PGA Tour Thread

Panrich · 03-03-2014 11:32AM

His course management in the final round was not great. He was standing in the bunker on 16 with a two shot lead and should never have brought the water into play.

rrpc · 03-03-2014 12:46PM

Panrich wrote: »

His course management in the final round was not great. He was standing in the bunker on 16 with a two shot lead and should never have brought the water into play.

I'm not sure you can play a second shot on 16 without the water being in play. There's no real lay-up and it's a par 4 hole.

You have to go for it.

bobwilliams · 03-03-2014 01:10PM

rrpc wrote: »

I'm not sure you can play a second shot on 16 without the water being in play. There's no real lay-up and it's a par 4 hole.

You have to go for it.

you never have to go for it,if it was plugged would he 'have to go for it ?'
no he wouldn't.
That said, he hit a great fairway bunker shot earlier,this one was sitting down a bit more and watching it I thought he could have knocked it to the left leaving himself a wedge in.

rrpc · 03-03-2014 01:47PM

bobwilliams wrote: »

you never have to go for it,if it was plugged would he 'have to go for it ?'
no he wouldn't.
That said, he hit a great fairway bunker shot earlier,this one was sitting down a bit more and watching it I thought he could have knocked it to the left leaving himself a wedge in.

No guarantee you're going to get your par though, probably a less risky shot if your ball is plugged but there's no fairway up the left side so you actually don't get any closer to the hole playing in that direction. I think it's much the same yardage as from where he dropped (about 170 yards) and you're still over water.

Leslie91 · 03-03-2014 01:47PM

kingshankly wrote: »

He's the most talented golfer on the planet in every aspect apart from between his ears

I would argue his biggest issue is his putting.

Someone like GMac would have got the eagle putt on 18, he has it when it is needed most, unlike Rory.

But only Rory can hit that 2nd shot into 18.

rrpc · 03-03-2014 01:58PM

Leslie91 wrote: »

I would argue his biggest issue is his putting.

Someone like GMac would have got the eagle putt on 18, he has it when it is needed most, unlike Rory.

But only Rory can hit that 2nd shot into 18.

His putting is just a small bit off. On Saturday there were at least four holes that putts came as close to dropping as they could without actually doing it.

Sunday, I didn't see enough of his game, but there were a lot of close ones including that one on the eighteenth to win the match.

It's improved a lot from last year, but he needs a bit more work to get those marginal ones to sink for him. He also needs to get his irons closer to the pin and take some of the pressure off his putting. Too many 20+ footers in his game.

Russman · 03-03-2014 02:00PM

rrpc wrote: »

I'm not sure you can play a second shot on 16 without the water being in play. There's no real lay-up and it's a par 4 hole.

You have to go for it.

Tour players rarely "go for it" though, in terms of yardage. They usually know they either have a club for the distance or they don't. There's not usually an element of hope with their shots, unless you're Mickleson

.
It was a fairly bog standard, for him, mid-iron fairway bunker shot of whatever it was, 197yds or something. He just hit it heavy. Probably a mental error as the commentators remarked that he took a couple more looks than normal, so he may not have been really dialled in on the target.

Keano · 03-03-2014 02:03PM

Anyone question his putting must have not watched the first 2 rounds!!!

I would hope most of those posting here actually play the game, when stuff is going wrong, no matter how good you are, it's very hard to dig yourself out of the hole.

Russman · 03-03-2014 02:27PM

rrpc wrote: »

Too many 20+ footers in his game.

The leader on the PGA tour for Proximity to the Hole is averaging over 31 feet so far this season. For the 2013 season only one player averaged under 32 feet. We need to be careful we don't expect too much.

Rory is playing fine this year, he's probably a bit too streaky with the putter, but nobody has ever been brilliant at all aspects of golf.

soundsham · 03-03-2014 02:32PM

One 3 putt in over 10 rounds of golf
I echo the poster earlier regarding his putting it's very good
Least putts ever in 1st 2 rounds since he came on tour
He will win plenty this year

big_drive · 03-03-2014 05:46PM

Final round was poor but I wouldn't be worried. I think he's in great form, can see a few big wins this year. Early season has never been his best time

Great to see such improvements in his putting, that could be the most vital thing for rest of year

GS11 · 04-03-2014 02:54PM

I think their is a bit of an issue with him closing out tournaments, he was up against a bunch of young lads, he's no woods in that regard.

