2024 PGA Tour

[UpstateSM]

I think this tournament might be a banger

 

[jncuse]

Playing tough enough... only four players at -2 or above as the morning wave is almost done. 15 out of 78 players under par - so probably close to normal (recent exceptions being Congressional, LACC, and Erin Hills)

I suspect this will be a normal Open, with the winning score will come in somewhere between E and -5.

 

[jncuse]

Tough rounds out there for some pretty good players - Thomas +7, Theegala +7. You can't win a tournament on day 1, but you can lose a tournament.

Only ahead of Phil Mickelson -- even happier with that knob falling apart (and its far beyond LIV) -- and Matteo Manassero (he's still around!)

 

[UpstateSM]

I'd die for Ludvig

 

[PoppyHart]

Eldrick currently T-122.

 

[UpstateSM]

There's no way that people actually like Bryson

 

[Symphony Steve]

There's no way that people actually like Bryson

Now that Phil has become little more than a novelty, there's nobody I dislike more than DeChambeau.

He could do well tomorrow with an early tee time and (presumably) more favorable conditions. But I have to think there's a triple bogey awaiting him somewhere that will take him out of contention.

 

[UpstateSM]

Now that Phil has become little more than a novelty, there's nobody I dislike more than DeChambeau.

He could do well tomorrow with an early tee time and (presumably) more favorable conditions. But I have to think there's a triple bogey awaiting him somewhere that will take him out of contention.

His YouTube stuff is getting people in my generation and younger on his side, I think. But just everything he does bothers me.

Agree on your second paragraph and think it applies to Rory, too. I can't believe he went bogey free today.

 

[CuseTroop]

Now that Phil has become little more than a novelty, there's nobody I dislike more than DeChambeau.

He could do well tomorrow with an early tee time and (presumably) more favorable conditions. But I have to think there's a triple bogey awaiting him somewhere that will take him out of contention.

His YouTube stuff is getting people in my generation and younger on his side, I think. But just everything he does bothers me.

Agree on your second paragraph and think it applies to Rory, too. I can't believe he went bogey free today.

Ughh Circa had a line for "Upstate and Steve getting along before Sunday" at +1350, I ALMOST added it to my parlay

 

[Symphony Steve]

Ughh Circa had a line for "Upstate and Steve getting along before Sunday" at +1350, I ALMOST added it to my parlay

At my age, I don't need to add to the long list of enemies I've successfully made in my lifetime.

 

[kirbivore]

Scottie won't be able to rip birdies to play catch up at this event and there's too many people between him and the leaders. You can't win a major on day 1 but you can lose it.

 

[UpstateSM]

Famous last words but Scottie is done. I can't believe how openly frustrated he is.

 

[jncuse]

If Scottie can get a birdie to close and get to +2 he might still be in contention (which might be tough given his frustration)... as would any good golfer at +2. There will only be a dozen or so golfers under par.

Anyone who is +2 or above will still be in contention heading into the weekend. One round of 66 or 67 on Saturday, and they pass a whole bunch of people.

 

[jncuse]

Eldrick currently T-122.

Given that almost half the field had yet to play 9 holes when you posted that, you jumped the gun a bit in posting rankings for a course that makes scores go backwards.

He finished two shots ahead of what T-122 was (74 vs 76) and at T-86. It's a fairly big difference considering that the cut line was 72, It's not good either. But its within breathing distance of the cut, which is satisfactory especially given how much he plays.

You can't expect Tiger to win or compete at this point is - I think most have moved beyond that (although you still hear some). Many golfers at the US open are in the same situation. But he is not at a ceremonial golfer level yet either like Arnold Palmer. You hope that one major he has an aberration like Jack did in the 1998 Masters where he competes into Saturday.

 

[kirbivore]

You can't expect Tiger to win or compete at this point is - I think most have moved beyond that (although you still hear some). Many golfers at the US open are in the same situation. But he is not at a ceremonial golfer level yet either like Arnold Palmer. You hope that one major he has an aberration like Jack did in the 1986 Masters where he competes into Saturday.

