2012 FedEx St. Jude Classic Discussion Thread

[mvmac]

Some players take the week off before a major and some play.  What would you do?

Some experts picks for the week

Expert Pick order Player selected Mike McAllister GRAEME McDOWELL . Really wanted to take Robert Karlsson, runner-up here last two years. But he's just not in form right now. So I'll take McDowell, who's only previous start at TPC Southwind came in 2009 when he finished T-7. Plus, June has been kind to G-Mac (see 2010 U.S. Open). Amanda Balionis RORY McILROY . I picked him last week at The Memorial and he burned me with a missed cut. I'm willing to forgive and forget if he bounces back this week, which I fully expect he will before beginning his U.S. Open title defense next week. If Balionis had the top pick ... McIlroy Helen Ross ZACH JOHNSON . There may be players with higher world rankings in the field but no one is playing better than Johnson right now. He won at Colonial in his last outing and he was second in two of his three starts prior to the victory, including at THE PLAYERS. If Ross had the top pick ... Z. Johnson John Schwarb ROBERT KARLSSON . Runner-up at TPC Southwind the last two years. Isn't playing his best right now, but he wasn't playing that great entering here in 2010, either, when he lost to Lee Westwood in a playoff. Still makes a ton of birdies. If Schwarb had the top pick ... McIlroy Chris Dunham JEFF OVERTON . Hasn't played well of late with three missed cuts in his last four starts but tied for 10th two years ago. Also ranks 29th on TOUR in birdie average. If Dunham had the top pick ... Overton Brian Wacker SPENCER LEVIN . The last time Levin blew the lead on Sunday he bounced back the next week and finished in the top 10. In other words, he has a short memory. He's also 20th on the TOUR in strokes gained-putting, and he tied for 15th last year in Memphis. If Wacker had the top pick ... McIlroy Bill Cooney DAVID TOMS . Toms is quietly having an impressive season with a pair of top 10s and five top 25s. And he obviously enjoys walking in Memphis since he's the all-time leading money winner at St. Jude with two wins (2003, 2004) and seven top 10s in 20 events. If Cooney had the top pick ... Z. Johnson John Swantek DUSTIN JOHNSON . Following a 10-week layoff, you have to consider last week's T-19 at The Memorial a success. He's looking for more reps after the inactivity and could overpower TPC Southwind in his first appearance there. If Swantek had the top pick ... McIlroy Lauren Deason DAVIS LOVE III . I thought about two-time FedEx St. Jude champ Justin Leonard, but he hasn't done much this season. So I'm going with a different veteran, Davis Love III, who tied for 16th at Memorial then qualified for the U.S. Open. If Deason had the top pick ... McIlroy Anne Szeker CAMILO VILLEGAS . Not having the most stellar of years, but that hasn't seemed to matter at this stop in the past (T3 last year, T8 the year before, no missed cuts), so here's hoping that remains true this year. If Szeker had the top pick ... Z. Johnson Ryan Smithson RYAN PALMER .You guys are nuts for leaving him on the board. Plays tough courses as well as anyone. Has shot par or better in eight of last nine rounds, and has top-10s in three of his last four starts. Camilo Villegas and Jeff Overton? Really? If Smithson had the top pick ... Z. Johnson

[bunkerputt]

Not being on tour, I have absolutely no idea what would be the best decision for me.  Walking two 18 hole rounds in two days is difficult enough for my inner thighs and the chaffing that ensues.  If I were in walking shape, and had decent golf clothes, I'd take the week off and practice.

[Mr3Wiggle]

I'd take the week off.  I play best when I leave time between rounds to work on parts of my swing that get out of whack during a round.  Too much play and not enough drills on the range, and I'm no good.

[scottyjoe145]

If I'm Tiger, Phil, Luke, etc., I would be at Olympic Club the day after the Memorial.  If not, I play Memphis like its just another week.  I think the guys need a break sometimes and the week before a major is a great week to plan off.  However, in a weaker field I have to feel better about my chances.  If my card isn't wrapped up for 2013, I'm in every tourny every week.  Seems that I would have better chances at Memphis than the U.S. Open anyway.

