PGA championship thread

[Alsacs]

It’s amazing how much of a machine Koepka has become in these majors.

Off to a hot start. -6 playing with Tiger and Molinari.

Tiger is tied for 15th at E thru 14.

 

[upperdeck]

crazy solid round today -7 and probably should have been lower

tiger was all over. had a great 4 hole stretch, but his distance control was all over and got away with some bad drives

 

[Newhouser]

The course isn't showing much fight.

 

[jncuse]

I just can't make sense of it with Koepka. He is having amongst the best ever stretches in major golf (say over a window of 8 majors played). and yet is just a good golfer on the regular events.

With his major achievements, he would be #1 in the world rankings if he played like the world #15 golfer in regular events.

Obviously better to be good in the majors than regular events, but I have never seen such an aberration.

 

[jncuse]

The course isn't showing much fight.

Maybe not for Koepka, but in general it certainly is.

16 players under par and 112 over par. That is course that is playing tough. And by the time the second wave is done it should be less than 16.

 

[Newhouser]

Maybe not for Koepka, but in general it certainly is.

16 players under par and 112 over par. That is course that is playing tough. And by the time the second wave is done it should be less than 16.

Ha thanks I hadn't seen scores meant to end with a question mark.

 

[rrlbees]

crazy solid round today -7 and probably should have been lower

tiger was all over. had a great 4 hole stretch, but his distance control was all over and got away with some bad drives

tiger should have played/practiced yesterday.

 

[MSOrange]

tiger should have played/practiced yesterday.

Sure looks like it. Koepka doesn't seem one to choke in the majors, so Tiger might have dug himself too big of a hole already but I will never put anything past him.

 

[CuseTG2003]

Maybe not for Koepka, but in general it certainly is.

16 players under par and 112 over par. That is course that is playing tough. And by the time the second wave is done it should be less than 16.

It can't be overstated how insanely difficult Bethpage Black is, even in perfect conditions. It'll be underappreciated because it's just the first round, but a 7-under, bogey-free round on that course w/ a major championship setup is historically good. If it's in the final round, that round's easily in contention for the greatest round ever w/ Johnny Miller's 63 at Oakmont in final round of the '73 U.S. Open.

 

[MSOrange]

It can't be overstated how insanely difficult Bethpage Black is, even in perfect conditions. It'll be underappreciated because it's just the first round, but a 7-under, bogey-free round on that course w/ a major championship setup is historically good. If it's in the final round, that round's easily in contention for the greatest round ever w/ Johnny Miller's 63 at Oakmont in final round of the '73 U.S. Open.

I'm sure Johnny would say the setup is not that hard because that's just how he rolls.

 

[CuseTG2003]

I'm sure Johnny would say the setup is not that hard because that's just how he rolls.

Ha! So true.

 

[PoppyHart]

I just can't make sense of it with Koepka. He is having amongst the best ever stretches in major golf (say over a window of 8 majors played). and yet is just a good golfer on the regular events.

With his major achievements, he would be #1 in the world rankings if he played like the world #15 golfer in regular events.

Obviously better to be good in the majors than regular events, but I have never seen such an aberration.

Winning a major can really throw people off sync. Maybe once someone ascends to that level, their perspective and value-system changes.

Going back to 2016:

Willett (0 PGA Tour wins): Post Masters Win OWGR = 9; Current OWGR = 88
Dustin (10 PGA Tour wins *since 16 US Open): Post US Open Win = 3; Current = 1
Stenson (1 PGA Tour win): Post Open Win = 5; Current = 40
Walker (0 PGA Tour wins: Post PGA Win = 15; Current = 107
Sergio (0 PGA Tour wins): Post Masters Win = 7; Current = 26
Brooks (1 non-major PGA Tour win) (2 other majors): Post '17 US Open Win = 10; Current = 3
Spieth (0 PGA Tour wins *since 17 Open): Post 17 Open Win = 2; Current = 39
Thomas (4 PGA Tour wins *since '17 PGA): Post PGA Win = 6; Current = 5
Reed (0 PGA Tour wins *since 18 Masters): Post Masters Win = 11; Current = 20
Molinari (1 PGA Tour win *since '18 Open): Post Open Win = 6; Current = 7
Woods* (0 PGA Tour wins): Post Masters Win = 6; Current = 6

