PGA Tour: "Charles Schwab Challenge" @ Colonial: Notes from the Ballwasher

1).A big win at Bethpage for Brooks Koepka, on a course ready made for the likes of him, Dustin and a select few others. I'm not sure that Brooks's latest success prove he's a man for all courses, but when conditions are in his favour, he'll be tough to beat, whatever Dustin Johnson might think about it.
Koepka's defence counsel may say, "Just look at what he did last year at Colonial", which was to battle Justin Rose all the way on a course that one would think doesn't suit him. Unfortunately, Koepka's not in Fort Worth this week to try to go one better.

2).Other take-aways from Bethpage must start with Matt Wallace as his third place finish assures him a place in the field for the next four Majors, getting into the 2020 Masters by virtue of his Top Four finish.
And his placing inside the Top 15 guarantees him a place in next year's PGA, at San Francisco's Harding Park.
Others who might not otherwise qualify but secured a place by virtue of their Top 15 finish include:
Cantlay
List
Kang
Woodland
Lowry (terrific weekend for Shane)
Van Rooyen
Reavie
Jazz.

3).Wallace also is now eligible for "Special Temporary Membership" of the Tour; Pepperell and Justin Harding still a few FedEx Points short, though the value of STM obviously decreases as the season winds down. Which, believe it or not, it is, with only a dozen-ish events remaining.

4).And Dustin Johnson joined exalted company by finishing second - another member of the not-quite-exclusive Major Runner Up Grand Slam Club whose most recent members include Messrs:
Nicklaus four times!!!!), Palmer, Watson, Norman, Mickelson & Oosthuizen

5).There are a couple of eerily similar articles this week, by Bill Pennington in the New York Times, and later on golfchannel.com by Rex Hoggard (a bit late to the party there, Rex!) about, as the NYTimes puts it: "Is Brooks Koepka Golf's New King?"
Pretty much the same pros (none of them American for some reason) are quoted in both articles questioning Koepka's record on courses that might suit him less than, say Bethpage or Erin Hills. Justin Rose seems to sum it all up:
"This golfcourse was in his wheelhouse; it fit his skill set and he's obviously at the top of his game. If we had to play (Bethpage) every tournament for the rest of timeUl, I'd be concerned. But we don't."
And Jason Day cautioned:
"Ultimately, everything comes to an end. He'll be in great form, and has been, and then he'll hit a little rut. And then he'll have to work it out through hard work." Meanwhile: "Every time I talk to him he's either fishing or doing something on the boat."
While Casey & McIlroy question why Koepka only switches on for the Majors and reckon that's a difference between this phenomenon and Woods who was able to switch it on for most of the events he played.

Valid points from one and all but are they missing the point? He's bloody good, too good for the best of the rest right now. Acid test due next month at Pebble Beach; he finished 8th in his only visit and professes to avoid the "California Swing" because of poa annua greens. We'll see.

6).Talking of which, TDub is confirming he'll be at "Memorial" next week and then Pebble Beach.

7).Jordan Spieth played well last week, putted brilliantly. Has he turned a corner or was this a flash in the pan? Perhaps this week will provide a clue as he has 2 x second place finishes at Colonial (14th or better in five trips, 32nd in the other, so a great record), plus his (rather fortuitous) win. And he's off to a good start with incredible putting: +5 strokes gained putting on his first 13 holes. Very rude.

8).There's a good field this week, buttressed as so often by European Tourists, such as Rose, Molinari, Casey, Poults, Fitzpatrick, Hatton.
The Chuck Schwab event is an "Invitational", but do they go a step too far by giving free passes to Dru Love and Tucker Wadkins?
Meanwhile, we only have next week's Memorial and the Canadian Open between Colonial and Pebble Beach, and Koepka's chance for a US Open hat-trick.

