CanadianGuitarist 0 Report post Posted January 2, 2007 Season starts Thursday with the new FedEx Cup. Discuss, and add if you like, to my four questions for the year: Biggest mark made: Assuming Phil Mickelson is over his second half meltdown (and I think he will be), he's my answer. If that doesn't count as is he's already very established, I think Adam Scott will regularly be mentioned among the top five by the end of the year. Biggest drop-off: Ben Curtis isn't this good. Biggest unanswered question: Besides the obvious FedEx Cup system, I'm intrigued as to what will happen to the First Tee program, or if something similar will start up after the US gets smoked by the Internationals at the President's Cup, led by a resurging Mike Weir. Two cents: I'm very interested to see what kind of scores are posted to win the Tour Championship, with the late summer heat in Atlanta and players potentially playing six weeks straight. I've no problem with the FedEx Cup, but hope winning it won't overshadow winning a major. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Princess Leena Report post Posted January 2, 2007 I concur about Adam Scott. He's also really hawt. He's playing well in whatever this Aussie event is that's going on. I'm glad the Golf Channel stole most of the TV rights from ESPN/USA. I always enjoy the 2 weeks in Hawaii. Primetime golf is fun. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CanadianChris 0 Report post Posted January 2, 2007 At least we go from all bad announcers to mostly bad announcers and one great one (Faldo). Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CanadianGuitarist 0 Report post Posted January 3, 2007 Sorry to turn this into fantasy golf, but I'm torn between a few guys in my pool. All Nationwide grads and players who finished below 125 on last year's money list automatically cost $150,000. Nationwide leader Johnson Wagner is a lock, but I don't know who to take among the other lummies. I have room under my salary cap for two of John Daly, Brad Faxon, David Duval and Nick Price. Anyone with offers? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Red Baron 0 Report post Posted January 3, 2007 Pick Daily. You got lucky two years ago with a victory from him, why not again? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Princess Leena Report post Posted January 3, 2007 Ken Duke won the money title last year. If you must take one of them, I'd go with Kevin Stadler or Boo Weekley. How much is Duval going for? $3.50? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CanadianGuitarist 0 Report post Posted January 3, 2007 Ken Duke won the money title last year. If you must take one of them, I'd go with Kevin Stadler or Boo Weekley. How much is Duval going for? $3.50? I'm still mad at him for costing me close to $300,000 of fantasy in the 2000 British. Even though Tiger was running away with it on the back nine, his refusal to pitch out 180 degrees behind him from a bunker meant double bogey, and ultimately the wheels came off. That was the difference between second and eighth. Nonetheless, I'll try him again, along with Daly, Stadler and Wagner(It turns out my original team budget, with Els, was about $400,000 over the cap). It's a season-long pool, based on how much money they made last year. I opted to pull Els out for Holmes and Matteson, as I like to get as many guys playing in the Free Money Ope...er, Mercedes Championships. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Danville_Wrestling 0 Report post Posted January 4, 2007 I'm interested in seeing how the FedEx Cup is going to work but am pissed about the Golf Channel televising a lot of the opening tournaments. I was never a big fan of ESPN coverage but I can't get the Golf Channel so I'm shut out of most of the coverage which just doesn't sit well with me at the moment. I wouldn't be surprised if most of the tour moves to the Golf Channel in a few years as I'm somewhat convinced the NFL will move a lot of games to the NFL Network in about five years as well. I guess it might be time to invest in satellite television to acquire the channel. Aside from that, though, it will be interesting to see how Tiger plays at the Buick Invitational. With him having his first child it will be interesting to see how many events he plans on playing and I think it's a bad PR move by him and Mickelson to avoid the first tournament of the year since they campaigned hard for the new FedEx Cup system and aren't going to play in its inaugural event. I'll admit up front that I am not a big Tiger Woods fan not because of his ability which I respect but because of the media hype around him 24/7 that ignores most other guys on tour. I know that's not his fault but its always rubbed me the wrong way. I can understand why he isn't playing in Hawaii but I just feel he kinda needs to so the new system starts off with a bang. To be honest, I'll be more interested in the whole Quest for the Card deal after the FedEx Cup concludes but I think that will all be on the Golf Channel as well (err). However, it might be interesting due to some of the old guys or veterans that might lose their tour cards. And speaking of David Duval I really want to see the guy get back on track but know that he probably won't. