PGA Tour: Final Tournament of the Year: Notes from the Ballwasher

1). Final tournament of the year, but already the 8th of the 2018/19 season, or about 18% of the schedule (realistically for most members, 20%). So, if you're an international player double-dipping, and you haven't got some points on the board, you're already slipping behind. Whereas the likes of Rafa C-B, Rose, Casey, Poulter, Noren & Hatton are at least 25% of the way towards keeping their cards.

2).I didn't see any notice of it, but Career Builder is no longer a Tour sponsor - instead the January Palm Desert event is recorded on the Tour calendar as the "Desert Classic"; not sure what happened there. Any ideas? Laid off presumably.

3).The US Ryder Cup entourage spawned winners in Las Vegas (DeChambeau) and Mayakoba (Kuchar). DeChambeau has now won more Tour events in 73 Tour appearances than Rickie Fowler (218). Not sure what that means, but through all his lengthy calibrations, DeC is a winner (except en France and Germany). Fowler is too good for the game not to become a serial winner too, but he needs to get a move on.

4).Meanwhile, Kuchar's win was his 8th, and first since holing out a 72nd hole bunker shot to beat the late, great Luke Donald at Hilton Head four years ago. And in the process Kuchar has overtaken Stricker, Zach J and DL111 to 10th place ($45M) in the career earnings list behind:
TW, Phil, Vijay, Furyk, DJ, Rose, Scott, Ernie & Sergio.
Speculation in the US media that Kuchar would have been a welcome choice for the Ryder Cup, but would he really? In four RC's he's only won 6 matches, twice the tally of Rickie, also in four appearances, but would say he had to earn an automatic qualifying place with the Task Force reserving a spot apiece for Woods & Mickelson.

5).With only a few events still to be played around the world this year, we're close to the year-end cut-off of the Top 50 in the World Rankings who qualify for Augusta.
I'm guessing the current Top 40 will qualify, if they haven't already, so that would include Aphibarnrat, Poulter, Pepperell and Rafa beyond the obvious. Westwood's win in SA rocketed him to 64th so he still needs a good result this week in Dubai.
Others not yet in the field between #41 and Lee at #64 include:
#41: Haotong Li: His recent haul of points should ensure he'll make it.
#42: Olesen: I'd think he'll make it.
#43: Fitzpatrick: He needs a good result this week as his points are depleting fast.
#45: Harman: In terrible form. He's playing this week and needs a strong finish.
#46: Grace: You'd think he's too good not to make it, but similar to Fitz in needing to play well in Dubai.
#46: Bjerregard: Should be OK (as Li) but play well in Dubai to make sure. Could be suited to Augusta.
#48: Grillo: Not playing this week and could well slip out unless he has another event up his sleeve.
#51: Ben An: Similar to Grillo - EDIT: Playing in Australia
#54: Berger: Injured
#56: Perez: Similar to Grillo & An.
#57: Wallace: Needs a top finish in Dubai - I'd love to see him in The Masters.
#58: Reavie: Injured.
#59: List: Playing RSM but needs something special.
#60: Hadley: Similar to List.
#61: Hadwin: Not playing
#62: Imahira: Assume he's playing the Dunlop Phoenix - in great form!

6).Vijay Singh won the season ending Champions Tour event but the inevitable Bernhard Langer won the season-long Charles Schwab Cup - 62 next year, how long can he keep this up?

7).Every so often when following pros on the course you're lucky enough to see a player hit a remarkable shot. Tim Petkovich had a journeyman Tour career with just one win but plodded along in his late 40's and took decent form to the Champions Tour.
He was leading early in a tournament we were at a couple of years ago but had pushed his tee shot on a Par-4 into thick rough under a tree with overhanging branches.
He had about 175 to the hole on an elevated green, playing over water and it looked as if his caddie was trying to dissuade him from taking the shot on. But Petkovich played it, a low, rising ball that he somehow squeezed out of the spinach to land on the green about 20 feet from the pin. Remarkable. He handed his club to his caddie and said, "That's the best I've got". Pretty neat when you see a guy playing a worldy like that. Commonplace to the Tigers of this world perhaps, but I reckon Petkovich surprised himself. I love moments like that on the course . . . . . the Tour is right, those "guys are good".