Keith Clearwater and Tom Purtzer led things off as a Zimmer-frame twosome this morning. Purtzer was heading for the mid-80's when he withdrew on the 18th. Does that mean Clearwater goes out as a singleton tomorrow. Leading off the afternoon "wave".
Perhaps he could hire super as a marker?

Great write up as always Kwini. I've always liked this week, probably due to the Hogan links. But yeah, hats off to Brooks, a truly dominant performance. Agree re Spieth love watching him putt, but have to say Rory is definitely looking better on the greens, he's working hard right now but not getting the rewards, I think that will turn around for him soon, maybe on his old mate McDool's home track

kwinigolfer wrote:Keith Clearwater and Tom Purtzer led things off as a Zimmer-frame twosome this morning. Purtzer was heading for the mid-80's when he withdrew on the 18th. Does that mean Clearwater goes out as a singleton tomorrow. Leading off the afternoon "wave".
Perhaps he could hire super as a marker?

Ah ha!
Kenny Perry also gets outathere, so how will they reassign Clearwater?


Thanks B_t_b, Young Seamus almost had a milestone round, 17 x pars and bogeyed his 17th.
Not good from Rose & Rahm.

kwinigolfer wrote:..."Every time I talk to him he's either fishing or doing something on the boat."...

Maybe, just maybe, Brooks is aware that golf isn't the be all and end all? Could it be possible that fishing and working on his boat gives him a mindset that actually helps his golf? Perish the thought...

navyblueshorts wrote:

kwinigolfer wrote:..."Every time I talk to him he's either fishing or doing something on the boat."...

Maybe, just maybe, Brooks is aware that golf isn't the be all and end all? Could it be possible that fishing and working on his boat gives him a mindset that actually helps his golf? Perish the thought...

I think that's exactly right, navy. I think J'Day was in envious admiration!

Work / life balance.

At the minute he's good enough to win big at work while doing what he wants to away from the course.

Interestingly, if Day is talking to Koepka then Day is also not practising or training at those times...

Day probably spends a lot of time in the doctors waiting room. So plenty of time to talk to his buddies.

Colonial played more than 1.6 strokes easier yesterday for the morning guys (Finau, Spieth etc) than the afternooners (Molinari, Rose, Rahm etc.
But not sure that truly explains lousy rounds from Rahm and Rose. Much better needed from them, and Poults, today or it'll be a wasted trip to Cow Town.

This is the last opportunity for golfers to qualify for Open Championship business at Portrush via the owgr's without gaining exemption through the R&A's contrived process of qualifying via top finishes in selected events. And that looks as if it will be Portrush's own McDowell's only remaining route home. Give the man a Special Exemption!

kwinigolfer wrote:Colonial played more than 1.6 strokes easier yesterday for the morning guys (Finau, Spieth etc) than the afternooners (Molinari, Rose, Rahm etc.
But not sure that truly explains lousy rounds from Rahm and Rose. Much better needed from them, and Poults, today or it'll be a wasted trip to Cow Town.

This is the last opportunity for golfers to qualify for Open Championship business at Portrush via the owgr's without gaining exemption through the R&A's contrived process of qualifying via top finishes in selected events. And that looks as if it will be Portrush's own McDowell's only remaining route home. Give the man a Special Exemption!

I don't normally side with manufacturing entries, but I would let him in. "Pair" him with Harrington and Rors. Major winners whose best days are behind them

PGATour probably going to a new cut rule. Top 65 and ties rather than Top 70 and ties,

They are also considering increasing the winners share of the purse from 18% to 20%.

https://www.golfchannel.com/news/pga-tour-poised-drop-secondary-cut-lessen-cut-rule-low-65-and-ties?utm-tags=golf2408000

Note: The article used the term "Purse", a perfectly acceptable word for the prize fund.

[quote="GPB"]PGATour probably going to a new cut rule.  Top 65 and ties rather than Top 70 and ties,

They are also considering increasing the winners share of the purse from 18% to 20%.

https://www.golfchannel.com/news/pga-tour-poised-drop-secondary-cut-lessen-cut-rule-low-65-and-ties?utm-tags=golf2408000


Two good moves, I would think - nice to see the PGA Tour is following the European Tour's lead on the cut-line. Surprised it got through though, and thought the secondary cut was a good idea.

