Casey Wittenberg....what happened to him?

[johnny2balls]

I just noticed that he seems to be playing full time on the Hooters Tour.  I can understand a guy like him loses his PGA card and plays on the Nationwide but for him to not even be playing the N-Wide seems strange. (and I know even the N-Wide tour is extremely difficult to get on)  Anybody know exactly what has happened to him since being on the PGA Tour in 2009?

[walk18]

Never heard of him.

[MEfree]

Originally Posted by johnny2balls

I just noticed that he seems to be playing full time on the Hooters Tour.  I can understand a guy like him loses his PGA card and plays on the Nationwide but for him to not even be playing the N-Wide seems strange. (and I know even the N-Wide tour is extremely difficult to get on)  Anybody know exactly what has happened to him since being on the PGA Tour in 2009?

Just shows how tough it is to make it out there and how little job security there is...he finished 91st on the N-Wide list in 2010 http://www.pgatour.com/players/h/?/02/64/97/results and 166th on the PGA Tour in 2009- neither gives you any status (but his t48th at Q School in 2009 got him on the N-Wide in 2010.

[MEfree]

Originally Posted by walk18

Never heard of him.

I was actually thinking it was a Casey Martin thread...I always get the two mixed up...

[RichF]

Never heard of Casey Whittenberg or Casey Martin...

[shades9323]

Originally Posted by RichF

Never heard of  Casey Martin...

You don't remeber him suing(and winning) to use a cart on the PGA Tour? It happened about a decade ago so maybe you weren't into golf then.

[johnny2balls]

Yeah Casey Martin sued over the golf carts due to his legs.  Or maybe one leg?  I forget.

Casey Wittenberg lost in the finals of the 2003 US Amature. Had a tie for 13th in the 04 Masters. Lowest amature total in 41 years etc.... Been struggling ever since, but did make it to the big tour a couple of year ago.  By no means am I a fan, in fact far from it.  He's a little.......

But I was just using him as an example of someone playing on the PGA Tour and within a blink of an eye is paying to play on the Hooters Tour.

If you ever want to get a "wow" moment, go to the Nationwide Tour website and look at the complete money list.  Look at some of the names that are playing on the Nationwide Tour.

[RichF]

Quote:

You don't remeber him suing(and winning) to use a cart on the PGA Tour? It happened about a decade ago so maybe you weren't into golf then.

True - but even at the height of 'Tiger-Mania' in 1999-2005, I only paid half-attention to golf...

[RichF]

Quote:

Yeah Casey Martin sued over the golf carts due to his legs.  Or maybe one leg?  I forget.

Casey Wittenberg lost in the finals of the 2003 US Amature. Had a tie for 13th in the 04 Masters. Lowest amature total in 41 years etc.... Been struggling ever since, but did make it to the big tour a couple of year ago.  By no means am I a fan, in fact far from it.  He's a little.......

But I was just using him as an example of someone playing on the PGA Tour and within a blink of an eye is paying to play on the Hooters Tour.

If you ever want to get a "wow" moment, go to the Nationwide Tour website and look at the complete money list.  Look at some of the names that are playing on the Nationwide Tour.

Matthew Goggin?

Other than there's another 'Bubba' there playing golf, I havent heard of any of them.

At all.

[1par2win]

Originally Posted by RichF

Quote:

Matthew Goggin?

Other than there's another 'Bubba' there playing golf, I havent heard of any of them.

At all.

What exactly is the purpose of you repeatedly posting that you never heard of so and so? Who gives a %^&* if you never heard of them. Why someone posts to a thread to the effect of "I have nothing whatsoever to add" baffles me.

[RichF]

Quote:

What exactly is the purpose of you repeatedly posting that you never heard of so and so? Who gives a %^&* if you never heard of them. Why someone posts to a thread to the effect of "I have nothing whatsoever to add" baffles me.

[shades9323]

Originally Posted by 1par2win

What exactly is the purpose of you repeatedly posting that you never heard of so and so? Who gives a %^&* if you never heard of them. Why someone posts to a thread to the effect of "I have nothing whatsoever to add" baffles me.

So in reply of his post with nothing to add, you post a reply adding nothing to the discussion?

Perhaps his point was that there aren't really any "wow" names playing on the Nationwide tour as Johnny2balls thinks there are.

[1par2win]

Originally Posted by shades9323

So in reply of his post with nothing to add, you post a reply adding nothing to the discussion?

Perhaps his point was that there aren't really any "wow" names playing on the Nationwide tour as Johnny2balls thinks there are.

I can accept that. Just when I read the replies I thought it was odd that someone would reply multiple times stating they hadn't heard of so and so. Wasn't trying to get into a pissing match with anyone. Just killing time at work.

