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Saudi World Golf Tour 2022/2023 Thread

Shorty said:
All Scottish links courses play LOL short when they are are baked out with no wind.
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I've been over a few times now,and this was by far the crispiest I've ever seen the courses play. To me, in normal conditions links courses are largely defenseless without wind or dense rough. Being as burned out as they are now actually gives them more teeth IMO because you never know when the ball will stop rolling. Carnoustie does't have many straight holes, so it will be amusing just watching guys trying to keep the ball in the fairway. The rough is pretty wispy this year, but just enough of it to make holding the already brick hard greens damn near impossible. I heard they were trying to get extra water on the greens the last couple weeks.
 
Rory says he's gonna just hit driver over all the bunkers and play from the rough, which he says is very manageable by Open standards. Not sure if that's the most prudent strategy at Car-nasty, but hey, if he drives it beautifully all week the way only Rory (and probably DJ) can when he's on, then he may just win another Jug. However, I just don't see him pulling it off because his short iron play has been middling at best for seemingly several years now. Just so erratic with his 8-PW. If he can find that deadly distance control though...

I personally like Fowler this week...think this could be the spot for him to finally break through. Didn't have his best on the weekend at Gullane and still hung around the top of the leader board due to his putting and scrambling. If he keeps it out of trouble off the tee, and continues to putt well, I like his chances. Also, gotta think a couple of old venerable, grizzled vets will pop up on the board, as is wont to happen at the Open. Thinking Tiger, Poults and Kuchar may be up there too.
 
16, 17, and 18 might be the three hardest finishing holes anywhere in the world. They’re certainly the three hardest I’ve ever played. The only harder par three than 16 might be the 16th at Cypress Point.
 
I think Ryan Fox will make some noise. He's been right there the last few weeks at the Irish and Scottish Opens.
 
Why the Deac Not said:
Rory says he's gonna just hit driver over all the bunkers and play from the rough, which he says is very manageable by Open standards. Not sure if that's the most prudent strategy at Car-nasty, but hey, if he drives it beautifully all week the way only Rory (and probably DJ) can when he's on, then he may just win another Jug. However, I just don't see him pulling it off because his short iron play has been middling at best for seemingly several years now. Just so erratic with his 8-PW. If he can find that deadly distance control though...

I personally like Fowler this week...think this could be the spot for him to finally break through. Didn't have his best on the weekend at Gullane and still hung around the top of the leader board due to his putting and scrambling. If he keeps it out of trouble off the tee, and continues to putt well, I like his chances. Also, gotta think a couple of old venerable, grizzled vets will pop up on the board, as is wont to happen at the Open. Thinking Tiger, Poults and Kuchar may be up there too.
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Fowler's 450 yard drive or whatever was ridiculous. He also hit an amazing bunker shot (on 1 on Sunday I think?) that was one of the best I have seen. Would love to see the guy do it.
 
deacondamo said:
Would love to see the guy do it.
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No one has been knocking on the door quite like Rickie...hope this is his time. Otherwise, he might could end up the next Lee Westwood or Steve Stricker. However, in his defense, he has a much more well-rounded game than those two. Although Strick should have won at Sahalee in '98.
 
Why the Deac Not said:
No one has been knocking on the door quite like Rickie...hope this is his time. Otherwise, he might could end up the next Lee Westwood or Steve Stricker. However, in his defense, he has a much more well-rounded game than those two. Although Strick should have won at Sahalee in '98.
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I think Fowler will get his sometime soon. He's too good and in position too often to not be the player who fires the great Sunday round and closes one out. He never seems to beat himself up over losses the way Sergio did, and he didn't have a glaring flaw in his game the way Westwood did (Putting and chipping).
 
Indeed LK, I echo those sentiments. I think Rickie's positive attitude could net him a couple majors over the next 1-3 years. He's a threat at the Masters as well now that Butch has helped him elevate his ball flight for that tourney. But he's also good at flighting his irons and has generally been a good wind player. This week, it doesn't appear the wind will howl like it can off the Firth of Tay(?)...more of a consistent 10-15 mph all week. Could be ideal for Rickie who can cut it over bunkers on some of the longer holes and then flight his irons off the short hole tees. I hope he leaves that "hot" 3W alone most of the week cuz you can't be hitting any running hooks on this fiery and ferocious layout (lots of trouble left as opposed to right).
 