With all the punishment he's inflicted upon himself I think Tiger's 2019 Masters win at age 43 was that aberration.

 

[jncuse]

Tough rounds out there for some pretty good players - Thomas +7, Theegala +7. You can't win a tournament on day 1, but you can lose a tournament.

Only ahead of Phil Mickelson -- even happier with that knob falling apart (and its far beyond LIV) -- and Matteo Manassero (he's still around!)

Quite a turnaround by Theegala.

+7 yesterday (somewhere around 140th I would think).
-5 under through 13 holes today, and is now 28th.

Tiger has been fairly dialed in the last 3 or 4 holes, but can't hit the birdie putt that would likely be enough to make the cut.

 

[UpstateSM]

The announcer walking with Ludvig's group might be the biggest idiot I've ever heard announce a sport

 

[PoppyHart]

Another MC for Eldrick.

Can’t wait for Royal Troon and the talk about how he can still win if everything aligns.

 

[Symphony Steve]

Another MC for Eldrick.

Can’t wait for Royal Troon and the talk about how he can still win if everything aligns.

Tirico made an interesting point yesterday: They can make the course even more diabolical over the weekend b/c they don''t have to worry about getting 156 golfers through each day.

 

[jncuse]

With all the punishment he's inflicted upon himself I think Tiger's 2019 Masters win at age 43 was that aberration.

I think you missed my point a bit. The aberration wasn't Jack's 1986 win. I was looking at Jack's 1998 sixth place finish, at age 58 (ranked #300 in the world. It was out of nowhere -- where we still wasn't that close in the end. He had not had a top 25 in his past 31 major events at that point, but typically hung around the cut line in most events. It was a surprise. I think that's the best we can expect from Tiger who is hanging around cut lines right now... A surprising one off top 10 finish, where he is "competing" but no chance at the win either. (That being said it might be harder to do in the 2020's vs the 1990's, and Jack was probably healthier relative to the field)

Tiger's 2019 Masters was in no way a surprise. He was 12th in the world before the event. In the 2 previous majors, he had competed strongly (2nd and 6th). He had also won the 2018 Tour Championship and was dominant at the President's Cup.
.

 

[jncuse]

Another MC for Eldrick.

Can’t wait for Royal Troon and the talk about how he can still win if everything aligns.

I think you are creating a bit of narrative that doesn't really exist much at this point.

Are there many experts / golf analysts that are saying Tiger has any chance to realistically win at this point? Can't be very many. Might find it a bit more amongst casual golf observers. but even they are seemingly limited.

Tiger says he can still win when asked the question (with a little more humility than before, when he had none) - that's what you would expect from an uber competitive person. Jack was the same way,

 

[jncuse]

Tirico made an interesting point yesterday: They can make the course even more diabolical over the weekend b/c they don''t have to worry about getting 156 golfers through each day.

I'm fine with the way the course is setup. The course is a little firmer and baked as each day passes, so it will play harder just because of those factors.

I don't think they need to trick the flag positions any more. Sometimes that makes things too random in terms of what it rewards. I would be fine if they play around with some of the tee-off positions. (distance or angles to hit the fairway)

 

[jncuse]

Did a quick calculation looking at the current scores (34 over after 136 holes) and the scoring average is currently 74.8 (+4.8).

4 under par, 16 players over par.

 

[kirbivore]

I think you are creating a bit of narrative that doesn't really exist much at this point.

Are there many experts / golf analysts that are saying Tiger has any chance to realistically win at this point? Can't be very many. Might find it a bit more amongst casual golf observers. but even they are seemingly limited.

Tiger says he can still win when asked the question (with a little more humility than before, when he had none) - that's what you would expect from an uber competitive person. Jack was the same way,

It's mostly the annoying fanboys at this point.

 

[jncuse]

It's mostly the annoying fanboys at this point.

Its more haters searching for stuff to hate on in my view. (not labelling you in that category). Tiger has both sides of the equation.

Some went nuts when Tiger was granted a US open exemption for example. Or they revel in the struggles of his son.