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Princess Leena Report post Posted January 4, 2007 Every PGA event in 2007, except for the Slams and Ryder/Presidents Cup, the first 2 rounds are on the Golf Channel. So, if you're a big golf fan, you should probably pick it up. ESPN only has the US Open left. Yay. Whatever Tiger does in the early West Coast season doesn't matter. That won't get interesting until September, anyway. The FedEx Cup format is silly in determining who the best golfer is. But from a business perspective, it's genius. It brings importance to the PGA after the majors. The only thing I don't like about it is that it ruins the Tour Championship. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CanadianChris 0 Report post Posted January 4, 2007 Funny thing I've been following on another message board... I was watching Poker After Dark on NBC this morning, and they were mentioning a prop bet that poker player Phil Ivey made with Corey Pavin. Apparently, the two are going to play a match at TPC at Summerlin in Las Vegas. Pavin will play one ball from the tips, while Ivey will get to play a 2- or 3-ball scramble from the reds. Stakes are $10,000 a hole. I've seen Ivey's swing, and it's pretty horrid at times, but playing multiple balls from the reds might negate that. Still, I think Pavin wins at least 12 holes. I wish I could see this match. This is the kind of thing ESPN2 should be showing -- just an entire show devoted to gambling on playing sports. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Princess Leena Report post Posted January 5, 2007 I remember watching Ivey play on the WSOP a couple years ago. Pavin will take home at least $100k. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CanadianGuitarist 0 Report post Posted January 9, 2007 Singh wins by a few. Of note: -Appleby does not join Hagen and Woods as winners of an event four straight years. -Singh earns his 30th career win. -Singh takes control of the record of "most wins by a player over 40", then tells the media "anyone who says 40 is old can go to hell" Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Princess Leena Report post Posted January 9, 2007 Singh can't say "Any 40 year old who wins a million dollar tournament in Hawaii shouldn't act like a crotchety old bag." Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CanadianChris 0 Report post Posted January 11, 2007 So, how many strokes does Michelle Wie miss the cut by this year? I'm going with 8. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Princess Leena Report post Posted January 11, 2007 I'll go with 2 shots. It's supposed to be rainy, so that favors her length even more. The wind isn't supposed to be much of a factor either. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CanadianGuitarist 0 Report post Posted January 11, 2007 Four. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Danville_Wrestling 0 Report post Posted January 11, 2007 One thing I'm still confused about with the FedEx Cup system is does the money list matter anymore for players to keep their card? I know the whole "Quest for the Card" series is supposed to happen after the TOUR Championship but will money be used to make the cutoff for who doesn't have to be in the Quest and who does? As far as Michelle Wie goes, I like four shots as well. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Princess Leena Report post Posted January 11, 2007 The Top 125 on the money list still determines who gets to keep their card. The "Quest for the Card" is just the silly season after the Tour Championship, which moved from November to September. The plan is to have all the top players play every week in that August-September stretch after the PGA for the FedEx Cup, then let the scrubs play the rest. I have my doubts as to how well this will work. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Princess Leena Report post Posted January 11, 2007 Wie is +9 through 14, and in dead last. Looks like she won't take over this tourney for once on TV. Maybe. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CanadianGuitarist 0 Report post Posted January 11, 2007 The Top 125 on the money list still determines who gets to keep their card. The "Quest for the Card" is just the silly season after the Tour Championship, which moved from November to September. The plan is to have all the top players play every week in that August-September stretch after the PGA for the FedEx Cup, then let the scrubs play the rest. I have my doubts as to how well this will work. It would work alright if they didn't allow 140 players into the FedEx Cup and allowed 125 to keep their cards. It won't be all bad, I suppose, as guys like, say, Villegas or Palmer or Moore, rising stars who will wind up 50th or 60th or 70th will give some credibility to the fall tournaments. