PGATour Running Commentary January 2022

incontinentia wrote:

super_realist wrote:Anyone want to hazard a guess when "Three Round Rory" will have his customary blow up?

Today probably, he's already +2 early doors.

Back to +1 for the day through 13. Given the scoring today, that's not bad going. He's had a couple of good putts role very close too. Similar to yesterday. It feels like he's putting himself in a position where he could suddenly go low if his putter heats up.

Schauffele has had a mini charge but it's tough going out there. Bryson has yo-yoed up and down to be level for the round. Tommy is having a bit of a mare, sadly.

I think they've got the conditions about spot on so far to be fair. It's right on that precipice where it's insanely tough, hence entertaining, but it hasn't crossed over into crazy golf territory where you might has well chuck a windmill and laughing clown on the green. Great watching thus far.

It's going to be really interesting to see how Cantlay and Ludvig fare later.

I can't stand Bryson and his pseudo science. Just a boorish, American jock who is more ADHD than "The Scientist", it's similar to Graeme Le Saux being called The Professor for reading The Guardian

It's going to be fun seeing the average scoring on the 13th today with that pin position. Brutal pin position.

Rory scrambles with a very good par putt. Take that there today!

Great Great test and at the moment i think the scoring shows they have got it spot on. Obviously care needs to be taken it doesnt become stupidly difficult over the weekend but so far so good.

As for McIlroy....customary poor round today it would seem. +2 doesnt look terrible on the face of it....but hes lost shots and take out the bottom dwellers and hes one of the bottom 5 scores out of around 30 from the early goers today who were in and around the Top 70 ending yesterday.

super_realist wrote:I can't stand Bryson and his pseudo science. Just a boorish, American jock who is more ADHD than "The Scientist", it's similar to Graeme Le Saux being called The Professor for reading The Guardian

He does come off as smug but you have to admit Bryson is box office. The PGA Tour miss him big time.

If that was Rory's bad round, he's still in it. Unlike Scheffler, that's surprised everyone.

We'll see if Cantlay or Aberg can pull away tonight. Cantlay hasn't been the best front runner this season, and it would be quite something for Aberg to win his first major here. So I think Rory's still well in it.

incontinentia wrote:

super_realist wrote:I can't stand Bryson and his pseudo science. Just a boorish, American jock who is more ADHD than "The Scientist", it's similar to Graeme Le Saux being called The Professor for reading The Guardian

He does come off as smug but you have to admit Bryson is box office. The PGA Tour miss him big time.

No, I don't see him as box office. I just see him as irritating. Ugly swing, takes far too long.

Bryson's slow play frustrates just the same as Cantlay. I find his completely different approach to the swing and his clubs really interesting though. Generally, I find his personality fairly engaging when he talks about the game.

Sport, like anything, gets so dull if it becomes homogenous. Having someone right at the top of the sport who views it completely differently is brilliant from the perspective of keeping it varied.

It's a brilliant poised leader board at the halfway point. That's the beauty of a major where the conditions are so tough that anything under par is a strong round. One dropped shot can seem a massive difference. After what seemed a poor round, Rory is 2 off the leader. That par putt on 18th drops and he's one back. It keeps things engrossing. I'm really looking forward to the weekends play.

Bryson and Rory both playing some fantastic golf so far today.

Ludwig a bit more wild.

A cracking little charge from Matsuyama as well.

A Rory and Bryson final group on Sunday would be box office...

What an approach from Bryson on the 14th. Gives him a birdie putt after a wayward drive. It's feeling increasingly like his day.

Rory with a very important par save just after dropping a shot. Keeping in touch.

Argh. Another shot dropped by Rory on the 17th. Poor tee shot. Just drifting away for Rory towards the end here as Bryson caught fire. He's still in 2nd place but 4 shots adrift now after an excellent round from Bryson thus far. And a fantastic chip by Bryson to give him a makeable par save as well.

That's me to bed, sadly. I'd very happily stay up for the golf and cricket tonight, but, alas, work in the morning.

Really great golf by Bryson today, as much as I dislike watching him (his group was nearly two holes behind by the end - when did not punishing players for slow play come into professional golf? It’s embarrassing)

Still wide open - double bogeys are lurking everywhere out here. Rory played well but has to be frustrated to not have made birdie on either par 5 after monster drives.

Pavon in the final group will be interesting - I think Bryson would’ve liked a more “name” partner to bounce off.

The crowds are rooting for Bryson much more than for McIlroy. Quite a turnaround from the last few years when he was something of a pantomime villain. BD certainly is a fantastic showman, entertaining to watch. He attacked the golf course on saturday when others were more defensive.

Anyone but Bryson please.

super_realist wrote:Anyone but Bryson please.

Who will you be cheering for S_R?

incontinentia wrote:

super_realist wrote:Anyone but Bryson please.

Who will you be cheering for S_R?