Hope you're avoiding the dodgy weather GPB, presumably god's revenge for ridiculous abortion legislation. Hope all the women who will be affected travel to VT, they'll be treated equally with men here.

Sick note from Paul Casey today, complaining of the flu. That's 4 x w/d's, all comparitively old guys, average age 53.
Casey had a nice first round, too. He, Rahm and Power will be the only Europeans to sit out Round 3 unless the cut-line moves from +2 to +1.

No weather issues where I live, other than a bunch of unwanted water..

Personally, do not think political snark should be tolerated here. but personally, I don't think abortion after 8 weeks is an acceptable method of birth control. Far too many better options including day after pill.

Good news. Re the weather at least.
Is god snark OK? Happy to report that VT is changing our State constitution to allow women the right to choose.

And happy to see Jonas Blixt playing well - we followed him round Hartford, and adjacent zip codes, last June, just in terrible form. And Slovakia continues to play well, quite the season for Roars.

How long to they have the right to choose? 8.75 Months? How about after the baby is born?

Quite a difference in stroke average between the Morning and Afternoon waves at the Sr PGA in Rochester

73.08 for the dew busters
75.81 for the late starters

Maybe, but at least they won't be told if they discover after seven (or nine in MO) weeks that you're SOL because no procedures allowed after 6 weeks or the doctor is liable for 99 years in the pokey.


Had planned to be at Oak Hill for Rounds 1 and 2, a proper golfcourse if ever there was one. I see they're closing the course to re-route 5, 6 and 15 back to the original Ross design (not quite sure what that means) so that's the way it will play for their next PGA.
No rounds completed under par so far today, but a couple of under-par rounds on the course - looks as if the early/late guys have a yuge advantage.

GPB wrote:How long to they have the right to choose? 8.75 Months?  How about after the baby is born?

Quite a difference in stroke average between the Morning and Afternoon waves at the Sr PGA in Rochester

73.08 for the dew busters
75.81 for the late starters

Always the men pontificating on abortion deadlines isn't it? Kind of odd, don't you think?

I find it odd that other people think they have a right to decide over a womans body.

If you were a true religious you’d leave moral judgments on others to your god.

Missouri borders eight (count them), 8 different states. I would guess that 85% of Missouri's population is less than hours drive from another state. Me? I am less than hours drive away from 4 other states. Condom, Pill, IUD, diaphragm, abstinence, Morning after pill. If those choices don't work, there is always the choice of Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas, and Nebraska. None of those states require a passport. A Missouri woman still has lots of choices

navyblueshorts wrote:

GPB wrote:How long to they have the right to choose? 8.75 Months?  How about after the baby is born?

Quite a difference in stroke average between the Morning and Afternoon waves at the Sr PGA in Rochester

73.08 for the dew busters
75.81 for the late starters

Always the men pontificating on abortion deadlines isn't it? Kind of odd, don't you think?

Never understood this argument. It always seems to be used against men who are anti-abortion, but presumably men aren’t allowed to be pro-choice either because it’s a “women’s body issue”. And logically men should hold no opinion either way on FGM either, although the flip side is that women aren’t allowed an opinion on male circumcision.

Realistically of course everyone has opinions on things that aren’t directly related to them, and it’s not always as black and white as the “men controlling women’s bodies” line suggests anyway. I’m male and pro-choice, my (female) other half is much more anti-abortion. I’ve seen all sorts of tweets about the Alabama lawmakers who passed the bill being white men, but mathematically they can’t have got into power without winning a lot of (presumably anti-abortion) women’s votes.



