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Joel_Stewart

  • Karma: +0/-0
$51,000 for last place
« on: January 07, 2007, 11:03:48 PM »
The PGA tour is off to a boring start.  I notice former Open Champion Ben Curtis won $51,000 for dead last spot in a tournament with no cut.  Can't wait for the FedEx.

Matt_Cohn

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re:$51,000 for last place
« Reply #1 on: January 07, 2007, 11:32:59 PM »
Joel,

Just curious what you found boring - it seemed like a reasonable start with a good golf course, intereseting weather, and some decent storylines like Singh, Scott, and MacKenzie. It could have been closer at the end I suppose.

Did it just seem boring compared to all the buildup and hype?

I'll be the first to say that I found Golf Channel's buildup to Appleby's fourpeat quest very overdone.

Matthew Hunt

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re:$51,000 for last place
« Reply #2 on: January 08, 2007, 05:06:07 AM »
The PGA tour is off to a boring start.  I notice former Open Champion Ben Curtis won $51,000 for dead last spot in a tournament with no cut.  Can't wait for the FedEx.

Good if I got invited they would pay me what is a years wages for a lot of people ;D

Don_Mahaffey

Re:$51,000 for last place
« Reply #3 on: January 08, 2007, 07:34:45 AM »
Matthew,
All you have to do to get invited is win a tour event. :)

Matthew Hunt

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re:$51,000 for last place
« Reply #4 on: January 08, 2007, 08:19:14 AM »
Easy Don, Easy ;D

They all seemed to tie up with my Sunday Sweeps!

JR Potts

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re:$51,000 for last place
« Reply #5 on: January 08, 2007, 09:33:51 AM »
Yeah, I can see why they need the Fed-Ex Cup.  The guys in the top 50 don't have enough money earning advantages over the other guys on Tour. ::)

It's becoming near impossible to for a young or journeymen pros (read Tom Lehman) to make a splash.  As far as I'm concerned, that's too bad.
« Last Edit: January 08, 2007, 09:53:16 AM by Ryan Potts »

JohnV

Re:$51,000 for last place
« Reply #6 on: January 08, 2007, 09:46:35 AM »
It's become near impossible to for a young or journeymen pros (read Tom Lehman) to make a splash.  As far as I'm concerned, that's too bad.

I have to disagree with you on that Ryan.

Three of the guys who played this weekend were Nationwide Tour grads from 2005, 3 more were Q-School grads and another 6 were there for their first win on tour.  Hardly a lack of opportunity for them to get there.

As Al Davis used to say, "Just win baby".

JR Potts

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re:$51,000 for last place
« Reply #7 on: January 08, 2007, 09:55:09 AM »
John:  Don't you think those days are over?

How many real money events are now available to Q-School grads or Nationwide grads?  And how many events give the top 30ish PGA earnings for showing up?

I say not enough and too many!


JESII

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re:$51,000 for last place
« Reply #8 on: January 08, 2007, 10:17:52 AM »
Ryan,

Make a splash? Or, make a living?

The whole concept of 200+ exempt players when each field is 150 never made much sense to me...and now the Tour tries to pressure the top players to play more to make the "playoff"...it certainly will limit the momentum a journeyman type might make in their first year, but it does not eliminate it...and look at the money these guys are able to make otherwise...what did #20 make last year?

George Pazin

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re:$51,000 for last place
« Reply #9 on: January 08, 2007, 10:26:39 AM »
Seems to me there are as many new young guns and older journeyman breaking in as ever. The amazing thing to me, watching q school, was how many proven winners - multiple winners and major winners - were getting squeezed out.

Who even watches the pro tour anymore, outside of the majors and a small thimbleful of events? Is there anyone - I mean even one single poster - who's interested in the Fedex Cup?

How many weeks till The Masters?
Big drivers and hot balls are the product of golf course design that rewards the hit one far then hit one high strategy.  Shinny showed everyone how to take care of this whole technology dilemma. - Pat Brockwell, 6/24/04

JESII

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re:$51,000 for last place
« Reply #10 on: January 08, 2007, 10:28:56 AM »
I think Tiger and Phil just made their stamp on the FEDEX CUP...I'd think FEDEX is none too pleased.

Matthew Hunt

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re:$51,000 for last place
« Reply #11 on: January 08, 2007, 10:46:16 AM »
Everyone in Ireland now watch Europen tour due to crap cources in the PGA Tour.

Sadly Tiger and Phil are th PGA Tours only assets.

JLahrman

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re:$51,000 for last place
« Reply #12 on: January 08, 2007, 10:51:31 AM »
How would you get pros to fly five time zones the week of New Years when their game is rusty?  Put them into a limited field event and then make a cut?

JESII

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re:$51,000 for last place
« Reply #13 on: January 08, 2007, 11:07:23 AM »
Everyone in Ireland now watch Europen tour due to crap cources in the PGA Tour.

Sadly Tiger and Phil are th PGA Tours only assets.

EVERYONE?

ONLY?
[/i]

Matthew Hunt

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re:$51,000 for last place
« Reply #14 on: January 08, 2007, 11:25:49 AM »
Everyone in Ireland now watch Europen tour due to crap cources in the PGA Tour.

Sadly Tiger and Phil are th PGA Tours only assets.