8).When DeChambeau won the US Amateur a few years ago, he beat Derek Bard (from a club I used to belong to) in the final. Bard just qualified this week for web.com Tour Final Stage Q-School, to be played in early December. Amazing how paths diverge in all walks of life.
And, on the same theme, Phillip Price is once again trying to qualify for the Champions Tour - only 16 years since he outplayed Phil in a Belfry singles. James Kingston, plus RC'ers Sandelin & Levet, also playing, among others.

9).The RSM (McGladrey) event this week has an end-of-year look to it, too bad as it's played on two lovely looking courses on Sea Island, Georgia - a beautiful part of the world. But the purse is good and the FedEx points are just the same as much more prestigious stops. And there'll be an invite to Augusta to the winner. Not much European interest, though Ireland's Olympians are both there, McDowell too.

10).Finally, the Ballwasher "celebrates" Thanksgiving next week and I'll be sitting in the corner with copious amounts of Louis Jadot's finest efforts.
Happy Thanksgiving to McLaren and all American readers.

kwinigolfer wrote:Happy Thanksgiving to McLaren and all American readers.

super_realist wrote:

kwinigolfer wrote:Happy Thanksgiving to McLaren and all American readers.

I wonder if he'll have veggie turkey?

kwinigolfer wrote:And, on the same theme, Phillip Price is once again trying to qualify for the Champions Tour - only 26 years since he outplayed Phil in a Belfry singles. .

Cheers kwini,
16 years, n'est pas? Or am I getting old?

pedro wrote:

kwinigolfer wrote:And, on the same theme, Phillip Price is once again trying to qualify for the Champions Tour - only 26 years since he outplayed Phil in a Belfry singles. .

Cheers kwini,
16 years, n'est pas? Or am I getting old?

Cheers pedro, Yup, It's me that's getting old. I'll make the change!

Final tournament of the year?

Aren't you forgetting Tiger v Phil and the Hero Challenge? Looking forward to those two a lot more than the dull Repetitive Strain Injury Classic this week.

Thank you for the thanksgiving well wishes.


Ray

kwini isn't a fan of limited field events and the Tiger v Phil match is about as limited as a field can get.

Exhibitions. Plus can't get the Phil/Tiger "match" anyway.

I’m suprised there aren’t any OWGR points in the Tiger-Phil event. It’s Tiger!

Rory said in a presser that he wouldn’t watch it and that he thought it came 15 years late... ouch.

Another example of Rory opening his mouth without thinking? It may be true, it may be what many people think, it may even be refreshing to hear a pro say something away from the party line - but is it a wise thing to say?

Sometimes it's better to keep your mouth shut and have people think you are an idiot rather than opening it and removing all doubt

FWIW, Fitz is playing Hong Kong next week (Fleetwood, RCB, Sergio and Reed are scheduled as well).  

Kind of surprising Schauffele is not playing as part of his Euro Membership deal.  (still don't understand how he gets to play Dubai this week, having never played a EuroTour event that was not co-sanctioned with the PGATour).

Grillo  is playing in Japan this week, shot 67 one behind the leader Koumei Oda

Imahira had an indifferent first round at Dunlop.  Shot 71, 5 behind Oda, Koepka is 3 behind,

https://www.jgto.org/pc/TourLeaderboardEng.do?year=2018&tournaKbnCd=0&conferenceCd=33&round=3

Patrick and Justine must not have got invited to Spieth's wedding next Saturday

GPB wrote:  (still don't understand how he gets to play Dubai this week, having never played a EuroTour event that was not co-sanctioned with the PGATour).

WGC win?

GPB wrote:Patrick and Justine must not have got invited to Spieth's wedding next Saturday

Patrick said he'd only come if he could sit next to Jordan...

Kwini... Careerbuilder opted out similar to the way Dean & DeLuca did at Colonial a few years back. Difference being Careerbuilder actually had that option in the contract. But it happened late and caught people by surprise.

GPB... Xander is eligible for R2D and Dubai via his affiliate membership.  Apparently all that is required is a promise to join & meet the minimum next year. WHACK.

Cheers robo,
Hadn't seen anything - must have taken some media "by surprise" also.

Nice starts for Ben An & Grillo.

kwinigolfer wrote:Exhibitions. Plus can't get the Phil/Tiger "match" anyway.

Phil v Tiger is a big event! I'd call it the 5th major.

Just think how much advertising they will be able to cram into the coverage between shots, and how many slow-mo replays we will get to see of Tiger wiping sweat from his brow or activating his glutes.