[MEfree]

Here are some guys playing this week on the Nationwide Tour...you may not have heard of them all, but some have won a few bucks on the PGA Tour:

Ted Purdy
PGA TOUR	Events Played	Finish									FedExCup
		Cuts Made	1st	2nd	3rd	Top 10	Top 25	Scoring Avg.	OWGR	Money	Points	Standing
Career Totals	255	139	1	2	1	13	46	--	--	$7,338,479	--	--

Bob May (epic battle with Tiger at the PGA)

PGA TOUR	Events Played	Finish									FedExCup
		Cuts Made	1st	2nd	3rd	Top 10	Top 25	Scoring Avg.	OWGR	Money	Points	Standing
Career Totals	168	96	--	3	1	5	32	--	--	$3,663,718	--	--

Bob Heintz
PGA TOUR	Events Played	Finish									FedExCup
		Cuts Made	1st	2nd	3rd	Top 10	Top 25	Scoring Avg.	OWGR	Money	Points	Standing
Career Totals	155	60	--	1	--	6	15	--	--	$2,228,350	--	--

Peter Lonard
PGA TOUR	Events Played	Finish									FedExCup
		Cuts Made	1st	2nd	3rd	Top 10	Top 25	Scoring Avg.	OWGR	Money	Points	Standing
Career Totals	224	143	1	1	3	20	57	--	--	$9,343,496	--	--

Jim Carter

Champions Tour

Events Played

Finish

Money List Rank

Cuts Made

1st

2nd

3rd

Top 10

Top 25

Scoring Avg.

OWGR

Money

PGA TOUR

Events Played

Finish

FedExCup

Cuts Made

1st

2nd

3rd

Top 10

Top 25

Scoring Avg.

OWGR

Money

Points

Standing

Career Totals

458

269

1

--

4

26

75

--

--

$4,766,514

--

--

Brett Wetterich
PGA TOUR	Events Played	Finish									FedExCup
		Cuts Made	1st	2nd	3rd	Top 10	Top 25	Scoring Avg.	OWGR	Money	Points	Standing
Career Totals	158	78	1	4	--	14	29	--	--	$6,875,468	--	--

Omar Uresti

PGA TOUR	Events Played	Finish									FedExCup
		Cuts Made	1st	2nd	3rd	Top 10	Top 25	Scoring Avg.	OWGR	Money	Points	Standing
Career Totals	343	171	--	--	2	14	52	--	--	$3,764,045	--	--

Scott Dunlap

PGA TOUR	Events Played	Finish									FedExCup
		Cuts Made	1st	2nd	3rd	Top 10	Top 25	Scoring Avg.	OWGR	Money	Points	Standing
Career Totals	184	96	--	--	3	13	33	--	--	$2,700,250	--	--

Mathias Gronberg

PGA TOUR	Events Played	Finish									FedExCup
		Cuts Made	1st	2nd	3rd	Top 10	Top 25	Scoring Avg.	OWGR	Money	Points	Standing
Career Totals	193	90	--	--	2	8	25	--	--	$3,489,747	--	--

Ken Duke

PGA TOUR	Events Played	Finish									FedExCup
		Cuts Made	1st	2nd	3rd	Top 10	Top 25	Scoring Avg.	OWGR	Money	Points	Standing
Career Totals	138	84	--	3	--	12	32	--	--	$5,241,192	--	--

While none of the above are household names, they have all won multi-million on the PGA Tour and all are in danger of missing the cut this week on the Nationwide Tour.  Some have won on the PGA Tour and Brett Wetterich played on the 2006 Ryder Cup team...there are certainly more guys with PGA Tour success if you look at the guys likely to make the cut.

This is a bit of a thread jump, but I actually think the PGA Tour should have a better system of combining results for the PGA & Nationwide Tours in a way that allows a player to gain his Tour card...as it stand now, a guy could finish 151 on the PGA Tour and 31 on the Nationwide and not get a Tour Card...I think 151 & 71 would leave him off the Nationwide.  As an example, take a look at Chris Riley in 2007- after playing on the Ryder Cup team in 2004, his game went south in 2005 and he finished 150 on the money list in 2006, giving him conditional/limitied status for 2007.  In 2007 he had what I would consider a good year considering that he was only able to play in a limited number of PGA Tour events:

PGA- made cut in 12 of 17 events winning 400+ K

Nationwide- Won 93 K in 2 events with a win

This resulted in NO PGA Tour status, but the win gave him Nationwide status...had he played exclusively on the Nationwide Tour, he would have won less $, but might have gotten a Tour Card via a high $ list finish...My thinking is that more golf fans would know who the Nationwide players are if it made more sense for them to be able to float between the PGA and Nationwide Tours with a combine money (or points) category (i.e. Nationwide money + 10% of Tour money) that gave them a chance to earn their tour card.  Who is more deserving of a Tour Card- the guy who finished 25th on the Nationwide list with no PGA Tour $ or a guy who finished 26th with 6 figures of $ won on Tour that year?  Conversely, who is more deserving, the guy who finished 125th of Tour with no Nationwide $ or the guy who finished 126th with some good showings on the Nationwide?

