Golf Thread - August

[CanadianChris 0]

August 2-5 - WGC-Bridgestone Invitational - Firestone CC (South Course), Akron, OH (Tiger Woods)

August 2-5 - Reno-Tahoe Open - Montreux G&CC, Reno, NV (Will Mackenzie)

August 9-12 - PGA Championship - Southern Hills CC, Tulsa, OK (Tiger Woods)

August 16-19 - Wyndham Championship - Forest Oaks CC, Greensboro, NC (Davis Love III)

August 23-26 - The Barclays - Westchester CC, Rye, NY (Vijay Singh)

August 31-September 3 - Deutsche Bank Championship - TPC Boston, Norton, MA (Tiger Woods)

 

The last two, of course, as everyone who has watched any Tour events lately knows (because the Tour has beaten it into their heads), are the first two FedEx Cup playoff tournaments.

 

I'm interested in this year's PGA Championship just because I'm pretty sure Tiger's not going to win, and the tournament will be pretty wide open. I wouldn't be surprised to see another first-time major winner step up. This is shaping up to be another 2003 with four first-time winners.

 

The Bridgestone is Tiger's personal ATM whenever they have it at Firestone, so I'm not expecting much intrigue there this week.

[CanadianGuitarist 0]

I am really really excited for these playoffs, and to see how they unfold. The end of August is a fantastic time for sports.

[CanadianChris 0]

The Bridgestone is Tiger's personal ATM whenever they have it at Firestone, so I'm not expecting much intrigue there this week.

And Tiger leads by 8 after going into the day trailing by a stroke. They really need to stop having this tournament at Firestone if they want anyone else to have a shot at it.

[Danville_Wrestling 0]

Forget that. The WGC won't be changing the venue because they want Woods to continue to participate in the tournament.

 

I can't get excited for these playoffs. Chances are all of the top guys aren't going to play in all 4 tournaments and I heard on one golfing website that if a player is in the top 10 in points heading into the playoffs then there is really no chance that they don't make it to the TOUR Championship thereby granting them a near automatic bye. I'm not giving too much heat to Mickelson for not wanting to play all 4 or even @ all because playing with a bad wrist could end your career so he needs to rest it. For Woods and other players who bitched that the year was too long, though, need to suck it up and play. You wanted to change the format of the year? Well you got your wish so PLAY.

 

If they want these to be REAL playoffs they'll do several things. First, they need to SHORTEN THE FIELD. Having 144 golfers is NOT a playoff. A number around 100 or so would be better. Second, they need to require that golfers play in all four of the playoff tournaments. Third, I think they should've just said "get your points to qualify for the field of 100" and then take the top how many from each of the final four tournaments. For example, in the 100 you go to 75 (eliminate the bottom 25 players here) and then for the second tournament from 75 to 50 (again, eliminate 25) and the third tournament from 50 to 30 (again, eliminate 20) for the TOUR Championship. If there were any ties for the cuts then I'd have everyone tied at the bottom tier of these tournaments to go to a playoff. For example, in the second tournament if you had 3 people in a tie for 49th then I'd have a playoff between those who are tied and whoever drops out first loses their chance to move on.

 

However, I guess the single-elim format doesn't appear feasible because you might lose a Mickelson or Singh or Els or god forbid Tiger early on and they fear that ratings will go to hell. However, there won't be much drama for me in the playoffs because you can't watch the tournament and be like "okay so this person and this person aren't moving on because they are in xth place." Instead, your going to have to crunch numbers about finishes and that's just going to turn out crappy.

 

I liked the idea of a playoff at first and I know this is the first year of it but I think it is very poorly constructed, that's all.

[Vern Gagne 0]

Don't motivate Tiger.

[CanadianChris 0]

Forget that. The WGC won't be changing the venue because they want Woods to continue to participate in the tournament.

It's a WGC event. Short of moving it permanently to Australia or the Far East, there's nowhere they can move it where Tiger or anyone else won't show up.

 

But I was mostly not serious, anyway.

[Danville_Wrestling 0]

Yea, I know. I was just remembering when the American Express Championship was @ Valderamma one year and Woods didn't win (I believe he lost to Mike Weir) and he complained about the venue or something and loe and behold the event was moved the next year.

[CanadianGuitarist 0]

Yea, I know. I was just remembering when the American Express Championship was @ Valderamma one year and Woods didn't win (I believe he lost to Mike Weir) and he complained about the venue or something and loe and behold the event was moved the next year.

 

This was in 2001.