Would like Åberg to win, announce himself as heir apparent or direct competition to American Dad.

Bryson stumbles, Rory pounces.

Love to see that.

super_realist wrote:

incontinentia wrote:

super_realist wrote:Anyone but Bryson please.

Who will you be cheering for S_R?

Would like Åberg to win, announce himself as heir apparent or direct competition to American Dad.

Aberg is great, very positive player. Big future ahead for him.

Bryson's wedge play and putting are fantastic. It's saved him par again there on the 6th.

Rory does the same on the 7th though with a very good up and down.

And Cantlay to 4 under as well.

Things heating up nicely.

Rory's distance control has been all over the place on approach but he's just about hanging on with some very good up and downs. Another save on the 8th.

Hello. Bryson sprays his drive on the 8th waaayy right into the trees. Could this be about to get even closer...?

king_carlos wrote:Rory's distance control has been all over the place on approach but he's just about hanging on with some very good up and downs. Another save on the 8th.

Hello. Bryson sprays his drive on the 8th waaayy right into the trees. Could this be about to get even closer...?

And Rory birdies...

But Bryson somehow makes par!!!

incontinentia wrote:

king_carlos wrote:Rory's distance control has been all over the place on approach but he's just about hanging on with some very good up and downs. Another save on the 8th.

Hello. Bryson sprays his drive on the 8th waaayy right into the trees. Could this be about to get even closer...?

And Rory birdies...

And Bryson pars. To be fair, that was another fantastic chip to give himself a par chance given what he had to work with.

There's been some outstanding up and downs already today considering these greens are so brutal. We aren't even at the turn yet.

It's got the feeling of something potentially special here.

That was heroic by Bryson. He's so fired up!!!

He isn't driving it nearly as well today. Rory has put himself in his share of bother too though.

Cantlay missing that birdie putt where Rory made his and Bryson saved par feels so much more significant in a tight, low scoring major such as this.

One shot in it at the turn.

More birdage by Rory!!!!

king_carlos wrote:He isn't driving it nearly as well today. .

He changed his driver head on the practice range, whether that would make a difference or not

People complain about Scheffler being boring to watch, but I dont think there's anyone duller than Cantlay

Rory birdies after a poor drive but Bryson comes straight back!

Back and forth stuff.

They've both been putting themselves in poor positions but frequently getting out of it with brilliant scrambling. It feels like that can only carry on so long with these greens before someone slides back...?

Another very good save by Bryson on 11 but Rory's putter is heating up too as he birdies 12.

Both 7 under now...

Bryson misses yet another fairway right but once again looks to have a decent lie!

Rory's in the zone, putter's on fire. Bryson will need to straighten up the driver to stay in it.

Rory birdie, Bryson bogey.

2 shots up. Big swing.

Putter is on fire.

C'mon Rors.

That was an utterly horrid lie Rory got after an admittedly rubbish tee shot. Bogey. All square.

Things getting very tense all of a sudden.

Rory has absolutely bottled it! Awful bogey on 15th and then an absolute shocker on 16.....1st missed putt inside 3ft all season and does it a major.

He loses this and its hard to argue with anyone that he just doesnt have the mental fortitude to win the big ones anymore

Why on earth is he playing a driver! Final hole.
.share of lead....played it -1 all week playing 3 wood! Honest to god ‍�

It's been brutal watching. So tense.

Bryson missing a short one, then Rory doing the exact same. Hitting the bunker, up and down. Bad lie, short, good chip.

Bryson has missed a lot of fairways today but had some luck with the lies he's landed in. He'll likely get relief from this latest miss too.

Incredibly tense to watch. God, it's been engrossing though. I want to look away but I'm glued to it!

Well......that right there is the definition of bottling a major! Wow. Just wow. Said years ago on this board, domt think he ever wins another major. Confirmation right then for me.

Don't like to say it, but Rory has choked.

Missed two from about three to four feet.

Ouch. So painful to watch. Rory had been on fire with the putter for most the round. Heart breaking to see. It's the hope that kills ya.

World class bunker shot from Bryson.

His up and down game has been fantastic in fairness.

He'll get a read on this from Pavon's lag as well. Or not. Barely gets past his marker.

Such a clutch bunker shot. Rory opened the door with the two terrible misses but Bryson still had to walk through it.

Ouch. I was really rooting for Rory there. That hurt just to watch. He's got to be feeling awful.

Don't think Rory ever wins another major. Don't see how he can possibly recover from this. Misses a two and a half footer to stay in the lead; then misses a three and a half footer to stay tied. All that after having had such a strong final day until that point.

Second major for Bryson. Well deserved for that bunker shot alone.

Well Rory choked for himself and the PGA......

Simple fact is of course he is world class and i'm sure doesnt give a tosh what the likes of me and others say but that was absolutely mind blowing; for all the wrong reasons. Every error from 15 onwards he could make he did.

