2024 PGA Tour

[Cowtown]

Bryson hits 6 iron into the 630 yd green. Remember 30 years ago when John Daly was the only person who could hit the 601 yd hole at Bethpage, with a 3 wood. Good to hear that the USGA is going to dial back the driver. Not sure why they don't do the same with the golf ball, which would not affect less than elite players.

Ah yes, "levelling." Aka, "golf socialism," legislating equality rather than simply allowing the best to excel through competition. May I also say It was thrilling to watch Brian Harman (read: rarely hits driver over 300 yards) win at Royal Liverpool last year.

 

[upperdeck]

its not about leveling the players irts about leveling the courses. for the avg player we move up tees, but pros take away the ability of courses to defend with length

 

[Oakland]

Ah yes, "levelling." Aka, "golf socialism," legislating equality rather than simply allowing the best to excel through competition. May I also say It was thrilling to watch Brian Harman (read: rarely hits driver over 300 yards) win at Royal Liverpool last year.

You can't design a golf ball that Harman can hit as far as Bryson.

I'll argue that the longer ball/driver has leveled the playing field because the driving length has increased more than the length of the holes. 30 years ago, only John Daly could get on a 600 yd hole in two, now there are 30+ players who can; in general, holes can not be lengthened to 700+ yds.

 

[Cowtown]

You can't design a golf ball that Harman can hit as far as Bryson.

I'll argue that the longer ball/driver has leveled the playing field because the driving length has increased more than the length of the holes. 30 years ago, only John Daly could get on a 600 yd hole in two, now there are 30+ players who can; in general, holes can not be lengthened to 700+ yds.

I'm not certain the length issue is actually a problem, or at least one that can be addressed pragmatically. First and foremost, it's really all about the money. If the R&A, the PGA and the USGA all get together to restrict drivers or the ball, several things will happen. Recreational players like me will stop watching and/or attending, correctly sensing there's no longer a connection between the pros and the game we play.

Also, pros get paid a lot of money to use/endorse certain lines of equipment/play certain balls, and if they stop, it will have an impact on the producers' income, and thus the players.

Furthermore, the lawsuits will begin almost immediately, in a theatre that's already plagued by big money interests fighting it out in boardrooms. Again, the playing public will lose interest.

Do you think such a move will not immediately drive dozens of more players to the LIV, rendering the PGA and the DPW tours unto triple-A status while the real stars are now at LIV? Does anyone think Peacock or someone like them won't suddenly jump ship?

And finally, who said the course must be able to defend itself? Where does that idea come from? A bunch of ossified, knee-jerk reactionaries whose playing experience is no longer relevant and are perversely leading the revolt against the future? I never liked Jack Nicklaus in the first place, and still don't care for anything he has to say. It would be pure poetry, a monument to the pursuit of policy contrary to self interest, if he and his ilk led the charge that killed the goose that lays the golden eggs because they resent that the game has passed them by in their decline.

BTW, this is not a shot at you Oakland, just all IMHO.

 

[jncuse]

Talking about the terrible breaks this course can give you at times -- a really bad one to Rory that might have cost him the US Open)... not only by going off the green but then into basically a sand "divot:/depression.

 

[Cowtown]

Talking about the terrible breaks this course can give you at times -- a really bad one to Rory that might have cost him the US Open)... not only by going off the green but then into basically a sand "divot:/depression.

Agreed. But I once heard a golf pundit say, "That's why it's golf, and not chess."

 

[djcon57]

Talking about the terrible breaks this course can give you at times -- a really bad one to Rory that might have cost him the US Open)... not only by going off the green but then into basically a sand "divot:/depression.

For Rory to bogey and Bryson to par seemed unfair. But that’s the us open.

 

[Symphony Steve]

OK, now we're having fun. It'd be ironic if DeChambeau's showing-off cost him the tourney.

 

[jncuse]

In the words of my strange high school teacher when he would work through a Calculus problem:

"This is Good Stuff"

 

[Symphony Steve]

Don't know what the over/under was on how many times the announcers would tout just how much DeChambeau engages the fans and has now been reborn as a Great Guy.

But I, for one, am sick of it.

 

[jncuse]

Winning the PGA changes the perspective on Xander.

Otherwise we'd be saying how this is another classic backing into a top 5'ish finish for Xander after he played himself out of it prior to today.

 

[jncuse]

Dechambeau finally had a poor drive find some real danger and it cost him.
Then he follows it up with a remarkable drive on the driveable par 4.

Should be a good ending.

 

[jncuse]

Rory won 4 majors over the course of 15 events in 2011-2014. In the 11 events he did not win, the best he did was a 8th. He was top 10 only 40% of the time. So when he contended he won -- twice very convincingly (11 US, 12 PGA)

Its been 38 majors since he last won. In those 38 majors, he has been top ten 20 times (53%), and top five 10 times. Both very strong marks. He has earned a shot at another major.

Will he pull it off?

 

[jncuse]

Both missing short putts. Yikes.

Playoff coming?

 

[jncuse]

Enough crazy **** could still happen that Finau hitting that birdie, and posting at -4 could still win.

I'd throw 5 bucks down on him in live betting, if I still bet on golf. Live odds have Finau at 200-1.

 

[kirbivore]

Rory is a choke artist

 

[Symphony Steve]

Rory--The Choke Artist of Choke Artists.

 

[kirbivore]

Rory gave it away and Bryson took it

 

[Guinness]

Rory won 4 majors over the course of 15 events in 2011-2014. In the 11 events he did not win, the best he did was a 8th. He was top 10 only 40% of the time. So when he contended he won -- twice very convincingly (11 US, 12 PGA)

Its been 38 majors since he last won. In those 38 majors, he has been top ten 20 times (53%), and top five 10 times. Both very strong marks. He has earned a shot at another major.

Will he pull it off?

Hard to say he didn't choke. Missed 2 three footers.

 

[Guinness]

It's crap like this that makes you miss Tiger even more.

 

[SWC75]

Both players tried to blow this. Rory did a better job of it.

 

[Symphony Steve]

Post-tourney prediction:

Rory's wife ditches him--this time for good.

Amanda says, "Sorry, chump, this bod's not for losers."

And--"I'm gonna ring up Bryson's private number--unless all those steroids have caused him permanent shrinkage."

 

[jncuse]

Its been 38 majors since he last won. In those 38 majors, he has been top ten 20 times (53%), and top five 10 times. Both very strong marks. He has earned a shot at another major.

Will he pull it off?

Nope. This one might scar him for a while.
I don't dislike Bryson as much as others, but was hoping Rory would pull it off.

 

[jncuse]

Both players tried to blow this. Rory did a better job of it.

Dechambeau did have a really clutch up and down to win.
But he had a number of other follies.

 

[MSOrange]

Dechambeau did have a really clutch up and down to win.
But he had a number of other follies.

Agree. I prefer when a player wins it rather than someone loses it, and you can say that happened with how Bryson got up and down on 18. But geez Rory - hard to say missing that putt after a great chip was anything but choking.