Konica swing vision close up of Tiger eating a bowl of cornflakes for breakfast. Peter Kostis analysing the steep angle of attack of the spoon into the milk.

Stack and tilt.

Milk in bowl.

Forced smile to camera.

"Tiger chooses Promised Land, it's the milk of human kindness"

Embarrassing wink at camera.

"Unlike Phil..."

Cut to shot of the "Phil dance"

Roller_Coaster wrote:Stack and tilt.

Milk in bowl.

Forced smile to camera.

"Tiger chooses Promised Land, it's the milk of human kindness"

Embarrassing wink at camera.

"Unlike Phil..."

Cut to shot of the "Phil dance"

Unless, of course, it's just me thinking of this?

Roller_Coaster wrote:

Roller_Coaster wrote:Stack and tilt.

Milk in bowl.

Forced smile to camera.

"Tiger chooses Promised Land, it's the milk of human kindness"

Embarrassing wink at camera.

"Unlike Phil..."

Cut to shot of the "Phil dance"

Unless, of course, it's just me thinking of this?

Although. It's not just me now. Is it?

I think there's waaaay more involved in this match than what people see on the surface..... It ain't just a match between these two guys... Or how many $19.99 PPV buys...That's just the tip of the iceberg.  Think "gambling has been legalized nationally in America" and what that means. The prop bets, Vegas' MGM putting their odds making machine behind this...  And who is in the process of locking down the future rights to all of that? Why it's America's largest gambling & entertainment media/agency interests, along with Phil, Tiger and the PGA Tour.

Here's more in-depth look at the business side of "The Match", it's big money sponsors, cross platform opportunities and just some of the long-term prospects.

https://www.golfdigest.com/story/how-the-match-beganand-where-it-might-lead/amp

Davie wrote:Another example of Rory opening his mouth without thinking? It may be true, it may be what many people think, it may even be refreshing to hear a pro say something away from the party line - but is it a wise thing to say?

Sometimes it's better to keep your mouth shut and have people think you are an idiot rather than opening it and removing all doubt

Seems like he is absolutely spot on. These two guys are well over the hill and have recently shown little interest in matchplay and little competence in it.

Good on Rory for stating what is pretty clear. Just a licence to print money, a phoney rivalry and two over the hill fading stars.

robopz wrote:

GPB... Xander is eligible for R2D and Dubai via his affiliate membership.  Apparently all that is required is a promise to join & meet the minimum next year. WHACK.

Cheers for this robo. I’ve always thought ET affiliate membership was a good system, used more or less solely by Asian Tour players hoping to cash enough to play their way into the ET via cosanctioned events. I’m not sure I can ever remember an elite PGAT member utilising it, but it makes perfect sense. Always suspected Xander has his head well screwed on, and this is a great bit of gaming the system by him.

NedB-H wrote:

robopz wrote:

GPB... Xander is eligible for R2D and Dubai via his affiliate membership.  Apparently all that is required is a promise to join & meet the minimum next year. WHACK.

Cheers for this robo. I’ve always thought ET affiliate membership was a good system, used more or less solely by Asian Tour players hoping to cash enough to play their way into the ET via cosanctioned events. I’m not sure I can ever remember an elite PGAT member utilising it, but it makes perfect sense. Always suspected Xander has his head well screwed on, and this is a great bit of gaming the system by him.

I believe Kuchar is an affiliate member.

robopz wrote:I think there's waaaay more involved in this match than what people see on the surface..... It ain't just a match between these two guys... Or how many $19.99 PPV buys...That's just the tip of the iceberg.  Think "gambling has been legalized nationally in America" and what that means. The prop bets, Vegas' MGM putting their odds making machine behind this...  And who is in the process of locking down the future rights to all of that? Why it's America's largest gambling & entertainment media/agency interests, along with Phil, Tiger and the PGA Tour.

Here's more in-depth look at the business side of "The Match", it's big money sponsors, cross platform opportunities and just some of the long-term prospects.

https://www.golfdigest.com/story/how-the-match-beganand-where-it-might-lead/amp

Imagine they'll both try harder and look happier than they ever did in Paris, but I've no interest in forking over cash on the off chance.
First amazing thing is that they both got on Shadow Creek. And Steve Wynn has got more important things to spend his time on.

I am not going to pay 20 bucks for the match, but I might go out to the local golf club's watering hole where they are having a appetizer specials and draft beer specials to watch it.