EVERYONE?

ONLY?
[/i]

Most and Mainly are probably better words

JESII

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re:$51,000 for last place
« Reply #15 on: January 08, 2007, 11:33:04 AM »
Matthew,

Is it the televised appearance  that you (and the rest of Ireland) dislike?

JohnV

Re:$51,000 for last place
« Reply #16 on: January 08, 2007, 11:35:18 AM »
Getting to the top on the PGA Tour is a multi-step process these days.

A player who makes it through the Nationwide or the Q-School might have a great week and win an event his first year as 6 did last year.  But, those who don't do have to work pretty hard to make it.  Last year 20 players made it, 10 from the Nationwide and 10 from Q-School.  That isn't bad, 50% of the Nationwide and 30% of the Q-School players survived.  16% of the top 125 were not in the top 125 last year.  That is a pretty good turnover in my mind when they are going up against the best players in the world.   Another 6 Q-Schoolers and 2 Nationwide grads made it between 126 and 150 and have partial status (assuming they didn't get through Q-School for this year.)  Nearly 50% of all players who got on tour survived another year at least to some level.

Many of this year's Q-School and Nationwide grads are in this week's field.  Certainly they need to make the most of this opportunity as many of the west coast fields get filled by the top players, but many others have room.  The Hope and the Crosby both have larger than average fields because of the multiple courses.  The week of the Match Play there is a separate event for everyone below 64 to get a chance to play.  And, of course, any week they can finish in the top 10, they can play the next week, so they need to play well when they get the chance.

After the Fed-Ex Cup is finished, many of the top players will stop playing.  There are 7 more events that almost everyone who wants to play should be able to get in.  Make your money then and move up the list so that next year you'll have better status.

Absent winning an event, the road is tough, but it is done by a lot of guys every year.  The best will make it the others won't.  That is life in the big time.  They can go back to the Nationwide in 2008, cash some nice checks and try again in 2009.

Jon Spaulding

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re:$51,000 for last place
« Reply #17 on: January 08, 2007, 12:29:29 PM »
Most importantly, Curtis received $51K for playing some really crappy golf.......wasn't he more than 20 over par?
You'd make a fine little helper. What's your name?

Matthew Hunt

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re:$51,000 for last place
« Reply #18 on: January 08, 2007, 12:36:27 PM »
Matthew,

Is it the televised appearance  that you (and the rest of Ireland) dislike?

What do you mean

JESII

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re:$51,000 for last place
« Reply #19 on: January 08, 2007, 12:47:01 PM »
How many of those courses could you, or any of the rest of the people of Ireland have actually played?

Joel_Stewart

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re:$51,000 for last place
« Reply #20 on: January 08, 2007, 01:05:04 PM »
Most importantly, Curtis received $51K for playing some really crappy golf.......wasn't he more than 20 over par?

He was +20 finishing last by 6 shots.  81-78-77-76 for a player that won a major a few years back and apparently has forgot how to be humble and doesn't appreciate those who have to earn a buck.   Its a complete disrespect of his profession, the fans, and the sponsors.  

I heard Vijay had some words for Curtis (who claimed he only had played 2 times in the last few months) about coming to a tournament unprepared.  Vijay spent the last 2 weeks in Hawaii getting ready for the tournament and the season.   At least he respects the word professional.

George Pazin

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re:$51,000 for last place
« Reply #21 on: January 08, 2007, 01:16:15 PM »
Joel, do you really know Curtis well enough to make such a statement?

Maybe he knows how to get his game ready for the summer better than you, and maybe the conditions at Kapalua were just a bit tougher than normal.

Somebody always finishes last at every tournament. Frequently it's a guy who, on his worst day, would beat damn near all of us by a half dozen shots or more.
Big drivers and hot balls are the product of golf course design that rewards the hit one far then hit one high strategy.  Shinny showed everyone how to take care of this whole technology dilemma. - Pat Brockwell, 6/24/04

JESII

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re:$51,000 for last place
« Reply #22 on: January 08, 2007, 01:48:27 PM »

I heard Vijay had some words for Curtis (who claimed he only had played 2 times in the last few months) about coming to a tournament unprepared.  Vijay spent the last 2 weeks in Hawaii getting ready for the tournament and the season.   At least he respects the word professional.

Vijay might be a bit out of place lecturing anyone on the responsibilities of a professional...

Matt_Cohn

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re:$51,000 for last place
« Reply #23 on: January 08, 2007, 03:16:15 PM »
This isn't a normal tournament. Ben Curtis got $51,000 for winning two PGA Tour events last year. How about, everybody got a $51,000 appearance fee and Ben made $0 for finishing in last place?

He earned his spot in the field and he wasn't taking anybody else's place. If he wants to show up unprepared, isn't that his choice?

Joel_Stewart

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re:$51,000 for last place
« Reply #24 on: January 08, 2007, 04:04:34 PM »
My point is he should have some pride in his profession.  Take a page from Tiger and Phil and if you can't come prepared, then don't come.

How much of the $51k is he going to keep?   After taxes and expenses, say $20k.   Is it really worth it to fly out from Ohio and make a fool of yourself for $20k?  The guy won the Open and should act like a champion.

JES:
I forgot about that little error Vijay made years ago, good point.

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