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Friday on Tour: 5 things we learned

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4 years ago

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As you learned yesterday, it’s BOGO week, aka five will get you 10. Not 10 years, but 10 things we learned. With the Korn Ferry Tour in Florida, and the PGA Tour a bit north, on Hilton Head Island, great weather has led to super-low scoring. I have a few golf chums who resist low scoring, but I leave them to their growlers of bitterness. I love birdies and eagles. This week, we have more than we can count.

It’s Friday evening, the weekend is here, KFT is 18 holes from a winner, while PGAT has two rounds to go. Let’s learn what we learned this week, five things from each tour.

RBC Heritage: 5 things we learned

5. Nick Watney has no luck

Flashback to 2010, and Nick Watney is everyone’s pick to win at least one major. He had a rough decade, with healthy servings of injury and self-doubt. Today, Watney withdrew from the RBC, due to a positive test for COVID-19. The Californian exhibited symptoms of the virus, was tested, and confirmed positive on Friday. He withdrew after posting a 71 in round one.

4. Webb Simpson has the lead

The Carolinian made A LOT of birdies on Friday. Nine of them, to be precise, and he needed all of them. When Simpson hit a green, he was money almost all of the time. He gained six strokes on the field in putting on day two, which is obscene. Thing was, he couldn’t make the same putts for par that he made for birdie. Simpson missed nine, eleven, and 14-foot putts when he missed the green. The only time his putter rescued a par, was the sixth. Simpson got up and down for par from 90 yards on that one, draining a twelve-feet putt for four.

Let’s not dwell on the negatives, however. The pride of Wake Forest made 69 feet of birdie putts on the front, then 92 more on the back. He capped his round with a 38-foot bomb for three at the home hole. In the end, as long as the birdies outweigh the bogeys by enough, Simpson will be in the mix.

3. The weather four-putted in the PM

Not Jordan Spieth this time. He did miss a two-footer for par (yikes!) but kept it together for 70. Thunderstorms arrived and reminded us that this is still the PGA Tour and that delays will always be a thing. The second round was halted, stranding golfers for 45 minutes. In the end, no harm and no foul, as castaways made quick work of their remaining holes, and the round completed on schedule. The good news is, no more rain for at least 48 hours, which should allow the tournament to finish on schedule.

2. #BigBandTheory is back

Bryson doesn’t really have the room this week to show off his flex. No matter, he showed off his guile, to the tune of 64 and 11-under par. DeChambeau is driving the ball better than Simpson, and he is hitting more greens that the fellow currently holding the top spot. What that means is, over the course of four days, the Big Bang Theory should overtake the lead. Will it play out that way? This writer says “Yes.”

1. Predictions are in, and …

Most likely to tell you exactly what he’s feeling: Bryson DeChambeau. If I had to mic one guy on tour, it would be him. Most days, I understand his thoughts.

Most likely to break through for a win: Matthew Fitzpatrick. Crystal ball sez that it’s the Englishman’s time.

Most likely to take a high-speed elevator: Jhonnatan Vegas. If there were a stat column for shots-gap from round to round, the Venezuelan would be a strong contender for the hardware. #NeverDull

The King & The Bear: 5 things we learned

5. Vince India held court

The co-leader after 36 holes posted a clinic today. Nine birdies and one eagle allowed the man from the land of Lincoln to offset a bogey and shoot an inconceivable 62 in round three. India turned for home in 29 strokes, thanks to a six-under-in-five-holes stretch. His eagle at the 5th ignited a fuse that brought a run of four birdies to close the outward half. His only hiccough came at the par-four 12th, where he missed the green and could not recover for par. Four birdies from 13 to 18 restored his confidence, and consoled him with a four-shot lead.

4. Chris Kirk kept this thing real

The PGA Tour champion is the only golfer within six shots of the leader. Kirk was three-under through nine, and quickly realized that such a pace simply wouldn’t do for the Duke. He geared up and made five birdies for 31 on the home half. His 64 brought him to 21 deep, and kept him within four shots of the front-runner. If I were India, Chris Kirk is not the fellow I’d want in my round-four grouping. His wins on the big tour bolster his confidence, and if anyone is to catch the leader, it should be Kirk.