If the weather was good, they were going to have scramble, but the forecast looks cold and wet for next weekend.

On yer Todd.

Wherever have you been Brendon Todd?
Three years of golfing oblivion but now three rounds of:

63 (last round of Stage 2 Q-School which he flunked)
61 in this week's Monday qualie
68 in today's Round 1, and tied for 7th.

For someone who has missed 39 of his last 43 cuts, hasn't finished in the Top 50 for over three years after making more than $5M in the previous two, that's remarkable.
We followed him towards the end of his good play and his entourage in the gallery, girls and guys, were mostly sozzled by the time he signed his card - about 11.30 a.m. Wonder if that crept over the ropes?

What are the odds of a TW WD after 9 holes - and a national outcry?

pedro wrote:What are the odds of a TW WD after 9 holes - and a national outcry?

Not enough reps? Can only hope . . . . . . . .

pedro wrote:What are the odds of a TW WD after 9 holes - and a national outcry?

You should be able to get some sweet odds of that at your local bookie.

GPB wrote:

pedro wrote:What are the odds of a TW WD after 9 holes - and a national outcry?

You should be able to get some sweet odds of that at your local bookie.

Tiger is 4/9 on to win. Phil 7/4.

Welcome signs of life from Graeme McDowell at the RSM/McGladrey, a tournament he's played well at in the past. A top Ten this week would get him a ticket to Hawaii's Sony Open. But Chuckie Howell is on fire, with a SIX shot lead with five Round 2 holes to play.

raycastleunited wrote:

GPB wrote:

pedro wrote:What are the odds of a TW WD after 9 holes - and a national outcry?

You should be able to get some sweet odds of that at your local bookie.

Tiger is 4/9 on to win. Phil 7/4.

I meant the odds of a Tiger WD after 9 holes.

A good four days for GPB's buddy GGIII at Champions Tour Q-School; not sure how many advance to "Final Stage", but Phillip Price (9th), Sandelin (12th), Remesy (T15) and Kingston (t15) should be well-placed. After that I imagine it gets a bit dodgy.

The Florida Stage I certainly had more recognizable names to me than the California Stage I.

The Transparency of the qualifiers is certainly opaque. I have been all over the PGATour Champions website, and I can't find anything.

GPB wrote:The Florida Stage I certainly had more recognizable names to me than the California Stage I.

The Transparency of the qualifiers is certainly opaque.  I have been all over the PGATour Champions website, and I can't find anything.

Agreed, the pgatour.com site is terrible for actually providing information (other than their mostly excellent leaderboards); all the stuff relating to the Champions Tour is much more mystery rather than the mystique they'd prefer.

They also seem to have abandoned the third Stage qualie this year, in Texas in the past. Thought robo might have signed up.

26 players from the California Stage I advanced to the finals, 29 players from the Florida qualifier advanced.

https://www.pgatour.com/champions/tournaments/qualifying-tournament-first-stage-california/leaderboard.html

https://www.pgatour.com/champions/tournaments/qualifying-tournament-first-stage-florida/leaderboard.html

No Euros advanced from California

Price, Jarmo, Remesy, and Atlevi were Europeans that advanced. Never heard of Atlevi before.

Along with a couple of SAFFERS and South Americans and Canadians, and Aussies.

Aussie Gavin Coles advanced. I thought he was about 40, not 50.

Guy Boros made it through. Hard to believe he is still living, let alone playing golf at a pretty high level. He must be close to 400 lbs, although his rotoworld bio says 275 lbs

Gavin Coles? It's his waist that's 40 (inches), portly for someone who is about 5ft 3in. And, yes, Boros defines portly. Ghastly sight.

Talking about rotundity(?), lots of people will be happy to see one-time Walker Cupper Jason Gore making his way round Sea Island with the leaders. Reportedly among the most popular pros, but now mostly retired and selling insurance.

McDool still going well; up to 3rd place after 45 holes. A really good finish could transform his season.

The Ancer my friends, is Abraham, comfortable winner in Australia. Not quite enough, though, for Augusta, but nails a spot for Portrush.

And Matt Wallace clinches his place in The Masters.

Yep, pending RSM results, Ancer is projected #59. List and Zach have a real chance to pass him Top 60, projected #58

In other news, Rose will be the new number one. Koepka needed a T11 to keep the #1 ranking and he finished solo 12th.