FWIW, Riley ended up going to Q school at the end of 2007 and regaining his card...my thinking is that he would have played in more Nationwide events that year had there been a combined earnings category...this would certainly have benefitted the Nationwide Tour.  I think the PGA Tour would benefit by giving more incentive (and opportunity) to letting hot Nationwide Players make PGA starts...

[shades9323]

Originally Posted by MEfree 

Here are some guys playing this week on the Nationwide Tour...you may not have heard of them all, but some have won a few bucks on the PGA Tour:

 

Ted Purdy

PGA TOUR

Events Played

Finish

FedExCup

Cuts Made

1st

2nd

3rd

Top 10

Top 25

Scoring Avg.

OWGR

Money

Points

Standing

Career Totals

255

139

1

2

1

13

46

--

--

$7,338,479

--

--

 

Bob May (epic battle with Tiger at the PGA)

PGA TOUR

Events Played

Finish

FedExCup

Cuts Made

1st

2nd

3rd

Top 10

Top 25

Scoring Avg.

OWGR

Money

Points

Standing

Career Totals

168

96

--

3

1

5

32

--

--

$3,663,718

--

--

 

Bob Heintz

PGA TOUR

Events Played

Finish

FedExCup

Cuts Made

1st

2nd

3rd

Top 10

Top 25

Scoring Avg.

OWGR

Money

Points

Standing

Career Totals

155

60

--

1

--

6

15

--

--

$2,228,350

--

--

 

Peter Lonard

PGA TOUR

Events Played

Finish

FedExCup

Cuts Made

1st

2nd

3rd

Top 10

Top 25

Scoring Avg.

OWGR

Money

Points

Standing

Career Totals

224

143

1

1

3

20

57

--

--

$9,343,496

--

--

 

Jim Carter

Champions Tour

Events Played

Finish

Money List Rank

Cuts Made

1st

2nd

3rd

Top 10

Top 25

Scoring Avg.

OWGR

Money

PGA TOUR

Events Played

Finish

FedExCup

Cuts Made

1st

2nd

3rd

Top 10

Top 25

Scoring Avg.

OWGR

Money

Points

Standing

Career Totals

458

269

1

--

4

26

75

--

--

$4,766,514

--

--

 

Brett Wetterich

PGA TOUR

Events Played

Finish

FedExCup

Cuts Made

1st

2nd

3rd

Top 10

Top 25

Scoring Avg.

OWGR

Money

Points

Standing

Career Totals

158

78

1

4

--

14

29

--

--

$6,875,468

--

--

 

Omar Uresti

PGA TOUR

Events Played

Finish

FedExCup

Cuts Made

1st

2nd

3rd

Top 10

Top 25

Scoring Avg.

OWGR

Money

Points

Standing

Career Totals

343

171

--

--

2

14

52

--

--

$3,764,045

--

--

 

Scott Dunlap

PGA TOUR

Events Played

Finish

FedExCup

Cuts Made

1st

2nd

3rd

Top 10

Top 25

Scoring Avg.

OWGR

Money

Points

Standing

Career Totals

184

96

--

--

3

13

33

--

--

$2,700,250

--

--

 

Mathias Gronberg

PGA TOUR

Events Played

Finish

FedExCup

Cuts Made

1st

2nd

3rd

Top 10

Top 25

Scoring Avg.

OWGR

Money

Points

Standing

Career Totals

193

90

--

--

2

8

25

--

--

$3,489,747

--

--

 

Ken Duke

PGA TOUR

Events Played

Finish

FedExCup

Cuts Made

1st

2nd

3rd

Top 10

Top 25

Scoring Avg.

OWGR

Money

Points

Standing

Career Totals

138

84

--

3

--

12

32

--

--

$5,241,192

--

--

 

While none of the above are household names, they have all won multi-million on the PGA Tour and all are in danger of missing the cut this week on the Nationwide Tour.  Some have won on the PGA Tour and Brett Wetterich played on the 2006 Ryder Cup team...there are certainly more guys with PGA Tour success if you look at the guys likely to make the cut.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

None of those names are really "wow" names as alluded to above.  With the amount of money being doled out on the tour, I'm not terrible impressed with the group above.  There are 3 wins between the whole group and a made cut rate of only 56%.

[MEfree]

Originally Posted by shades9323

None of those names are really "wow" names as alluded to above.  With the amount of money being doled out on the tour, I'm not terrible impressed with the group above.  There are 3 wins between the whole group and a made cut rate of only 56%.

