PGA Tour: AT&T National (at Aronomink GC): Notes from the Ballwasher

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1).Freddie Jacobson finally wins on the PGA Tour!
By all reports one of the most popular guys on Tour, Freddie was a deserved winner of the Travelers Championship and gave pause to those (OK, me) for whom "horses for courses" is a strong factor in choosing likely contenders. Freddie Jac had played Hartford's TPC River Highlands only twice in his career and missed the cut both times. (Runner up Ryan Moore however has played Hartford six times now with three top 4 finishes!)

2).I was lucky enough to follow Friday's play, kinda strange as one wave played 36 holes, the other just a handful. But I was able to watch a lot of two guys I'd never (Poulter) or just fleetingly (Ogilvy) followed before and both played really well tee to green, even if Ogilvy threw in an occasional wild shot as he strives to regain full fitness. Poulter, like Dustin Johnson last year, needs to pay attention to local rules posted in the locker room. "Lift, clean and place" was the order of Rounds 1,2 and 3, but NOT for Round 4. Poulter promptly picked up his perfect 300 yard drive on the first hole Sunday to earn himself a one-shot penalty and cost him $30K.

3).Freddie Jac has been a pretty good player now for a decade, and it occurs that he's on a short list of golfers in the conversation about best European not to make a Ryder Cup team since 1979: Off hand I'd offer Forsbrand, Anders Hansen, Freddie, Brian Davis and Matteo Manassero as the leading five. Any other offers?

4).And Freddie likely ensures a trip to Royal St.George's as he leads the R&A's mini-money list of PGA Tour players not otherwise exempt with just this week's AT&T National to play.

5).The AT&T National Invitational leapt on to the Tour stage five years ago amidst great fanfare and American symbolism: Fourth Of July weekend, Military recognition (now every bloody event's doing that) and Tiger, all in Washington DC, at Congressional. All benefitting Tiger Woods's Foundation of course. Fast forward to 2011 and the event completes a two-year hiatus at Donald Ross's "hidden gem", Aronomink G.C. in Philadelphia. It sounds as if Aronomink's membership will be glad to see the event return next year to Congressional where there's a contract through 2014. But, rumour has it that Congressional has also had enough of hosting the event and its future is in grave doubt, at the very least it's future in sweaty Washington on July 4th.

6).The PGA Tour in its infinite wisdom dispensed with the traditional July 4th weekend event in Chicago, the almost-century old Western Open, and for what? At the very best, an event which receives increasingly less support from the players, especially the International contingent who will be preparing for The Open in two weeks' time. And now, if the AT&T is to continue, it looks as if it will be at a different date and, most likely, venue. I suggest a straight date swap with the Canadian Open, but no idea where they might stage it.

7).Justin Rose is this week's defending Champion, the winner last year in a marvellous performance. But Justin arrives in poor form after a most promising start to his season. He's only made two cuts out of five since The Masters with no top 25's in that time, and you'd be a brave investor to expect a successful defence. A shame though that the Tour won't return to Aronomink and pgatour.com has a potted history plus a beautiful gallery of photographs of both course and clubhouse. For more, consult Mr.Shotrock!

8).Rory McIlroy continues to be the darling of the US Golf Press, not least because he's not Tiger. That part of the media loth to criticise Tiger's behaviour and driving, both on course and off it, is finding every excuse under the sun to praise Rory and draw comparison with Mr.Woods. "Unassuming and un-Tigerlike, McIlroy wins on many levels" gushes GolfWorld, who can't resist the sort of satire that they HAVE resisted for so long:
"The famously absent were famously absent, which meant Woods was probably out on the Atlantic somewhere with his inflatable boot. If all the dire predictions of his future were to be believed, you'd half expect to find him adrift in a Boston Whaler called Screwed." etc. etc. etc.

9).Champions Tour champion, Hale Irwin, has equalled Bob Charles' record of 203 career top tens and goes for #204 this week in Montreal. (I'm planning to be there but am currently suffering a minor attack of the Robert Rocks as I try to renew my passport! British Embassy readers please help!!)