- Garrigus gets redemption at Southwind in 2012

- G-Mac, Levin, Rollins, Palmer, Laird, & Stenson make a nice showing

- McIlroy and DJ miss the cut and are on a plane to San Fran

[mirv]

this'll be my first time to attend a PGA tour event.  i'm pretty excited to see mcilroy and DJ.

[scottyjoe145]

Originally Posted by mirv

this'll be my first time to attend a PGA tour event.  i'm pretty excited to see mcilroy and DJ.

Better go Thursday or Friday...

[mirv]

as fate would have it, thursday was the only day i could make it there anyway, so that works out.

[Beachcomber]

I'd take the week off - and go to Olympic early and practice as many days as possible.

[xxsoultonesxx]

I'm surprised McIlroy is in the field. He's my pick for the open, even after the stream of missed cuts.  World #2 can't be slumping this hard, can he?

[iacas]

Originally Posted by xxsoultonesxx

I'm surprised McIlroy is in the field. He's my pick for the open, even after the stream of missed cuts.  World #2 can't be slumping this hard, can he?

He added it at the last minute as an emergency.

[Mr3Wiggle]

Originally Posted by iacas

He added it at the last minute as an emergency.

He must feel good about his swing then.

[iacas]

Originally Posted by Mr3Wiggle

He must feel good about his swing then.

I think the opposite.

[Yukari]

Too much jet setting has caused him to take his eyes off the thing that actually got him all the perks in the first place.  So now he is trying to find it again.

My high school coach used tell us "no dates" before game day.  Looks like Rory didn't listen to that advice.

Originally Posted by xxsoultonesxx

I'm surprised McIlroy is in the field. He's my pick for the open, even after the stream of missed cuts.  World #2 can't be slumping this hard, can he?

Originally Posted by Mr3Wiggle

He must feel good about his swing then.

[Mr3Wiggle]

Originally Posted by iacas

I think the opposite.

If I were feeling bad about my swing I'd hit the range with a coach.  I guess everyone has their own way of doing things.

[Zwick]

McIlroy is -2 thru 7, but let's wait till the end of his round. The last few tournaments he always had a triple or worse somewhere in his round.

But after the Memorial he stated, that he didn't hit it as bad as his scores were indicating. I fully except him to contend this week (and in this field, it would really concern me if he didn't).

Driving accuracy so far 16.67%, if he's driving it like that next week, he won't have much fun.

[Beachcomber]

Originally Posted by Zwick

McIlroy is -2 thru 7, but let's wait till the end of his round. The last few tournaments he always had a triple or worse somewhere in his round.

But after the Memorial he stated, that he didn't hit it as bad as his scores were indicating. I fully except him to contend this week (and in this field, it would really concern me if he didn't).

Driving accuracy so far 16.67%, if he's driving it like that next week, he won't have much fun.

The Memorial is indeed brutal if you get off into the deep rough... A big reason why many of the players struggled last week.  The combo of thick rough - with lightning fast greens is a tough test for even the best golfers in the world.

And the Open will be an even tougher test than the Memorial.  Therefore, if Rory doesn't solve his accuracy issues off the box, he is going to struggle making it into the weekend at the Open.  There is no way he scores well with numbers like 16.67% at Olympic Club.

[topspin4hand]

He finished with a driving accuracy stat of 43% ... it would appear trending in the right direction.  I'm not really worried about him.  3 weeks ago, the question was how dominant a run would he make over the summer.  The guy just got side-tracked and lost a little focus IMO.

Originally Posted by Zwick

But after the Memorial he stated, that he didn't hit it as bad as his scores were indicating. I fully except him to contend this week (and in this field, it would really concern me if he didn't).

Driving accuracy so far 16.67%, if he's driving it like that next week, he won't have much fun.

[brocks]

3 weeks ago, the question was how dominant a run would he make over the summer.

And now the question is whether John Daly will beat him. He's finished. He should face facts and retire gracefully, before he embarrasses himself further.