In total, 17 non-major PGA Tour wins from the group since they won their first major during this time frame, 14 of which are from 2 people (DJ & JT); 5 people have experienced drastic drops in form (Willett, Walker, Stenson, Spieth, and perhaps Sergio); Somehow Reed is still 20th, but he's been a shell of himself for 13 months and will probably be in Spieth-land soon. Only Koepka has markedly improve his OWGR (from 10 to 3), while 4 have held essentially steady. With Tiger, of course, there are no data points since Augusta.

 

[Cowtown]

Winning a major can really throw people off sync. Maybe once someone ascends to that level, their perspective and value-system changes.

Going back to 2016:

Willett (0 PGA Tour wins): Post Masters Win OWGR = 9; Current OWGR = 88
Dustin (10 PGA Tour wins *since 16 US Open): Post US Open Win = 3; Current = 1
Stenson (1 PGA Tour win): Post Open Win = 5; Current = 40
Walker (0 PGA Tour wins: Post PGA Win = 15; Current = 107
Sergio (0 PGA Tour wins): Post Masters Win = 7; Current = 26
Brooks (1 non-major PGA Tour win) (2 other majors): Post '17 US Open Win = 10; Current = 3
Spieth (0 PGA Tour wins *since 17 Open): Post 17 Open Win = 2; Current = 39
Thomas (4 PGA Tour wins *since '17 PGA): Post PGA Win = 6; Current = 5
Reed (0 PGA Tour wins *since 18 Masters): Post Masters Win = 11; Current = 20
Molinari (1 PGA Tour win *since '18 Open): Post Open Win = 6; Current = 7
Woods* (0 PGA Tour wins): Post Masters Win = 6; Current = 6

In total, 17 non-major PGA Tour wins from the group since they won their first major during this time frame, 14 of which are from 2 people (DJ & JT); 5 people have experienced drastic drops in form (Willett, Walker, Stenson, Spieth, and perhaps Sergio); Somehow Reed is still 20th, but he's been a shell of himself for 13 months and will probably be in Spieth-land soon. Only Koepka has markedly improve his OWGR (from 10 to 3), while 4 have held essentially steady. With Tiger, of course, there are no data points since Augusta.

Just in fairness (and also because I like him), Jimmie Walker did contract Lyme disease.

 

[CuseTG2003]

Winning a major can really throw people off sync. Maybe once someone ascends to that level, their perspective and value-system changes.

Going back to 2016:

Willett (0 PGA Tour wins): Post Masters Win OWGR = 9; Current OWGR = 88
Dustin (10 PGA Tour wins *since 16 US Open): Post US Open Win = 3; Current = 1
Stenson (1 PGA Tour win): Post Open Win = 5; Current = 40
Walker (0 PGA Tour wins: Post PGA Win = 15; Current = 107
Sergio (0 PGA Tour wins): Post Masters Win = 7; Current = 26
Brooks (1 non-major PGA Tour win) (2 other majors): Post '17 US Open Win = 10; Current = 3
Spieth (0 PGA Tour wins *since 17 Open): Post 17 Open Win = 2; Current = 39
Thomas (4 PGA Tour wins *since '17 PGA): Post PGA Win = 6; Current = 5
Reed (0 PGA Tour wins *since 18 Masters): Post Masters Win = 11; Current = 20
Molinari (1 PGA Tour win *since '18 Open): Post Open Win = 6; Current = 7
Woods* (0 PGA Tour wins): Post Masters Win = 6; Current = 6

In total, 17 non-major PGA Tour wins from the group since they won their first major during this time frame, 14 of which are from 2 people (DJ & JT); 5 people have experienced drastic drops in form (Willett, Walker, Stenson, Spieth, and perhaps Sergio); Somehow Reed is still 20th, but he's been a shell of himself for 13 months and will probably be in Spieth-land soon. Only Koepka has markedly improve his OWGR (from 10 to 3), while 4 have held essentially steady. With Tiger, of course, there are no data points since Augusta.