10).Best news (heartwarming?) of the weekend in professional golf was Erik Compton's win in the Nationwide event in Mexico. As most of you know, 31-y-o Compton is on his third heart following a couple of transplants and he's now almost certain to take Number Three to next year's PGA Tour. Meanwhile, he is playing at the AT&T, grouped with Furyk and Mahan whose recent form just their respective tickers are not functioning too well; perhaps they'll be seeking advice?

venice, both the leaders are in the Open already, as are Jaidee and Whiteford of the 3 unders, and afternoon low Coetzee. Could be a good shootout for the one place up for grabs here.

Got to wonder if two guys have made the same error with the same drop zone already... must be something dubious about it.

Sr,
I wonder why the Robert Trent Jones Golf Club course wouldn't be a candidate now the PGA Tour seems to have tired of staging the Presidents Cup there??

I see Finchem was also waxing eloquent about both Detroit and Philly as great sports towns yesterday, and that they hope to reintroduce the PGA Tour to both before much longer. (The discussions with GM about a replacement for the old Buick Open seem to have been going on forever . . . .)

kwini,
You got it: K.A.O.S. was the evil spy rival to C.O.N.T.R.O.L. in the TV series "Get Smart". Loved the character 'Siegried' played by Bernie Kopell who was KAOS's leader.

Thanks Ned,
Luckily, Coetzee and Whiteford are somehow on my team this week.

O'Hair with the par after 6 consecutive futile holes! Could this be considered a resurgence?

Ned, Van Zyl and Karlberg were playing in the same group, so I'm thinking maybe one followed what the other one did...Not sure if McGrane's 'wrong drop' was at the same hole.

Coetzee joining the 'green storm', he's been playing well lately...

Forza Matteo!!!

Guys are throwing it in reverse at the AT&T! Haas, Holmes, BVB....

I see "the beard" has WD'd. Any news on that one?

Caveman Glover withdrew "citing illness". A touch of the five-over-par disease methinks.
Canadian De Laet also out.
O'Hair recovering, albeit with baby steps.

Sounds like Bubba's homesick! Won't please the organisers too much...

There's more detail about those 4 DQ's.

http://www.irishtimes.com/sports/golf/2011/0630/1224299826184.html

Strange that all of them happened in the same place, but also strange that it was the same drop rule last year with no DQ's, plus the rule was apparently well publicised to the players in advance. Surely there won't be anymore DQs for the rest of the week now in that spot...

Ned,
I'm not sure if you're referring to something Bubba blubbered, or just remarking on his "form", but the whole "American golfers should play here more often" mantra is very often a case of "be careful what you ask for".

Bubba's already dissed the Scottish Open after previously committing to play it, and I guess he's travelling home for a week before heading for RStG.

As his fellow Florida Panhandler Heath Slocum said last year, words to the effect that he loves travelling abroad when everything's "free" and on top of that he gets paid for it. That was in reference to his jaunt to the co-sanctioned Malaysia jolly and the HSBC Champions where he finished close to last both times. Clearly most of the Americans who played the HSBC Champ's last year couldn't give a toss about their result. Only Tiger finished in the top twenty, but of course the rest took home fat cheques just for being also rans.

kwinigolfer wrote:Ned,
I'm not sure if you're referring to something Bubba blubbered, or just remarking on his "form", but the whole "American golfers should play here more often" mantra is very often a case of "be careful what you ask for".

Bubba's already dissed the Scottish Open after previously committing to play it, and I guess he's travelling home for a week before heading for RStG.

As his fellow Florida Panhandler Heath Slocum said last year, words to the effect that he loves travelling abroad when everything's "free" and on top of that he gets paid for it. That was in reference to his jaunt to the co-sanctioned Malaysia jolly and the HSBC Champions where he finished close to last both times. Clearly most of the Americans who played the HSBC Champ's last year couldn't give a toss about their result. Only Tiger finished in the top twenty, but of course the rest took home fat cheques just for being also rans.

They showed an interview with him on Sky Kwini, one of the questions was to the effect of "will you make a regular thing of playing globally". Bubba's reply was "I think this'll be the only one, I miss my home".

Ned,
Thanks.
Moronic thing to say. Doesn't say much for the IQ of some of these guys when they immediately walk into fitting their stereotype. He lives in the antiseptic nation of Scottsdale so the sooner they have him back, the better.
Too bad, because he's great to watch when he's motivated.