3. Will Z won’t give up

The Calixan (Californian and Texan) by way of Wake Forest is learning the most basic of questions in professional tournament golf: What do I have to do to win out here? Rounds of 65-66-66 have him at 19-under par, tied with two others. As we know by now, that’s two back of the chaser, and six behind the leader. Zalatoris posted two eagles on Wednesday, and one each the next two days. He has 16 birdies, to boot. It’s the others, the three bogeys and the double, that relegated him to long chaser. Eliminate the double and he’s tied with Kirk. Ditch the others, and he’d be one back of the lead. Sometimes, your best isn’t good enough. Through three rounds, that might be WZ’s thinking. If he tossed a 64 on Saturday, he’ll give India something to think about.

2. Might we see a 59?

It’s doubtful, but 60 or 61 are under consideration. Only one golfer (India) has anything to lose. The rest are playing for glory, and will go as low as they possibly can. Eagles are commonplace on the par-five holes, and the two-shotters have given up an enormous amount of threes. The low round won’t come from the last grouping, but someone like Braden Thornberry or Scott Langley might get hot early and sustain momentum. If India gets to 30-under par, the tournament is his. If not, the early, low round might cart the trophy off.

1. Predictions on the menu

Most likely to jump into the top ten: Davis Riley. He rooms with Zalatoris, and need to close the gap with his roomie. I’m guessing 65 for the Alabama golfer.

Most likely to fall out of the top ten: Brett Coletta. The first-round leader has worsened each round, from 63 to 66, to 70. His best is behind him, at least for this week.

Most likely to shoot that 61: I’ve mentioned Langley and Thornberry already, so let’s add a third name: long-hitting Canadian, Taylor Pendrith.

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Ronald Montesano writes for GolfWRX.com from western New York. He dabbles in coaching golf and teaching Spanish, in addition to scribbling columns on all aspects of golf, from apparel to architecture, from equipment to travel. Follow Ronald on Twitter at @buffalogolfer.

2 Comments

2 Comments

  1. Gunter Eisenberg

    Jun 21, 2020 at 11:30 am

    I beg PGA tour players not to contract Covid-19. Please wash your hands frequently, maintain social distancing, and above all, not consume bat fried rice or soup.

    Reply Report comment

  2. AOC

    Jun 20, 2020 at 1:18 pm

    I can’t believe they are still playing! Defind the PGA tour! Defund the PGA tour!

    Reply Report comment

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Masters 2024: Reduced-scale clubhouse trophy and green jacket to Scottie Scheffler

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1 day ago

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Apr 15, 2024

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In the world of golf, there is Scotty and there is Scottie. Scotty Cameron gave the world of golf a nickname for a prestigious putter line, and Scottie Scheffler has now given the golf world a blueprint for how to negotiate one of the toughest tournaments to win. Sunday, Scheffler won the Masters tournament for the second time in three years. He separated from the field around the turn, making a trio of birdies at holes eight through 10. On the long walk home, he added three more birdie at 13, 14, and 16, to secure a four-shot win over Masters and major-championship rookie Ludvig Åberg.

As the final group moved along the ninth hole, a quadrilateral stood at 7 under par, tied for the lead. Scheffler, playing partner Collin Morikawa, and penultimate pairing Max Homa and Åberg advanced equally toward Amen Corner, with the resolution of the competition well in doubt. Morikawa flinched first, getting too greedy (his words) at nine and 11. Double bogey at each dropped him farther back than he wished, and he ultimately made a 10-foot putt for bogey at the last, to tie for third position.

Ludvig Åberg made the next mistake. Whether he knew the Ben Hogan story about the approach into 11 or not, he bit off way more than he should have. His approach was never hopeful, and ended short and right in White Dogwood’s pond. Åberg finished the hole in six shots. To his credit, he played the remaining seven holes in two-under figures. Finally, Max Homa was the victim of the finicky winds over Golden Bell, the short, par-3 12th hole. His disbelief was evident, as his tee shot flew everything and landed in azaleas behind the putting surface. After two pitch shots and two putts, Homa also had a double bogey, losing shots that he could not surrender.

Why? At the ninth hole, Scottie Scheffler hit one of the finest approach shots of all time, into the final green of the first nine. Scheffler had six inches for birdie and he converted. At the 10th, he lasered another approach shot into a tricky hole location, then made another fine putt for birdie. Within the space of 30 minutes, Scheffler had seized complete control of the tournament, but Amen Corner still lurked.