10.0344 - Rose
10.0332 - Koepka

McDowell and Howell let their rounds slip yesterday afternoon, but a nice bird at the first for Norn Iron and a great chance to kick-start his season.
And: Will CHIII do the business with the pack closing in on him?

Really enjoyed the RSM action, first win for 11 1/2 years for Chucks, and passes Lukey for 20th place on the career money list with over $37M, or more than $12M for every win.
I remember watching his first win, at the old "Michelob", where he confessed he'd never drunk beer. Wonder whether he's enjoyed a bevy or two since?

Shame for McDowell as he finished T11 which just edges him out of an automatic place in Hawaii's "Sony" field.

Happy for Chucky 3-Sticks. I never had a chance to be around him much, but from those I know who have, they've always talked about what a solid citizen he is.

robopz wrote:Happy for Chucky 3-Sticks.  I never had a chance to be around him much, but from those I know who have, they've always talked about what a solid citizen he is.

I've heard that too robo, especially from people (non golfers) who lived in Isleworth (and, no, not the one close to the Thames). He's certainly very articulate and has a wry, dry wit (so maybe he DOES come from the London Isleworth?). Followed him playing with two Aussies on an absolutely filthy day once (play suspended due to hail whiting out the course among other things) and they laughed and joked pretty much the whole way round. Much more than the "gallery" did.

But now he has to "validate" the win with another - hope he does.

Rodgers will win soon, but he's so unpredictable.

Amazing how successful amateurs often fail to be successful pros.

Just looking at Rodgers's first Walker Cup team, including Spieth, Henley, Cantlay, English, Kelly Kraft, Uihlein.
They were beaten by Tom Lewis, Andy Sullivan and eight others who'd struggle for a Challenge Tour card.

GB&I brought in Jordan Smith and Matt Fitzpatrick for Rodgers' second go round, but got royally thumped. 'Course, Justin Thomas was among the reinforcements but, apart from Michael Kim (and Rodgers), the rest have struggled.

I am sure I have made this comment before but I find the career of CH3 one of the most peculiar, and not in a bad way. 

He seems to have mastered getting decent if not high finishes on the pgat with amazing consistency. He can get 10 or so top 25's a season almost every year with seeming ease and never seems to flirt with losing his card but has never really excelled on a higher stage like the majors (only one top 10) or Wgc's.

If you look at the graph of his OWGR he has never really been able to stay in the top 50 for very long, but always seems able to get back into the top 100.

Looking at his money stats he has only finished inside the top 20 of the money list 3 times but is 21st in career earnings. 

I guess it is just weird that he has been around for about 15 years and maintained a level just below that of a top 50 player for almost all that time. You have to wonder in stroke terms how many shots he is on average away from being one of those guys that camps out in the top 50 for most of their career?

Mac,
Blimey Mac: Spot on!
I saw the stats on his Major & WGC records and they almost defy belief, they're so bad! No Top 8's in almost 70 tournaments - his best results seem largely (not LA obviously) tournaments with weaker fields. I just looked at his Players record and he's only made about five cuts in 15 trips, only Top 30 was this year: T17.
This week, he'll make his $1.1M or more, but only take 24 owgr points. If you don't finish well in the biggest events, you're never going to sustain a high ranking.

Kwini

I saw an exchange on Twitter yesterday between Sobal and Luke Donald where they basically said consistency was massively underrated, in the context of discussing CH3.



And here is a supposed sighting of Anthony kim, where he says he will bet on Phil to win the "The Match".


https://www.geoffshackelford.com/homepage/2018/11/19/poncho-wearing-anthony-kim-resurfaces-from-upscale-kennel-to-promote-the-match?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter


Does he run a kennel now or what?

Doggy style.

Zozo Championship in Japan will replace CIMB on next year's PGA Tour fall Asia swing.  Same format as CJ Cup and CIMB. 78 player no cut field, 60 players from PGAT, 10 from Japan Tour, 8 sponsors exemptions.

CIMB purse had maintained at a constant $7 million purse for its 6 years. Zozo Japan will be $9.75 mil, (CJ Cup expected to go from $9.5 mil to $9.75 mil next year too)

So with Houston and Greenbriar moving to the fall, and the addition of the new Steph Curry San Francisco event... Next fall schedule appears to be 11 events in 10 weeks, pending any other changes. But Mayakoba was self sponsored this year, so that one is a potential risk of a loss off the schedule.