Just witnessed Vegas nearly get home in 2 at 9th at Aronimink. Pasted a drive and his approach sounded like a gunshot, but he missed the green left. It's hard course to get a birdie stretch on. Rose won last year at 10 under and I'm guessing this year will be close to the same, unless they get some rain on Saturday and make the greens more receptive.

Here's one American who loves to play in Scotland! ... but a steady dose of golfers like me would probably have the golf sups. cringing as I rolled up.

Weird leaderboard, +2 is outside the cutline and only 5 off the lead, and bar Leishman, 10 shots separate the whole field. Can't say anyone pulling much further away either.

Anyone know why it's a limited field, anyway? 120 starters is rather low.

How much play are you going to be able to see Shotrock?
Jhonny Vegas looked a bit fed up with things when I saw him play a couple of Hartford holes, but he finished well - only about three cuts made since mid-March but a great start today.
Lots of big Round 1 numbers on #10, at least two snowmen . . . . .

Mean morning score looks about 71 plus.

Ned,
It's supposed to be an "invitational", Tiger trying to keep it "elite", but the elite are not showing up. As per previous comments by Shotrock et moi the format and venue, possibly even the date, are all likely to change.

I'll admit to some guilty pleasure when I see a big # on #10! I think it's the hardest hole on the course, but #4 gets that distinction on the scorecard. Plan to be there all afternoon, although work has me back at the office for a few moments. (Fortunately, only work a few miles away and I get on-site parking as a committee member.)

NedB-H wrote:They showed an interview with him on Sky Kwini, one of the questions was to the effect of "will you make a regular thing of playing globally". Bubba's reply was "I think this'll be the only one, I miss my home".

Really?? Dear me...! Missing home is something I can totally understand, but after just a couple of days and a couple of bogeys... there's something almost sad about that... As kwini said, he's better off going home soon then.
Bbbbye bbbbye, Bubbba!
And people are criticising the likes of Rory and Lee for not spending even more than 10 weeks a year in the US, etc...

I wonder, will Furyk ever get back from the current slump?

Damn good Shotrock. How does one become a committee member at a course hosting a PGA Tour stop?

Vijay's not dead yet. Heck, he's 6 shots better than Camilo today. Does anyone expect Camilo to live up to his potential anymore? His game never seems to have balance for more than a month at a time.

pd,
What's the going rate for this tourney and who in the field can gain the most on his current ranking whether it's precarious or ideal? How does it compare to the Paris soirée in terms of points allotted?

Seldom been so many top players completely bereft of form. Allenby and Appleby are others, Els of course, Ross Fisher, Harrington, Kim, O'Hair as well as Furyk and Camilo, Vijay seemingly in remission for a day at least.

I think there is always an age dimension that plays a role there kwini, in the sense that depending on their age, some of those people are more likely to recover than others. The reason I picked Furyk was just because he is probably one of the oldest in that large group of guys (Els and Podge we've already talked about in that sense). Guys like Sergio and Lee showed that recoveries are quite possible, in Lee's case even when you're in your late 30's. But I think that as you get into your (late) 40's, like VJ, chances of a resurrection to the top are really dissipating quickly... And as we've been seeing in many of those cases lately, if you're getting on a fast down slope, you will need a pretty long and sustained period of strong performances only to stall the slump, not to mention getting back up to the top....

Venice, as I said on the owgr thread, probably the most significant move at the top this week will be from one of the guys that is not playing, i.e. Jason Day who will very likely move up two places to #7. Actually I forgot there to consider Bubba, who was the only one who could interfere with that move if he would win in Paris (looks pretty unlikely now). From those playing in Philly, Watney was the only one who could get to #10 with a win, but his 1st round result doesn't suggest that's very likely to happen either. Other than that, with a win Vegas could move to top 60, Adam to top 15, KJ to 11th and VJ would need a top 3 finish to hope for a return inside the top 50 (he seem to be losing it already)...
From Paris, Matteo could move as high as 16th with a win, just ahead of Tiger...

nice start adam keep it going tomorrow

GJ!!!!!!!!!!!

Faldo waxing lyrical about Adam's swing today, think he's presented the trophy to him already.

dont bloody jinx him faldo

Hard not to get on the Scott bandwagon. Machine like at the moment. He'll need to keep his flat stick red hot if he misses the "green inside the green" as they say.