 

Incidentally, the only time the Bridgestone wasn't at Firestone was in 2002, when it was moved to Sahalee, outside of Seattle. Craig Parry was the winner. It also hosted the 98 PGA, which Vijay won. From what I remember, Sahalee was supposed to get the 2010 PGA as well, but Whistling Straits worked out a deal where they'd get the 2010 PGA and Ryder Cup(can't recall which year), and Sahalee would host the first major on the Champions Tour that Fred Couples would be involved in.

[CanadianGuitarist 0]

Seconds later, after Sabbatini made a double bogey and was walking away from the ninth green, retired firefighter and paramedic Steve Banky casually said to him, "Hey, Rory. Still think Tiger's beatable?"

 

Sabbatini wheeled and pointed to Banky, telling a police officer that he wanted Banky removed from the course. He was escorted to the course's front entrance by two officers.

 

"We're out here to do our job -- let us do our job," Sabbatini said later. "Have a little bit of decorum, a little bit of class out there. I guess a few too many beers were talking."

 

Anyone see the irony in this? Fuck, I hate that loudmouth Sabbattini.

[CanadianChris 0]

Yeah, I saw that. What a baby. It's not like someone shouted during your backswing...grow up and take the needles like a man, for fuck's sake.

[Danville_Wrestling 0]

I do think its petty to throw out a fan but sometimes I think we need to understand the pressure these players face when paired with Tiger. Tiger nearly always has "home field advantage" when he's in contention. Anyone remember the heckler that unnerved Davis Love III in the World Match Play several years ago when Love was leading Woods before the turn?

 

I'm not blaming Tiger for the remarks, he can't control what fans say, and I think the pros need to try as best they can to zone them out (because they are professionals) but fans have no role in making cat calls and taunting players on a golf course. This isn't the NFL, NBA, MLB, etc. I just think that the pressure of playing with Woods coupled with them being surrounded by partisan Woods fans who make cat calls/taunts and fans that are willing to throw their bodies in the way of errant drives to help Tiger has be severely unnerving. Those fans rolling that boulder out of the way for a young Tiger in Tuscon or something years ago still pisses me off too.

 

However, Tiger did hand Sabbatini his ass yesterday one way or the other. That is beyond question.

[CanadianChris 0]

Temperatures in Tulsa for the PGA are supposed to be in the 100s all four days, with the humidex over 110.

 

I would not want to be a caddy there this week.

[CanadianGuitarist 0]

It's obviously early, but I'm intrigued by the group at 3-under, currently leading: Monty, Garcia, and Rich Beem.

[CanadianChris 0]

I'm more intrigued by who's alone in first right now -- John Daly.

[CanadianGuitarist 0]

Tied with Westwood in the clubhouse at -3, but Graeme Storm has taken the lead at -4.

 

Cabrera's in some hot water at the par 3 fifth. Flies the green OB on his tee shot. Doesn't declare a provisional, and hits another tee shot. Same thing. Puts his fifth on the green, but it rolls back in the drink. His pitch from about 25 yards out takes off, and he has 30 feet or so for eight. (EIGHT!). Since his putt was pretty close to where his first and second shots landed, he calls an official over to ask about a ruling (and he's still arguing it now), but nothing comes of it. Misses putt for his 8, and his nine lips out. David Feherty made an awful pun with "I know he's Spanish, but the French would say a neuf is enough", prompting Bill Macatee to bite his tongue by saying "Neuf is nine in French, for those of you"....

[CanadianChris 0]

Westwood got in with 69.

 

I couldn't believe how far Cabrera fell down the board -- last among the touring pros. He took a Dalyesque 10. What is it with Argentinians making bad decisions in majors, anyway?

[Danville_Wrestling 0]

I'd love to see Daly go on a run and win this week but I know that tomorrow he'll probably blow up and fall down the leaderboard.

[CanadianChris 0]

Funny stuff from Pat Perez's media session:

 

Q. Pat, talk a little bit about the round today even par score is pretty good especially in these conditions?

PAT PEREZ: I didn't even think about the score. I'm just trying to stay alive out there. It's so hot I can't even think straight. I try not to think about anything. Just stay cool and drink water and just kind of get around. I really didn't think about it today. Just kind of got around.

 

Q. The way the heat is what do you do over the next couple of days to combat that?

PAT PEREZ: I have no idea. I don't know what I'm going to do tomorrow. Tee off at 2:20. It's going to be hot. I don't know what I'm going to do. I must have had ten water bottles today.