FixdePitchmark · 04-03-2014 03:05PM

GS11 wrote: »

I think their is a bit of an issue with him closing out tournaments, he was up against a bunch of young lads, he's no woods in that regard.

Yes he seems to be too up and down emotionally - that is not how the top lads are in any sport.

I think he will win them generally by being so far ahead , it will not come into play.

Or , he will get a guru on board.

Russman · 04-03-2014 07:46PM

FixdePitchmark wrote: »

Yes he seems to be too up and down emotionally - that is not how the top lads are in any sport.

I think he will win them generally by being so far ahead , it will not come into play.

Or , he will get a guru on board.

Ahh I don't know, he seemed on a fairly even keel on Sunday IMO.
We can't expect them all to be robots or every player to follow the Woods template. I'm not sure genius like his can necessarily be, what's the word, controlled ? tamed ?, something like that anyway. He's still young too. I think a player who is probably more "talent" than "science" will always have few car crashes along the way.

IMO he's fine under the kosh, look at how he won the DP World Champ in Dubai or the one of those FedEx playoffs back in 2012 (can't remember which one). Or even the final round in Kiawah when he was gaining that 8 shot lead. Its unlikely any player will ever reach Tiger's record for closing out tournaments. Before Sunday he was 5 wins from 8 times leading after round 3, not too bad.

getoffthepot · 04-03-2014 08:36PM

GS11 wrote: »

I think their is a bit of an issue with him closing out tournaments, he was up against a bunch of young lads, he's no woods in that regard.

I'd agree.
Not good under pressure. Never a good each way bet either. Good out of the traps, 1st round, 2nd round, rarely performs at the weekend. Putts don't go in on Sundays.
McIlroy v Scott in Australia Tourney pre Xmas - Both threw it at each other down the stretch!

bobwilliams · 04-03-2014 09:29PM

getoffthepot wrote: »

I'd agree.
Not good under pressure. Never a good each way bet either. Good out of the traps, 1st round, 2nd round, rarely performs at the weekend. Putts don't go in on Sundays.
McIlroy v Scott in Australia Tourney pre Xmas - Both threw it at each other down the stretch!

do you actually really follow/play golf and have you ever looked up his results and the consistency he has shown since turning pro or are you just trolling?

please tell me you're trolling

PARlance · 04-03-2014 09:44PM

GS11 wrote: »

I think their is a bit of an issue with him closing out tournaments, he was up against a bunch of young lads, he's no woods in that regard.

Since the Masters Meltdown and Sunday, he won all 4 tournaments were he held the 54 hole lead.

The masters was a meltdown but I think that was a once off from a kid who has learned a lot since.

He played poor golf on Sunday and still nearly won, I don't think it had anything to do with a mental frailty that an issue with "closing out tournaments" suggests. He just played fairly crap imo.

I would echo what Russman said.
Don't expect another Tiger Woods anytime soon.

Slicemeister · 04-03-2014 10:17PM

If his bad round is 4 over on a course where only one of the four in the playoff went sub-par on Sunday (17 only in total went sub-par), so be it.
I wouldn't by any stretch say it was a melt down,I applaud him for taking on that bunker shot on the 16th.

Only criticism is I think he went too defensive early on in the round as opposed to saving the safety golf for the back 9 with the hard work done.

Rikand · 04-03-2014 10:32PM

53/53 on putts inside 5 feet for the week.

AWFUL PUTTER!

getoffthepot · 05-03-2014 02:46PM

bobwilliams wrote: »

do you actually really follow/play golf and have you ever looked up his results and the consistency he has shown since turning pro or are you just trolling?

please tell me you're trolling

It didn't surprise me that he folded at the weekend so I think that pretty much says it all.

Rikand · 05-03-2014 03:22PM

getoffthepot wrote: »

It didn't surprise me that he folded at the weekend so I think that pretty much says it all.

so it would have surprised you had he kicked on to win the tournament?

SnowDrifts · 05-03-2014 03:52PM

Fairly surprising that they managed to do a complete revamp of Doral in less than a year. Money gets things done fast! "Every blade of grass on the entire course has been replaced".

http://www1.skysports.com/golf/news/12177/9196964/wgc-cadillac-explosive-changes-at-doral-should-produce-a-classic-tournament

getoffthepot · 05-03-2014 04:50PM

Rikand wrote: »

so it would have surprised you had he kicked on to win the tournament?