At the 11th, Scheffler played safely right with his approach. His chip shot was a wee bit too brave and left him a seven-foot comeback putt for par. He missed on the right side and gave one shot back to the course and field. His tee ball on 12 was safely aboard, and he took two putts for par. On 13, the 2022 champion drove slightly through the fairway, then reached the green, with his first two shots. His seventy-foot-plus putt for eagle eased up, four feet past the hole. His second putt went down, and he was back in the birdie zone. As on nine, his approach to 14 green finished brilliantly within six inches. His final birdie came at the 16th, where he negotiated a nine-foot putt for a deuce.

Scheffler reached 11 under par and stood four shots clear of Ludvig Åberg when he reached the 18th tee. His drive found the lower fairway bunker on the left, and his approach settled in a vale, short and right of the green. With dexterous hands, Scheffler pitched to three feet and made the putt for par. With a big smile, he embraced caddie Ted Scott, who won for the fourth time at Augusta National, and the second with Scheffler. Ludvig Åberg finished alone in second spot, four back of the winner. Not a bad performance for the first-time major championship participant Åberg, and not a bad finish for the world No. 1 and second-time Masters champion, Scottie Scheffler.

 

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5 Things We Learned: Saturday at the Masters

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3 days ago

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Apr 13, 2024

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Just as the honorary starters broke our hearts with the reality of ageing, so too, did Saturday, with the revelation that third-round Tiger Woods is not yet (if ever) what he once was. The great champion struggled mightily to an 82, tied with three others for high round of the day. Among the top ten, the worst score posted was DeChambeau’s 75, but the large Californian remains in the hunt. Day four will see 2022 champion Scottie Scheffler pair with Collin Morikawa in the final game. In front of them will be Max Homa and Ludwig Åberg. The antipenultimate pairing will feature DeChambeau and Xander Schauffele.

If you look at the one-off major winners, most took advantage of their only chance at grand slam glory. For golfers like Homa, Schauffele, and others, Sunday the 14th might represent their best and only chance at claiming a major title. For Scheffler, Morikawa, and DeChambeau, the ability to join the two-time and three-time, major winners club holds great appeal. Finally, a young’un like Åberg seeks to jump-start a more-than-tour-winner career with a major title. Many of the greats won them early, and the Swede from Texas Tech would love nothing more than a chance to join that company.

Sunday at Augusta, as always, will be riveting. It will provide hope throughout the first nine holes, then gut many a competitor’s heart coming home, rewarding just one with a new item for the wardrobe. Plan your menu and choose your outfit. Masters 2024 is about to conclude. Until then, let’s reveal five things that we learned on day three of the year’s first men’s major.

1. The three most critical holes on the first nine are …

numbers four through six. You might make some birdies at the first and last trios of holes, but the middle triumvirate of fairways and greens determines your day. Play them even par or better, and you’ll lose zero shots to the field. Get on a downward spiral of slightly-wayward shots, and recovery will be nigh impossible. Anyone who makes three at the fifth, as Tiger Woods did on Saturday, will get giddy.

2. The three most important holes on the second nine are …

ten through twelve. We realize that we commit heresy by omitting one of Herbert Warren Wind’s Amen Corner traces, but par or better is critical at 10. Dry landings at 11 and 12 set the competitor up for two par fives in three holes, sandwiched around a straightforward, par-four hole. Remember when Ben Crenshaw began his march to glory in 1995? It all started with birdie at the 10th.

3. The most interesting and efficient round of day three came from …

Collin Morikawa. Birdies at the first three holes, followed by bogey-birdie at six and eight, then ten consecutive pars to finish off the second-low round of the day. Morikawa has improved each day, from 71 to 70 to 69. He has won majors in England and California. He has the temperment for this sort of day, but will certainly be in the hottest of all cauldrons around 3 pm on Sunday.

4. The guy who lost the most ground on day three was …

Nikolai Hojgaard. The dude failed to make par from the seventh green to the 16th. After three consecutive birdies around the turn (8 through 10), the Great Dane tumbled to earth with five consecutive bogeys. 11 and 12, we understand, but 13 and 15 are par-five holes, for goodness sake! No matter where he finds himself on day four’s back nine, it will be hard to put that stretch of golf out of his mind.

