2016 Golf thread

[Evil ... Thy name is Orville Redenbacher!!]

The season doesn't start until April (I don't care what you, the PGA, or anyone else says). This wraparound season is crap and I'm not tuning in until the Azaleas are in bloom...

To start the year, Fox has booted analyst Greg Norman from the booth.
Apparently he choked when it came to providing analysis ...

http://www.sbnation.com/golf/2016/1/18/10785470/greg-norman-fox-golf-us-open-analyst-paul-azinger?ref=yf

 

[playthrough]

A guy who suffered more major championship heartbreak than anyone gets handed a softball in DJ three-putting that last hole, and he offered nothing. Plus he was never going to eat and sleep that job, not with his business empire. They gotta get Azinger or someone with instant credibility.

Yep, can't wait for Augusta. Though a couple of the Cali stops should be pretty good too. The Phoenix Open on NBC will feel a little odd.

 

[da man]

Hey, I hear this Spieth kid is pretty good. You might want to keep an eye on him.

 

[hondo]

The season doesn't start until April (I don't care what you, the PGA, or anyone else says). This wraparound season is crap and I'm not tuning in until the Azaleas are in bloom...

To start the year, Fox has booted analyst Greg Norman from the booth.
Apparently he choked when it came to providing analysis ...

http://www.sbnation.com/golf/2016/1/18/10785470/greg-norman-fox-golf-us-open-analyst-paul-azinger?ref=yf

You can unilaterally declare the opening to the golf season any time you want but you're not the PGA Tour. It's their candy store. Most players like the wraparound season because there are more playing opportunities: kind of the PGA Tour's reason for being, because it's a 501 (c) (6) trade organization whose defined function is to set up business opportunities (tournaments) for its members (players). The fall events are a great way for rookies and journeymen to make some cash and when the big boys come out of the woodwork in January, they'll assume their rightful spots on top of the points list soon enough.

 

[Cosmo]

A lot of good young players got a chance to shine in the fall, too, and punched their tickets to Augusta. Fun to see guys like Smylie Kaufman and Emiliano Grillo get their chance. Bryson DeChambeau could be an instant star, too, the second he turns pro.

 

[Chef2]

The Phoenix Open on NBC will feel a little odd.

You know what will sound odder than that? Dottie Pepper at Augusta.

 

[Evil ... Thy name is Orville Redenbacher!!]

Rickie Fowler crapped his pants Sunday and lost in a playoff. Granted, he got a bad break, but man .... you got to close it out.
He took the loss hard, ending his post-tournament interview in tears.

Hideki Matsuyama beats Rickie Fowler in Phoenix Open playoff

I like Fowler, but he's a step back from Speith and whoever is this month's flavor for a rival ...

And Bubba Watson is still a petulant ****.

 

[Alma]

Fowler will do well to win one major in his pre-senior career. Might win 2.

 

[Alma]

I like Fowler, but he's a step back from Speith and whoever is this month's flavor for a rival...

McIlroy and Day are frankly Spieth's superiors from tee to green.

But Spieth last year turned into Crenshaw in some rounds as a putter.

That's the big 3, and Day might just be the best of them this year.

 

[qtlaw]

Fowler showed all the game needed to win a major yesterday, right up to when he stepped up to the tee on 17 and....hit it in the drink. Granted it was a bomb, a 360 yd drive but damn, with a 2 shot lead, he's got to take no worse than par and make Matsuyama catch him. Other than that though, Fowler showed he could bomb drives, hit crisp irons and make clutch putts (especially in the playof).

 

[Chef2]

If Fowler hits the same club he hit in regulation that he did on the 4th playoff hole, he would have won the tournament.
When I saw him step up with driver and aim down the left, I said "this is not going to end well......"
If you're going to hit driver there, aim middle of the green and make sure your miss is right........he had 9 miles of room to the right.
Hit 5-iron, wedge......just take bogey out of play.

 

[Captain_Kirk]

Have never been much of a Fowler fan, but his game is consistently getting there to where I'm kind of rooting for him to bring home a major, and wouldn't be surprised if he was able to do that in 2016.

On the flip side, he does seem at this point like a guy who's always way up there in the hunt for the big prizes, but just can't quite finish the deal. Tom Weiskopf comes to mind--someone who was just short of the all timers of the day, Nicklaus, Watson, etc.

 

[BitterYoungMatador2]

How many final round gag jobs does Fowler have? Has to be close to double-digits at this point.

 

[Evil ... Thy name is Orville Redenbacher!!]

McIlroy and Day are frankly Spieth's superiors from tee to green.

But Spieth last year turned into Crenshaw in some rounds as a putter.

That's the big 3, and Day might just be the best of them this year.

As much as a I like Day, the poor guy is injury-prone. There's a lot of potential but the window is closing.

I know McIlroy is on his way to 20 majors, but since he changed club makers his win production has dropped. Plus, his injury.
I'd love to see McIlroy and Speith become rivals.
Fowler is step behind DJ, another great player who can't close the deal.

 

[playthrough]

Fowler's win last year at The Players was damned impressive. I think he'll get a major soon but I'm dreading the golf media then starting up with the Big 4 jive.

 

[da man]

I love these "These Guys Are Good" stories:

Country star shares crazy golf story about Spieth

 

[qtlaw]

I love these "These Guys Are Good" stories:

Country star shares crazy golf story about Spieth

Best part of the local (sfgate.com) report about this was Owen and Spieth were discussing the Spieth bobblehead that's going to be given out Sat and Spieth said the bobblehead looked better than himself. How more self-deprecating can the guy be? He's too good to be true.

 

[old_tony]

Geez, Phil makes incredibly hard putts at 16 and 17, then lips out a much shorter and easier putt at 18 that would have forced a playoff at Pebble Beach.

Vaughn Taylor ends up with his first Tour win in 11 years. Holding his child and with his wife right there; she ends up crying on his shoulder. Pretty cool scene.

 

[Michael_ Gee]

I agree. OT. Phil's got plenty of wins. Nice to see the other guy get a win that mattered so much more to him.

 

[Webster]

I thought that Taylor was going to regret the missed putts on 17 and 18.

Contrary to Nantz's narrative, I think that he's happier that he gets his card for two years and a massive payday over playing the Masters this year.