That's like asking 'are you surprised it didn't rain today?'

Rory's Choke was not a surprise. What makes it even worse is that the rest of them were throwing it at him as well. To lose 6 shots in 12 holes is a choke.

SnowDrifts · 05-03-2014 05:23PM

Woods to play this week at Doral. Surely will be difficult for him to defend his title considering his lack of practice rounds and a totally revamped course.

http://hotlinks.golf.com/2014/03/05/agent-says-tiger-healthy-enough-to-compete-at-highest-level-at-doral/

He’s playing.

Last seen walking off the course with a bad back at PGA National during the final round of the Honda Classic, Tiger Woods will return Thursday to defend his WGC Cadillac Championship at Doral, according to his manager, Mark Steinberg.

Woods, who is at Doral on Wednesday for his media conference, passed on a morning practice round, but Steinberg said Woods will be healthy enough to play the event, according to a tweet from ESPN’s Bob Harig.

“Wouldn’t be coming down if he didn’t intend to compete at highest level,” Steinberg said of Woods.

Doral is a favorite of Woods, who has won four times here, but he has not played the course since the extensive Donald Trump-led redesign last year. In addition to defending his title, Woods could have extra motivation this week as Adam Scott is slowly creeping up on Woods’ No. 1 ranking. If Adam Scott wins this week and Woods finishes outside the top seven, Scott would take over the No. 1 spot from Woods.

Woods is expected to speak with the media at Doral on Wednesday afternoon.

bobwilliams · 05-03-2014 05:24PM

getoffthepot wrote: »

That's like asking 'are you surprised it didn't rain today?'

Rory's Choke was not a surprise. What makes it even worse is that the rest of them were throwing it at him as well. To lose 6 shots in 12 holes is a choke.

my issue was with your initial post where you were going on about him not being consistant.
So I urge you to increase your knowledge base before posting such drival again by visiting both pgatour.com and europeantour.com and have a study of McElroys results since he turned pro.

PLease do that and stop trolling.

josie19 · 05-03-2014 05:32PM

For all the greatness of Arnold Palmer with 7 major wins - he was also known as quite the choker.

1961 US Masters leading by 1 shot in the middle of the 18th fairway. He proceeded to make a double bogey and hand the tournament to Gary Player.

1962 he lost the US Open in a playoff

1963 he lost the US Open in a playoff

And the best known of all:

1966 leading the US Open by 7 shots starting the back 9 proceeded to lose it to Billy Casper.

All golfers will throw away winning positions at some time or another. Even Tiger threw one away against Zack Johnson recently and who would have believed that YE Yang would come from behind to beat woods in the 2009 PGA Championship.

Over a long career players are remembered for what they win - not what they should have won. Rory is only starting his career at a tender age of 24. Whoever said he was the next Tiger?

getoffthepot · 05-03-2014 05:32PM

bobwilliams wrote: »

my issue was with your initial post where you were going on about him not being consistant.
So I urge you to increase your knowledge base before posting such drival again by visiting both pgatour.com and europeantour.com and have a study of McElroys results since he turned pro.

PLease do that and stop trolling.

I didn't use the word 'consistent'
The stat that counts is 'wins' and for the immense talent he has he doesn't convert when it comes to the finish.

Johnny_Fontane · 05-03-2014 06:03PM

Mcilroy is ironing out a few wrinkles in his game, he hasnt won on US soil for a while, but his results this year have been good so far. Sure he probably threw away the honda, but I think he's shown that he can overcome results like this. He has not become a bad golfer because his missed an 11 footer on 18 last week.

this talk of mcilroy choking is misplaced. If he was doing this consistently and had never won a major, you'd say its a problem (a bit like harrington with all those second places for years). but hes a 24 year old double major winner.

that finish at the honda is vicious. It puts into perspective how well rory played two years ago after woods shot 62 and he parred his way in.

Seve OB · 05-03-2014 06:18PM

Johnny_Fontane wrote: »

this talk of mcilroy choking is misplaced.

were you even watching??????

he totally choked

josie19 · 05-03-2014 06:21PM

stevieob wrote: »

were you even watching??????

he totally choked

The shot on 18 with a 5 wood to 11 feet was not the shot of a choker.

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