5. Our pick for the green jacket is …

impossible to nail. We suspect that certain players should and could perform on Sunday. We remember when Retief Goosen, a great US Open winner until round four of 2005, lost his mojo. We recall days when Rich Beam and Y.E. Yang pulled major titles away from Tiger Woods. Things go wrong on Sunday, and they go wrong super-quick at Augusta.

We’ve decided to ascend Mount Olympus for our Sunday selection. Who better than the 2021 Olympic champion to add a long-awaited, first major title. It’s Professor X for us: Xander Schauffele.

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5 Things We Learned: Friday at the Masters

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3 days ago

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Apr 13, 2024

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You don’t see leaves on the ground at Augusta National. The grounds crew and superintendent’s staff take care of those sorts of things, so that both course appearance and consistency of play are preserved at the top tier. We saw leaves on the ground today and, given the force and perseverance of the wind, we’re lucky that we didn’t see tree trunks along the fairways. We did see higher scores than secured in round one, and some of the three- and four-hole stretches were downright inconceivable. The cut after 36 holes came at six over par, and five dozen golfers reached the weekend of play. Numbers always define the story of a tournament, and we’ll let them define the five things we learned on day two of the 2024 Masters tournament.

One: 60 + 10

Sixty golfers posted scores of 148 or better through 36 holes, to reach weekend play. Ten more golfers posted 149 and missed the cut by a single stroke. The ones who missed the cut by a stroke included former champions Mike Weir, Zach Johnson, and Sergio Garcia. Also among the brood were current US Open champion Wyndham Clark, and Nick Dunlap, who won on the PGA Tour as an amateur in January, and subsequently turned professional. Of the ones who survived by the slimmest of margins, surviving to the weekend were former champions Jose Maria Olazabal, Hideki Matsuyama, and Adam Scott, along with Rickie Fowler and Tom Kim. Golf’s cut is a cruel and unconcerned blade, and each Masters tournament reminds us of this fact.

Two: One

The number of amateurs to make the cut in the 2024 Masters is solitary. His name is Neil Shipley, and most folks love him. He wears his hair to the shoulder, and appears to have the proper balance of intensity and chill. Shipley opened with 71, then held on for 76 on day two. He made the cut by three shots, and will collect his share of hardware on Sunday. It’s safe to say that Shipley will turn his attention to learning the course, as well as his own self under pressure.

Three: 23

For most sorts fans, 23 recalls the greatest NBA player of all time, Michael Jordan. For Justin Thomas, it’s a number that will haunt him for a long time. Thomas reached tee number fifteen on Friday at even par. The two-time PGA Champion played the subsequent, four-hole stretch in 23 shots, missing the cut by a shot. On fifteen, he went for the green in two, in some sort of halfhearted manner. He got wet with shot number two, went long with his pitch, and three-putted from the fringe. On sixteen, he played away from safety and found elevated sand. His blast went down the hill, and he missed his approach putt in the wrong place. On seventeen, he missed his drive right and his approach long, and lost another shot to par. The coup de grace took place on the home hole: drive so horribly left that he had to pitch out to the fairway and hit three metal into the green. His third double bogey in four holes dropped him all the way to 151 and plus seven. Among the many questions, the foremost one was why he dropped his longtime caddy on the eve of a major championship. Surely Bones would have saved him one of those shots, and perhaps more.

Four: Forty-Nine divided by five or six

Tiger Woods cannot possibly win title number six at Augusta in his 49th year, can he? Not on this broken body, and not from seven strokes behind, right? Not with so few competitive rounds over the most recent months, and not one year removed from a third-round withdrawal from this very tournament. Well, if he cannnot possibly win, allow us to dream and hope a bit, and hold on to a fantasy.

Five: 3 that we like

We like Scottie Scheffler, of course. He seems to have a sense of Augusta National, and he was able to hold on in 2023 for the championship. We like Nikolai Hojgaard, because he might have just the proper combination of naivete and experience for a first-time winner. Finally, we like Collin Morikawa, a winner of two separate major titles. Winning at Augusta National requires a certain amount of length, unless you putt lights out. Morikawa might be embedded in one of those putting weeks.

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