Good stuff. It’s crazy how far Spieth’s fallen. I don’t feel bad for Danny Willett one bit.

 

[orangenauburn]

I mean, I could see Tiger going 3 or 4 under tomorrow to get back under and Koepka going a couple over to close the distance going into the weekend. But at this point I think it's Koepkas to lose

 

[MSOrange]

Good stuff. It’s crazy how far Spieth’s fallen. I don’t feel bad for Danny Willett one bit.

What's wrong with Willett? Is he a jerk? I don't have strong feelings one way or the other about him so just curious.

 

[CuseTG2003]

What's wrong with Willett? Is he a jerk? I don't have strong feelings one way or the other about him so just curious.

Nothing really. His bro did make some disparaging comments about American golf crowds (some truth) after he won the Masters but I shouldn’t hold that against him. Just never been a fan.

 

[Cowtown]

What's wrong with Willett? Is he a jerk? I don't have strong feelings one way or the other about him so just curious.

After he won the Masters a few friends followed him for several holes at another tournament the next year and that was the impression they gave me. Maybe it was just a bad day. Who knows?

 

[jncuse]

It can't be overstated how insanely difficult Bethpage Black is, even in perfect conditions. It'll be underappreciated because it's just the first round, but a 7-under, bogey-free round on that course w/ a major championship setup is historically good. If it's in the final round, that round's easily in contention for the greatest round ever w/ Johnny Miller's 63 at Oakmont in final round of the '73 U.S. Open.

I think you overstating the difficulty of Bethpage Black. You seem to suggest based on the above, and maybe I am misreading you, that Bethpage Black is more difficult than Oakmont.

It's a very tough course, certainly harder than the average major.. There are many championship venues that are just as tough and some are tougher including Oakmont and Carnoustie. (Carnoustie last year had weather issues that made their rough benign)

Today, 1/4 of the field that is out in the morning is breaking par... unusual for a regular event, but not that unusual for a major event.

 

[CuseTG2003]

I didn’t mean to say Bethpage Black is more difficult than Oakmont. Just that it’s really tough and Brooks’s round was really impressive.

 

[Fat tire 13]

Koepka birdies the first 2 holes - this guy is unreal

 

[jncuse]

Koepka at -9 (4 shots ahead). -2 through 2 holes, and he might get even more ahead.

Don't mind if Koepka wins, just want to keep it closer.

 

[bpo57]

Ya gotta love the current headline on espn.com: Tiger looking to gain ground in Round 2.

lol he's 13 strokes behind Keopka.

 

[PoppyHart]

Koepka at -9 (4 shots ahead). -2 through 2 holes, and he might get even more ahead.

Don't mind if Koepka wins, just want to keep it closer.

5-7 shot win would be boring. But if he could lap the field like Pebble in 2000 that would be well worth it.

 

[Alsacs]

I think you overstating the difficulty of Bethpage Black. You seem to suggest based on the above, and maybe I am misreading you, that Bethpage Black is more difficult than Oakmont.

It's a very tough course, certainly harder than the average major.. There are many championship venues that are just as tough and some are tougher including Oakmont and Carnoustie. (Carnoustie last year had weather issues that made their rough benign)

Today, 1/4 of the field that is out in the morning is breaking par... unusual for a regular event, but not that unusual for a major event.

It’s not that difficult a course for these pros. I am hack golfer and I shot 88 on Bethpage Black. Now I didn’t have the deep rough but for these pros who can fade/draw it’s not hard. The hardest part of Bethpage for me was not many of the tee shots were straight it had a lot of dogleg tee shots and that killed me. I made an 8( it played as a par 5 for us hacks) on number 7 because of that tee shot.