insurance Open.

BlueCoverman wrote:Looks like Adrian Meronk is off to LIV Golf as well, after withdrawing from the Farmers Insurance Open.

Wouldn't surprise me. Spat dummy out over Ryder Cup non-selection. No great loss...

navyblueshorts wrote:

BlueCoverman wrote:Isn't it noticeable, in the midst of the furore over Nick Dunlap's win, the likes of Koepka, DeChambeau, Cam Smith etc soon get practically forgotten about?  

Yep. What's the betting LIV are trying all they can to turn this guy's head right about now...? I wouldn't bet against them either because, you know, sport and politics should be separate, right? What's the State-sanctioned murder of a US journalist on the orders of the virtual head of state between friends? Money trumps all, eh?

Och it's fine, money makes the world go round, right? Western democracies lost any semblance of principles a long long time ago (if they ever had any). I mean it's not like the world's leading democracy would ever elect a Sociopath to run it, Oh wait a minute, it did and regretted it, so it wouldn't do it again...would it?? Short term memory and an even shorter attention span is what characterises your average voter in democracies nowadays. So even if some do have principles they probably don't have the capacity to remember heinous events long enough to hang their principles on.

The Saudi's are in and they're not going away. There just isn't the appetite in either sport or politics to do anything about it Navy, sad but true.

Sounds like a deal worth circa $3 billion investment between the PGAT and "Strategic Sports Group" (a group of US Based sports owners) is to be announced today - unclear what this means in relation to Saudi/PIF, some also reporting a deal with them will be announced, others saying that will follow in a few weeks.

Getting snobbish in my old age. Watching the AT&T Pro Am and at least two players (incl McIlroy) wearing hoodies. Don't care for it. I know people say you should be able to wear what you want, but I'm not of that kind.

Lot of players wanted to play the Waste Management Phoenix Open. Click HERE

I'm never wrong wrote:Lot of players wanted to play the Waste Management Phoenix Open. Click HERE

Is this the one where the 'fans' chuck beer around? If so, I think I'd avoid it like the plague if I was lucky enough to be on the PGAT...

navyblueshorts wrote:

I'm never wrong wrote:Lot of players wanted to play the Waste Management Phoenix Open. Click HERE

Is this the one where the 'fans' chuck beer around? If so, I think I'd avoid it like the plague if I was lucky enough to be on the PGAT...

I think they have curtailed that part of the "experience"

I'm never wrong wrote:

navyblueshorts wrote:

I'm never wrong wrote:Lot of players wanted to play the Waste Management Phoenix Open. Click HERE

Is this the one where the 'fans' chuck beer around? If so, I think I'd avoid it like the plague if I was lucky enough to be on the PGAT...

I think they have curtailed that part of the "experience"

Good, if they have. I guess an 'experience' can be good or bad. I'd have this event in the latter camp, I think.

I paid £246 for a ticket in a hospitality area at the first LIV Event, which was held at the Centurion Club in Hertfordshire a couple of years ago. The ticket included all-inclusive food and drink for the day. Never again. Now don't get me wrong, I enjoy a couple of beers as much as the next man, but for a seemingly large proportion of the 'guests' the prime objective of the day seemed to be to throw as much alcohol down their throat as possible. Their proceeding boorish, raucous and pissed behaviour completely ruined the day for the more moderate people around them, who were there to simply enjoy the golf.

A quality event again, I see....

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/golf/68272024

Classy.

Everyone might as well join LIV if that's the PGATs idea of a modern golf event. So uncouth.

McLaren wrote:Everyone might as well join LIV if that's the PGATs idea of a modern golf event. So uncouth.

How do you make a golf tournament attractive to non golfers, or those with just a vague interest? Tiger does it (or did it) just by turning up. You could put on a show thats a bit more than 4 days of golf. But as Blue has experienced and what has happened at the WMPO is that the "yahoos" get in and ruin it for everyone else.

So - has anyone got any other ideas on how to attract people to watch the golf?

The finish on Sunday was truly excellent - feel for Hoffman, probably his last shot to win a tournament and had it basically stolen away by an unbelievable display from Taylor.
It's a really great finishing stretch of holes I think - would be a fantastic course for a Ryder Cup I think...apart from the fans...

Mac - after Tiger finished with Nike, he has announced a brand of clothing with Taylor Made. It's called SUN DAY RED. Look out for it in the shops.

Watching early coverage of the Genesis. US feed and commentary is full of Tiger. Obviously he is a "featured group" and I expect to see all his shots etc. They spent a lot of coverage on his practice routine. Bit OTT in my mind. But he brings in the spectators and the money I expect.

I'm never wrong wrote:Watching early coverage of the Genesis.  US feed and commentary is full of Tiger. Obviously he is a "featured group" and I expect to see all his shots etc. They spent a lot of coverage on his practice routine. Bit OTT in my mind. But he brings in the spectators and the money I expect.

Have they featured any slow motion gobs? Or scratching his arse? I wouldn't mind if he was still tearing it up like '05 etc, but I suspect he isn't...72 (+1) and near the foot of the leader board. Suspected as much.

It was a bit nauseating yesterday (and suspect it will be again today) - but hopefully the weekend will be Tiger free and concentrated on this excellent event/course.

Scheffler's woes with putting continued yesterday - his tee to green game is so outrageous, yet he just can't get it in the hole!

Good Golly I'm Olly wrote: but hopefully the weekend will be Tiger free

It's a no cut event so if he is well down the field, I hope they ignore him. We can dream.....

navyblueshorts wrote:Have they featured any slow motion gobs? Or scratching his arse? I wouldn't mind if he was still tearing it up like '05 etc, but I suspect he isn't...72 (+1) and near the foot of the leader board. Suspected as much.

Mixture of good and bad shots Navy. Just cant stand the sycophantic commentary.

Apologies re my earlier post. Just found out there is a cut. Top 50 and ties and anyone within 10 shots of the lead.

I'm never wrong wrote:

Good Golly I'm Olly wrote: but hopefully the weekend will be Tiger free

It's a no cut event so if he is well down the field, I hope they ignore him. We can dream.....

your prayers have been heard

I'm never wrong wrote:
So - has anyone got any other ideas on how to attract people to watch the golf?

What about a team aspect with cool team names?