Buttermaker said:
^ Carnoustie is considered a fader's course (for righties)?
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It's a course where the most severe trouble is left.

OB on 6, 7, 8, 14 and 18.

That said, the course has trouble out there on both sides on all holes. And unlike St. Andrews which has brilliant strategic bunkering, you can generally see all of the trouble at Carnoustie and it's very intimidating off the tee.
 
Earlier this year I discussed JT Poston and his journey on the PGA Tour with limited status. Well, last week at the Barbasol, he found lightning in a bottle.

He shot 66 on each of the last three days and earned a solo 5th, only two shots from a tie for first place.

He pretty much locked up a spot in the playoffs and full status for next year. He is currently #100 on the FedEx points list. The top 125 make the playoffs and have full status.
 
Is Bill at risk for losing his Tour Card this year? He's currently at 144 in the Fed Ex standings, but I'm not that familiar with the exemption rules.
 
TBDeac said:
Is Bill at risk for losing his Tour Card this year? He's currently at 144 in the Fed Ex standings, but I'm not that familiar with the exemption rules.
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I think so. He won the Tour Championship in 2011, but that brings a 3 year exemption, which expired long ago.

Players in the top 50 in career earnings get a one year exemption. Not sure if he qualifies for that.

Unless he gets in the top 125, Haas won't make the playoffs.

Recently, he has played in a bunch of events that he would normally skip (John Deere Classic and the Canadian Open), which leads me to believe that he is scrambling to climb up the rankings. His putter has deserted him. He has missed a ton of putts inside 10 feet this year. Seems like the accident has impacted him, both physically and mentally.
 
He needs to make something happen today to make the cut.

Anyone know why Wesley Bryan was DQed?
 
Buttermaker said:
He needs to make something happen today to make the cut.

Anyone know why Wesley Bryan was DQed?
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http://www.rotoworld.com/content/playerpages/playerbreakingnews.asp?sport=GOL&id=2473&line=55555&spln=1

This was the 28-year-old's 171st round in his second season on TOUR and the second time he's carded an 80 or worse. He shot a second-round, 11-over 83 at last year's U.S. Open in his major debut. After opening in even-par 72 (4 birdies, 2 bogeys, 1 double bogey-5), the South Carolina alum was 1-under thru six holes on Day 2, circling a 2 at 15, but then played holes 16-18 in 11-over, lowlighted by a one-putt 12 at the par-5 16th (three balls OB) and followed with a triple bogey-7 after another tee ball OB. He was going to miss the cut anyway, but then according to Bob Weeks, Golf Analyst for TSN, signed an incorrect scorecard (made 5 on the 5th hole and signed for a 4). This is Bryan's first DQ in his 54th career start. Jul. 27 - 3:04 pm et
 
Pilchard said:
I think so. He won the Tour Championship in 2011, but that brings a 3 year exemption, which expired long ago.

Players in the top 50 in career earnings get a one year exemption. Not sure if he qualifies for that.

Unless he gets in the top 125, Haas won't make the playoffs.

Recently, he has played in a bunch of events that he would normally skip (John Deere Classic and the Canadian Open), which leads me to believe that he is scrambling to climb up the rankings. His putter has deserted him. He has missed a ton of putts inside 10 feet this year. Seems like the accident has impacted him, both physically and mentally.
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He is 33rd. That is a one-time exemption, so if he needs it, hopefully he never will again. Rough year for him; he hadn't played great prior to the accident either. Hope he can turn it around and play well over the next 3 weeks.
 
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DJ just went birdie-birdie-eagle and is now in the lead at -17.
On the eagle hole, a par 5, his drive was 373 yds right in the fairway. Sick.
 
Royal Lytham has grown on me the more I've watched Opens there. And I'm gonna miss Firestone. Been there a couple of times and is a classic tree lined, traditional layout with a ton of history. I don't care about losing an Avenel, but Firestone is a big loss.
 
Interesting. I don’t care about Firestone at all. It’s a super boring cookie cutter course with little to no character. The only problem I have is that they aren’t replacing it with a course that’s any better.
 
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