56% is probably pretty close to the average made cut rate, so you are right that these guys aren't impressive by Tour standards.  While you might not be impressed with them, they have won around $40 M and I imagine that they would be the low handicap in your foursome...most of these guys could probably give you and me 6 a side and take the money most days.

My point is that once you get past about the Top 30 or so guys in the World, the level of play is not that different on the PGA, Euro or Nationwide Tours with many guys capable of getting hot and having good finishes.  Conversely, a guy who has won a million, doesn't have to lose much of his game to find himself on the Hooters Tour (or out in the real world)- just ask Casey Wittenberg.

[johnny2balls]

Originally Posted by MEfree

56% is probably pretty close to the average made cut rate, so you are right that these guys aren't impressive by Tour standards.  While you might not be impressed with them, they have won around $40 M and I imagine that they would be the low handicap in your foursome...most of these guys could probably give you and me 6 a side and take the money most days.

My point is that once you get past about the Top 30 or so guys in the World, the level of play is not that different on the PGA, Euro or Nationwide Tours with many guys capable of getting hot and having good finishes.  Conversely, a guy who has won a million, doesn't have to lose much of his game to find himself on the Hooters Tour (or out in the real world)- just ask Casey Wittenberg.

Right you are. Well everything except a tour player giving you 6 a side and beating you most days.  If a tour player only gave you 6 a side, they would beat you every day, every round for the rest of your life. Unless you are a solid scratch maybe 1 or 2 or plus, then you might have a fighting chance. A low single digit amature has zero chance of beating any pro on the Nationwide or PGA Tour besides flukes.  On your home course, they'll shoot a 65 which means you have to shoot a 76 and on their course they'll shoot a 69 while you will probably shoot about a 93. Just look at how these N-Wide guys tear up the Ohio State course.  It's something like 7600 yards with 13' stimp and rough as deep as your shoes and they tear it up.  But it's their job, they are professionals.  While we go to the office for 8 hours they go to the range for 10 hours.

I guess after reading the posts, when I say "wow" regarding the N-Wide roster, I should have taken into consideration how well you know these names.  To me, many of these names are household names in my house.  So while many on this forum don't know a Ted Purdy or Ken Duke or Casey Whittenberg, I do and when I see them on the N-Wide tour I say wow.  I know the game they have. I know how well they have done of the PGA Tour.  When I see Kirk Triplett playing on the N-Wide tour I say wow. as well as a Brett Wetterich, Daniel Chopra, Jason Gore etc...  Not that their games don't deserve to be on the Nationwide Tour, I'm just saying wow is all.  It's like when you see a band play many times in big venues, stadiums etc.. and then down the road you see the same guys playing in bars for a $5 cover charge to 75 people you say wow.  not good or bad just wow.

[shades9323]

Originally Posted by johnny2balls

Right you are. Well everything except a tour player giving you 6 a side and beating you most days.  If a tour player only gave you 6 a side, they would beat you every day, every round for the rest of your life. Unless you are a solid scratch maybe 1 or 2 or plus, then you might have a fighting chance. A low single digit amature has zero chance of beating any pro on the Nationwide or PGA Tour besides flukes.  On your home course, they'll shoot a 65 which means you have to shoot a 76 and on their course they'll shoot a 69 while you will probably shoot about a 93. Just look at how these N-Wide guys tear up the Ohio State course.  It's something like 7600 yards with 13' stimp and rough as deep as your shoes and they tear it up.  But it's their job, they are professionals.  While we go to the office for 8 hours they go to the range for 10 hours.

I guess after reading the posts, when I say "wow" regarding the N-Wide roster, I should have taken into consideration how well you know these names.  To me, many of these names are household names in my house.  So while many on this forum don't know a Ted Purdy or Ken Duke or Casey Whittenberg, I do and when I see them on the N-Wide tour I say wow.  I know the game they have. I know how well they have done of the PGA Tour.  When I see Kirk Triplett playing on the N-Wide tour I say wow. as well as a Brett Wetterich, Daniel Chopra, Jason Gore etc...  Not that their games don't deserve to be on the Nationwide Tour, I'm just saying wow is all.  It's like when you see a band play many times in big venues, stadiums etc.. and then down the road you see the same guys playing in bars for a $5 cover charge to 75 people you say wow.  not good or bad just wow.

Just because the names are know in your house, it doesn't make them "household names".  Most are/were borderline PGA Tour guys.  They have 3 wins and 131 top 10's in 2276 starts between them.  None of that is "wow".

Kirk Triplett is closer, he has the same amount of wins as that entire list. But at 49 years old and just waiting for the old man tour, that really isn't wow anymore.