Getting back to the golf, watched a couple of hours this evening and it was surprisingly enjoyable. Wind getting up in the afternoon Texas-time, levelling off the early/late scoring from yesterday and causing havoc for a lot of the big names, Fowler, Kisner, DeChambeau all struggling with the cut. Quite looking forward to tomorrow’s coverage with a lot of guys we don’t see much of near the top of the leaderboard.

Male circumcision is usually done on children. So anybody is entitled to an opinion, also women.

GPB wrote:Missouri borders eight (count them), 8 different states.  I would guess that 85% of Missouri's population is less than hours drive from another state.  Me?  I am less than hours drive away from 4 other states.  Condom, Pill, IUD, diaphragm, abstinence, Morning after pill.  If those choices don't work, there is always the choice of Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas, and Nebraska.  None of those states require a passport. A Missouri woman still has lots of choices

The thing is, though: Most disadvantaged young women can't afford to travel to adjacent States, let alone know how to gain the knowledge of where to go, who to speak to, how to pay for the surgery.
That's the plan of Drumpf followers, identify the poor, the minorities, the disadvantaged. And do what the hell you can to keep them that way. 73% of Americans disagree with these clowns, but no doubt the SCOTUS will go with the 27% (or fewer), many of whom, statistically, have had abortions themselves.

Good field for Memorial, plenty of Europeans to pad out the "strength of field", a great tournament with the turn-out it deserves.

Kwini: Shaking My Head. You got the liberal sound bites down to a tee. Which is more spittle than bite.

An abortion debate. The ul lae is 24 weeks, this seems fine to me. When I was a lot younger an ex partner had one. It was the right decision for all involved. I hate the idea that people are being forced into sonethibg they don't want to do. Any place that makes it unlawful is just backwards.

Spieth putting on a putting clinic - if he can drive half as well as he's putting, he'll contend at Pebble Beach, where he's won in the past.

I've just looked up the date of the US Open qualifying at Walton Heath. It’s on Monday June 3rd. I seem to remember it was played on the May Bank Holiday after the ET PGA at Wentworth - a short trip round the M25. Now it’s between the Belgium and Portugal events. Some quick flying required. Another effect of the US PGA Championship move?

It's looking like a shut out of the Europeans at Colonial.

But, as dynamark mentioned on the AG thread, Paul Broadhurst is making a strong defence of his Senior PGA title, taking a two-stroke lead over Retief Goosen into Round 4 at Oak Hill.
Impressed with Corey Pavin's round (66 in Round 3, tied with Tanigawa for round of the day) on a difficult course. Pavin must be the shortest hitter to win a Major in the past forty years, so good that Oak Hill rewards accuracy as well as length.

Kwin - I played Oak Hill last year and it certainly was all I could handle from the more forward tees. Your man, Paul Broadhurst and his defense, is not looking good coming home. Cue the no-name Yank.

Shotrock wrote:Kwin - I played Oak Hill last year and it certainly was all I could handle from the more forward tees. Your man, Paul Broadhurst and his defense, is not looking good coming home. Cue the no-name Yank.

What a win for Kevin Na, almost made me like him after a decade of disdain! Well deserved win.
And Top Tens for Blixt, Sabbatini, Knox & Hatton, possibly not exactly the leading Europeans one would expect after Rose, Franny, McDool & Poults rather mailed it in.


Yup, Broady made a horlicks of his final three holes; Tanigawa looked terrific winning @ Pebble Beach last year, only surprise that he's struggled a bit this year.

Shame that Broadhurst fell short, but great that Bronte Law broke through in Virginia. Pure Silk!

Webbie Scottie Schleffer has gone from #1589 to #127 since the beginning of the year.

33 sectional US Open qualifiers in Japan. 18 of the WD.

https://www.usopen.com/qualifying/sectional/Japan.html#!&tab=results

Kodai Ichihara, Shugo Imahira, Mikumu Horikawa are the qualifiers

American Chan Kim is the first alternate. At the end of 2017 he was ranked in around #75 (and qualified for the 2018 WGC Mexico). He did not play an event in 2018.