Venice - Ha! It helps if you are a glutton for long meetings throughout the winter, enjoy following up with volunteers daily for weeks following up to the tournament. There are 17 committees, so nothing special from this Utican.

Also requires one to be onsite long after play stopped. Last night a chain smoking Fluff and Jim Furyk were overtime on the practice green. For a local guy (who I don't think ever really played the course much) he looked pretty confused out there on the greens.

Morning All,

Sr, Adam Scott is great fun to follow if you get the chance, imagine he'd have the same rapport with Steve Williams as he had w/Tony Navarro. Plus, of course, when he's on, no-one hits it better. Hate that putter though.

Should be a great day's play Friday.

But not for some "notables" en Paris, Bubba and Franny, The Mechanic and Peter Hanson, my entire fantasy team, etc., etc!

Hope Adam keeps it up for the rest of the week. Lots of horrid stories in Paris today for my fantasy team as well (have Franny, Machanic, Hanson as well). Matteo at least showed some great guts to get that birdie at the last hole and make sure he's here for the weekend. And looks like anyone will still have a chance with all players above cut line within just 7-8 shots...

Just saw Bubba's new interview after he finished today... Just go home quick Bubba, that's all I'm saying, it didn't work out! Certainly this story is now all over the place... and I'm not sure many Americans will like to read about it either.

Mind you, there can be even stranger stories about PGA Tour players going around at the moment...

http://www.golfchannel.com/news/golftalkcentral/garrigus-bout-with-drugs-on-nw-tour-now-clean/

Nothing new in there about Garrigus, but it just highlights the extent to which the PGA Tour hushes up anything it finds even the slightest bit unsavoury.
(Including Matt Every's little pot-related suspension last year of course.)

Should be more beautiful weather in Philadelphia Friday and probably Saturday, summy with highs in the high 80's.
And that will mean scoring becomes progressively more difficult as the course firms up - would expect this morning's "wave" to enjoy a significant scoring advantage.

Cut? About +3, perhaps higher, we'll see the trending soon enough.

I see that the old 606 has been properly clensed...

http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/606/ArticleSearch?phrase=Golf&contenttype=-1&show=20

pd,
I'm sure Garrigus will thank his god for having cleansed himself of the demons of drugs . . . . .

Fine round of 67 en Paris by Michael Campbell.

Campbell, Broadhurst, McGinley, Monty - a good collection of 'oldies' doing pretty well so far in Paris.

Morrison has widened now considerably the spread of scores there with those two fine 66's. I picked Hanson but didn't pick Hansen this week, it all comes down to a letter once again... Only Colsaerts and Foster maintaining some sort of respectability in my FT this week.

Final owgr call - Aronomink down to 44 points and Paris @ 40. Predictions made before remain valid. Day is now certain to move up to #7 after bbbubbba's early exit...

Could young Rickey finally find some of that promising form? Last time he was in the region competing it was down the road at Merion representing the US in a Walker Cup.

Adam finding some early difficulty at the benign 14th.

Heading over shortly. I'll be the guy with a white hat and shorts.

Don't ask any British tourists about that big bell, something beginning with "L".
No-one going especially low today, -2 the best so far this morning.

Lutine bell perhaps?

Justin Rose on the move today, hitting his fairways, most of his greens and a fair few of his putts. Rose is way overdue for a good result but he looks to be playing as well as anyone so far this morning.

Am still not sure if Rose is a good golfer capable of occasionally great tournaments, or just an immense talent, somewhat happy/complacent with his life, perhaps missing the competitive drive we expect.

(Stories of Rose and Poulter exchanging messages teasing one another about the ott size of their mansions make me wonder.)

Whassup Aronomink?

Choi carried on where playing partner Adam Scott left off Thursday night and signed for a magnificent 64 for a tournament score of -7. That'll make him tough to beat if he can extract two 69's from the course over the weekend with no-one threatening him, yet awhile anyway, from the afternoon wave.

Third man in their group, Justin Rose ruined my script but once again begs the question about his form, if not his focus.

Surprise of the week so far? Mike Weir making his first cut since January; horrible ball-striking stat's but back to his best with the putter and very good to see from one of golf's good guys.