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CanadianChris 0 Report post Posted January 11, 2007 My boy Luke Donald has a three-shot lead right now. He looked poised for a really good season, maybe with multiple victories. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Princess Leena Report post Posted January 11, 2007 Luke is cute, too. So, I'm all for him winning. Wie finished with a +8 (78). No cut unless we shoot at least 63 tomorrow. Lolz. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Danville_Wrestling 0 Report post Posted January 12, 2007 I knew I should have picked Luke Donald this week. If I were a player on tour, is there anything keeping me from playing the Quest for the Card tournaments after the FedEx Cup concludes? I imagine players like Vijay who like to play in nearly 30 tour tournaments a year might not be as happy by being constrained to the schedule Tiger/Phil wanted. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Princess Leena Report post Posted January 12, 2007 I don't think so. Those tournaments don't count toward the money list, though. Which really doesn't matter. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Danville_Wrestling 0 Report post Posted January 12, 2007 I know that regardless of her finish Michelle Wie will get invite after invite to this tournament because she's from Hawaii and Sony thinks it will bring in more fans but I'm really sick of seeing her in a field she's not that competitive in. Especially with tournaments this year being worth FedEx Cup points, other players need her slot for the limited tournaments they are going to be able to enter before the Quest for the Card. However, even if she finishes second to last tomorrow the media will be all like "well she beat ONE male golfer! His name is __________ and he won or did ___________ so Wie is getting there!" Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Princess Leena Report post Posted January 12, 2007 The FedEx Cup really doesn't change anything... she's just taking a spot away from a lowly ranked golfer who had a minuscule chance of kickstarting his career here. In that regard, I have no problem with it. Because golf is a business and everyone is trying to make money. As for her career, it's stupid to keep having her fail like this. It's not proving anything. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CanadianGuitarist 0 Report post Posted January 12, 2007 The bottom line is this: No matter how many runner-up or "almost" finishes Wie has on the LPGA, if Annika Sorenstam missed the cut by a bunch, what chance does Wie have? I appreciate Sony's take on this, as my opinion of women's golf hasn't changed, but how would I feel if I were an aspiring 14-year-old female golfer and saw Wie miss cut after cut on the men's side? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Princess Leena Report post Posted January 12, 2007 A small chance. Remember that Wie barely missed the cut 2 times. Eventually, she'll get a couple hot rounds and do it. If Annika had 13 tries like Wie has had, I'd bet that Annika would have made the cut at least once. If I was an aspiring young golfer, I'd be happy that Wie is opening more opportunities for golfers. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CanadianGuitarist 0 Report post Posted January 12, 2007 A small chance. Remember that Wie barely missed the cut 2 times. Eventually, she'll get a couple hot rounds and do it. If Annika had 13 tries like Wie has had, I'd bet that Annika would have made the cut at least once. If I was an aspiring young golfer, I'd be happy that Wie is opening more opportunities for golfers. If Annika had 13 tries with the men, she'd make enough to earn her card. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Danville_Wrestling 0 Report post Posted January 12, 2007 I'm just in the pool with Greg Norman and other golfers who think that women shouldn't be allowed to play on the PGA Tour period. Men can't play on the women's tour (and I'm not advocating that one do it) because its strictly written in their bylaws that they can't. I just see the Wie stuff as shameless publicity. Then again, I probably wouldn't have as big of a gripe about Wie or even Sorenstam when she played in the Colonial IF they QUALIFIED to enter the field. I remember a woman did that (Suzy something I think...) at the Canon Greater Hartford Open in 2003 and the male pros didn't say anything because she earned her spot in the field rather than having a sponsor hand her a spot. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