 

And even funnier stuff from JD's interview:

 

Q. You had a ten-footer from the left of the hole at 4, I think. About ten feet. You hit it nearly on the fringe.

JOHN DALY: You know what, I did. Hell, that's perfect (laughter).

 

Q. Somebody had to watch.

JOHN DALY: I cannot honestly remember.

 

Q. If you didn't play a practice round here at Southern Hills, how did you prepare for this tournament? What has John Daly been doing the last few days?

JOHN DALY: I've been playing slots over at Cherokee Casino (laughter). Did good the first day; didn't do too good the other day. But I played their golf course yesterday. I went out just in a cart. They gave me the golf course from 10:00 to 1:00 yesterday. I got a lot of practicing in.

 

Q. Before we get too deep into this golf stuff, how did you do at the slots?

JOHN DALY: I did okay the first day I was there. Got in Tuesday. I didn't do too good yesterday afternoon (chuckling).

 

Q. You mentioned the heat. Can you survive four days of this stuff?

JOHN DALY: It doesn't -- I'm used to it, let's put it that way. I grew up around this area. I'm used to kind of little valleys where you don't get a lot of -- you don't get any air and there's a lot of humidity and it's tough to breathe. I light up a cigarette and drink some caffeine and it actually works (laughter). It does bother me but I'm used to it, let's put it that way.

 

Q. I'm not real sure how to ask this question, to be honest with you. But Tiger came in a week early to play the course. Got here at 6:00 Monday morning to start his practice rounds. Obviously you didn't. You admitted you haven't practiced here. Just talk about the difference in philosophies. And obviously it hasn't hurt your score yet.

JOHN DALY: Everybody is different. I'm in better shape than Tiger (laughter). No, I don't know. I was talking to Vijay at the British Open. He was there eight days prior to the tournament. I can't do that. I get burnt out. I like to spend time with my kids and my family and ride around in a golf cart and play and get ready for a major and be home. I think everybody's a little different.

[Danville_Wrestling 0]

John Daly is classic.

[CanadianGuitarist 0]

Fuckin Tiger.

[CanadianChris 0]

He could have easily shot 60 or 61 too.

 

Honestly, it's just a joy to watch him play golf. This must have been what it was like to watch Nicklaus 30-40 years ago.

[Danville_Wrestling 0]

It'll be interesting to see if Scott Verplank can weather the Tiger storm today. I've always liked Verplank's style of play and while I think his style is more suited to win a US Open than a PGA he could make a bit of a run over these last 36 holes.

[CanadianChris 0]

Too bad Ames holed that putt on 18. I think he'd have done better in the group in front of Tiger than he will paired with Tiger. I've got him down for a 75 tomorrow.

 

If Tiger shoots 70 tomorrow, he wins.

[CanadianGuitarist 0]

Sportsnet has been playing up the 99 PGA, in which Weir was paired with Eldrick, and shot an 80. They're calling for (paraphrased) "Ames to play well, after all he is a Players Championship winner, and Weir was a rookie. But Tiger wins going away."

 

Nine-and-eight kind of looms, and that's not even factoring in that Tiger's up by 3. Three's a mountain to climb on Sunday for anyone in second, let alone with Tiger in the lead. My over/under time is 5:52 when Jim Nantz calls "Lucky Number 13 for Tiger!"

 

[CanadianChris 0]

Yeah, this isn't like last month when it was Sergio with a 3-shot lead. Tiger actually knows how to win.

 

Did anyone hear that Sergio got DQed for signing an incorrect scorecard? Apparently, Boo Weekley marked him down for a 4 instead of a 5 on 17, and when he told Sergio about it in the tent, he said, "Well, that's just the icing on the cake," and stormed off. What a tool.

[CanadianGuitarist 0]

I saw the headline on TGC's website, but didn't read the article. Crybaby.

 

I've continued on a tradition that started a few years ago, that my dad had always tried to get going but never did: Watching Caddyshack the Sunday of the PGA. I know the dialogue by heart, but I'm still sitting here giggling my ass off.

[Danville_Wrestling 0]

C'mon Woody Austin!

[CanadianChris 0]

Uh, no.

 

My pre-round prediction of 75 for Ames is looking pretty good.

[Danville_Wrestling 0]

Yea, your Ames prediction is looking pretty good. Poor guy just can't put it together out there right now.

 

The only guy that might be able to change things out there with seven to play is Els but that is going to be a monumental task. He's going to need an assist from Tiger and I don't see one forthcoming. Looks like Els will have to settle 2nd to Tiger in another major.

[CanadianChris 0]

Ernie's already blown his chance. Too many makable putts missed today.