Brian Davis chugging along nicely, well inside the cut-line which continues to look like it'll be +3.

Feel a bit sorry for Charlie Wi, second place on the PGA Tour and he's not even the top Korean in the field... Is it gonna be yet another one going to an 'international'...?

Great round by KJ.

Davis stuck in reverse gear, and looking over his shoulder. More missed cuts for Kim and Villegas too, not terminal this year but they'll need to win early next to get back in the big events. Or even keep their cards.


Phil Parkin on US coverage still doesn't sound right to my ears...

I spoke to Parkin last week, about Bubba Watson coincidentally! Seemed a nice enough guy. I think he does a pretty good job, playing things straight without the sycophantic nonsense some exude.

Kim and Villegas are both fully exempt thru 2012.

Justin Leonard playing well, who'd've thunk that on this track?

I quite like Parkin, he just seems very out of kilter with the US coverage, comes across as very soft-spoken.

That's what I meant, didn't phrase it very well... they're ok for next year, but a repeat of this in 12 months time and they'll be having the same panics as O'Hair and Weekley are now. I think. Strange that Weekley, Curtis, Wilson and Soren Hansen are all facing battles to keep their respective cards, 3 years after teeing off against each other at Valhalla.

Nice final hole birds from Brian Davis and Pettersson to rescue their tournaments.
And a made cut at last from Ogilvy despite a dire round with his putter.

same old adam im in shock

kwin

strange move jason playing john deere event week before open ?

GJ,
No rhyme or reason to some guys' playing plans, Jason Day and Adam among them.
Cink and Oosthuizen are other headscratchers.

But there's a charter direct to London from the John Deere so they'll travel in luxury, at least as far as England's shores.

Appleby DQ? Anyone knows why?

Appleby signed an incorrect scorecard . . . . .

One more chapter in a terrible year, last year's revival seemingly no more than a mirage.

More perfect scoring conditions will greet the early starers at Aronomink this morning, sunny skies, temps warming to the high 80's, not much of a breeze.

Apart from KJ Choi, the leaderboard is full of nearly men of different descriptions, and John Cregan's two "nearly winners", Fowler and Overton are in contention.

Davis and Pettersson birdied their final hole on Friday to squeeze inside the cutline while Justin Rose removed himself from contention with an ignominious last three holes.

An "International" may well win, but it won't be a European!

Kaymer off to a fine start en Paris; the Golf Channel pundits were enthused about his form yesterday - is this the start of his return to last year's form?

If so, he'll be a strong contender for The Open and represent a nice turnround from a few disappointing tournaments in the U.S.

We'll see how Kaymer finishes, not sure yet if this is the 'old' Kaymer back just yet... I'm quite impressed with the way Green plays this week. He's the kind of player who if he's in his zone could be very hard to beat and right now my money would be on him. But as it happened with many others, he's another one I've dropped from my FT a while back... There you go, jinxed him as I write this, he just got a bogey but still leading.

I think we should all forget quick about Bubba's 'crying' and antiques now that he's out of here and give some praise to Brendan Steele who's having a really good tournament. Had a tentative first round as you would expect, but unlike Bubba he kept his cool and got better and better, finishing with a brilliant back nine today (5-under). Well done to him, hope he has another very good round tomorrow!

Agreed pd about Steele.

In keeping with my Midnight In Paris notion, hopefully Bubba was roaming the streets last night and, as the cloche struck midnight, encountered Arnaud Massy, Gene Sarazen, even Henry Cotton . . . .

Scores very low in Montreal at the Champions Tour event, Mark Mouland and Roger Chapman finding their four-unders are only good for 27th place. Only six golfers in a 79-strong (why 79 Tim?) field over par.

All sorts of drama for Green... hope the referee is making things clear, this could get messy. The last person you'd expect to have this sort of implosion really.

And Kaymer rolls in a putt for eagle, and suddenly into a share of fourth. Suspect that finding himself on a leaderboard might be just what he needs to get going again.

My god, I jinxed Green big time, he's in all sorts of trouble out there at the 7th... gets a snowman in the end!

On the other hand Kaymer gets an eagle and suddenly he's near the top 3. That should move him back to #3 in the rankings if he stays there. Mind you, he's not much use for my ET FT as probably everyone else has him in...