That one is one you never come back from I dont care what anyone says. McIlroy will close his career with "just" the 4 majors phenonemal but nowhere what his talent should have. Between the ears and man on the bag has cost him at least another 3 or 4 majors along the way.

Firstly, what a great major venue Pinehurst is. A great golf course, a true test throughout the bag. USGA absolutely nailed it, and buzzing this is on the schedule for 2029z

Gutted for Rory. Absolutely bummed, he played so so well to get to -8 but putter let him down at the crucial moment after being so hot thru 15 holes.

I still believe he’ll put one of these away in the coming years - he’s become a really consistently good major player, and one of these Sundays will fall his way if he continues to put himself in contention…but this is going to be a tough one to stomach.

I do think there is a legitimate conversation to be had re: caddie at this point - the choice of iron into 15 was egregious. Harry doesn’t do anything on the greens either…

Rory.. .

Onto the Open.

Good Golly I'm Olly wrote:Firstly, what a great major venue Pinehurst is. A great golf course, a true test throughout the bag. USGA absolutely nailed it, and buzzing this is on the schedule for 2029z

Gutted for Rory. Absolutely bummed, he played so so well to get to -8 but putter let him down at the crucial moment after being so hot thru 15 holes.

I still believe he’ll put one of these away in the coming years - he’s become a really consistently good major player, and one of these Sundays will fall his way if he continues to put himself in contention…but this is going to be a tough one to stomach.

I do think there is a legitimate conversation to be had re: caddie at this point - the choice of iron into 15 was egregious. Harry doesn’t do anything on the greens either…

Maybe Rory doesn't want someone on the greens confusing him. Missing three footers just happens sometimes.

Given that I barely sleep when I've had a crushing defeat in golf I can imagine Rory is still wide awake and going over every shot. Can understand he must be gutted.

Duty281 wrote:Don't think Rory ever wins another major. Don't see how he can possibly recover from this. Misses a two and a half footer to stay in the lead; then misses a three and a half footer to stay tied. All that after having had such a strong final day until that point.

Second major for Bryson. Well deserved for that bunker shot alone.

Stranger things have happened. I guess it depends on how he processes it. I know it was a different kind of meltdown but he did bounce back from his 2011 Augusta meltdown in some style. Ok yes he’s carrying a lot more baggage now BUT equally he’s carrying a lot more experience as well. Thing is he’s contending regularly, I don’t think therefore that it’ll be a Doug Sanders moment but we’ll see over the next few years. Supes made comments earlier in the week about him being a 54 hole major player, so he’s gone from 54 to 69…as Murray once said after an umpteenth final defeat before winning his first major “I’m getting closer!!” That’s the mentality he has to nurture. That being said there are so many Major capable players out there now and this was a golden opportunity with Scheffler oddly off (new born baby sleep deprivation? Who knows?) and Rahm also injured.

On the caddy question…would JP have let him take driver on 18? Would Billy Foster? Would Steve Williams? The point I’m getting at here is that I think Diamond is too passive. Yes the player should be in control pretty much most of the the time BUT there ARE occasions where a strong caddy can step in with a “WTF you doing??” I would put the driver on 18 decision in the same bracket as VdV’s decision to take long iron 2nd on 18 at Carnoustie in ‘99…just brain dead thinking.
There was also a modicum of luck involved, how many times did BdC get away with driving it into the scrub? (Can’t believe in the post round interview he said he was driving it well!!) Rory does it once (ok twice) and he has no shot on one of them but that’s golf, thems the breaks.
what the outcome does also highlight is the old adage Drive for show putt for dough!!

McIlroy in relative terms is one of golfs big underachievers. One the most naturally talented player in the last 30 years and only 4 majors, and none in over 10 years.
I really think his talent should have landed him 8-10 minimum.

I get 99.9% of golfers would love his career, but he should have won many more and for whatever reason he hasn't. Definitely think caddy is part of that, and would like to see him with a Billy Foster or someone like that as well as working with a proper short game coach on a permanent basis.

super_realist wrote:McIlroy in relative terms is one of golfs big underachievers. One  the most naturally talented player in the last 30  years and only 4 majors, and none in over 10 years.
I really think his talent should have landed him 8-10 minimum.

I get 99.9% of golfers would love his career, but he should have won many more and for whatever reason he hasn't. Definitely think caddy is part of that, and would like to see him with a Billy Foster or someone like that as well as working with a proper short game coach on a permanent basis.

Jeez I don't think I've ever been as 100% aligned with one of your posts :-p

I fear his career in retrospect is going to be seen through a "what if?" lens.
I'm sure his bank balance will help soften the disappointment, but I'd personally be unfulfilled to have "only" achieved what he has given his ludicrous skill. Like Woods, I think he's a bit lacking in the brains department.
Even Koepka has five majors.