2014 BMW PGA Championship (European Tour)

[Crim]

Surprised to see there wasn't a thread for the European Tour's flagship event. The roster is very good.

As of right now it looks like there's a rain delay but Thomas Bjorn got out fast with a course record 62.

Notable golfers include Henrik Stenson, Miguel Jimenez, Rory McIlroy, Sergio Garcia, Martin Kaymer, Justin Rose, Ernie Els + many more.

[Crim]

More storm delay, and Sergio Garcia withdraws.

Unfortunately, Sergio Garcia has had to withdraw from this year's championship due to an on-going knee injury which flared up during his round of 73 today.

"This is the same thing that happened on Sunday at the Spanish Open," said Garcia. "It felt better, I guess from resting it Monday and Tuesday, and yesterday it felt okay. But I think from walking on it and going down and up and down the hills, it's just been pinching more than anything. I have an edema on the kneecap and I guess it just tightens up as I go. I'll go to the physio in Spain and see what he says. I'm sure I'm going to have to take some anti inflammatories. I had an MRI done on Monday morning and they checked it out and they said it was a small edema on the kneecap. I was hoping I was going to be able to feel fine throughout the week.  But the way I felt more than anything on the last four holes and on 17 and 18, it didn't feel good at all."

Read more at http://www.europeantour.com/europeantour/season=2014/tournamentid=2014040/liveblog/index.html#kQGoa5URordeeCiA.99

[Crim]

Interesting little tidbit.

[Crim]

9 different countries in the top 10 going into day 2.

[FarawayFairways]

Rather amusingly, the BBC's rolling news have turned this into a hole by hole Rory report, as if they were expecting him to break down in fits of uncontrollable sobbing at any moment, or perhaps lob a pair of underpants on his head and stick pencils up his nose.

Am I alone in thinking that there might be something going on in Europe that's not quite right at the moment though. Is it really conceivable that the likes of Bjorn and Jiminez have suddenly become world beaters, or is there a bit of weakness kicking around instead?

USA to win 16.5pts in September at 22/1 looks over the odds to me given that they're just 14/1 to win 16pts

[Crim]

USA to win 16.5pts in September at 22/1 looks over the odds to me given that they're just 14/1 to win 16pts

I've definitely been wrong before...but I expect USA to get pummeled by Europe at Gleneagles.

[Crim]

Damnnnnn,Bjorn just DESTROYING the back nine this weekend.

Also Luke Donald (2 time BMW champion) in 2nd @ -10 and Rory tied 4th @ -8.....still 7 strokes back lol.

[FarawayFairways]

I've definitely been wrong before...but I expect USA to get pummeled by Europe at Gleneagles.

You aren't alone Crim. I know form the numerous calls I make every week to US golf clubs and Golf Associations (when I can actually get through to one that doesn't rely on voicemail that is) this is the general concensus. I haven't spoken to anyone involved with American golf yet though that really understands what the Ryder Cup means and how the American players, your media, The PGA, and your galleries have been the biggest motivator of Europe. Without these factors assisting Europe I doubt we'd have been able to perform as well as we have over the last few decades. Don't lose sight of the fact that the team is really GB & Ireland supplemented by Spain and Sweden. If you strip these four countries out, then I think I'm right in saying the sum contribution from the rest of Europe in a total of 35 years has been a pretty paltry ten players in total. I'm not so sure that these factors will be running for us at Gleneagles to the same degree, but then I'm a long way from being convinced that the American public are interested (and that includes the golf watching/ travelling community as well)

Actually on the subject of voicemail, allow me a rant and an open appeal please to all American golf clubs and associations.

On Friday I had to chase some red tape that involved ringing round 16 courses from St Andrews down. 93.75% of these calls were answered by a human being - Shock! - Do you remember what they were? Furthermore, they actually communicated with me, and provided a service that answered the question. - Shock again - .

Voicemail is NOT smart working. In fact it's dumb. America, please put your people back on the front line. American people (if you did but realise it) are normally very positive and a pleasure to deal with. Your robots by contrast aren't. They're a very poor substitute for your human resource. About 95% of calls to an American golf club ends up in voicemail (any wonder they keep closing down!) and about 66% to a golf association meet a similar fate (unless it's the Mid West where it's nearer to 95%). Only the west coast seem to answer with any regularity. It's only after months of suffering this, and then being required to perform a similar task in Scotland that it suddenly hit me how America has degenerated and stopped communicating (something it was always very good at historically)

You might have given the world the communications revolution, but you now seem to be hell bent on developing another industry in its wake, the one designed to stop it. I won't name the organisation, but someone in Texas described it for me last week as "we're becoming an unthinking nation of menu option morons". Whereas someone at an apex New York club suggested that if you wanted someone to read something in America today, you'd be better of writing them a traditional posted letter on paper, (the pony express is the communication technology of the future)

So Dear Uncle Sam, drop the robot, trash the voicemail, you're doing yourself no favours. Go back to using people. Your people are actually your greatest national asset/ treasure if you did but realise it (even those at Kiawah Island). Use them before its too late

[FarawayFairways]

Returning to golf then (rant over)

Are you not encouraged though Crim, when you see the likes of Bjorn and Jiminez showing up so well in Europe? I'm more inclined to view their prominence as a sign of weakness. It's not as if either were top drawer 10 years ago. Is it really likely to be the case that they're playing better today than they've ever played? Or is it the case that the opposition isn't as strong?

[Shorty]

Returning to golf then (rant over)

Are you not encouraged though Crim, when you see the likes of Bjorn and Jiminez showing up so well in Europe? I'm more inclined to view their prominence as a sign of weakness. It's not as if either were top drawer 10 years ago. Is it really likely to be the case that they're playing better today than they've ever played? Or is it the case that the opposition isn't as strong?

Bjorn birdies 7 of the last 8 holes at Wentworth  and the one he missed was about 7 feet.

Yep. Proof that European golf is in disarray and it's easier over there.

[Abu3baid]

Bjorn birdies 7 of the last 8 holes at Wentworth  and the one he missed was about 7 feet. Yep. Proof that European golf is in disarray and it's easier over there.

Someone is upset.. It's ok, everything will be ok I promise..

[BallStriker]

Love this tourney.....the real 5th major in my opinion.......

[Shorty]

Someone is upset.. It's ok, everything will be ok I promise..

What? What sort of juvenile and patronising comment is that?

Is it wrong to stand up for some fantastic golfers when others can't compute the fact that they are actually pretty good and getting on in years?

Why don't you read the post?

Someone thinks that because Jiminez and Bjorn are doing well it has some significance regarding the rest of the field.

And the implication, therefore, that Bjorn and Jiminez are over the hill and are only doing well because of crappy fields.

Never mind that the BMW field has Donald, Westwwod, Rory etc.

Like I said - Bjorn birdies 7 of the last 8, but some think he can't possibly be a good player.

It's like the 11 year old who qualified for the Womens U.S. Open . Some people in a thread here are hung up on her distances and almost suspiciously questioning how she could have done it.

Bjorn and Jiminez are great players who, on their day are as good or better than anyone on any tour. Perhaps even as good as Jimmy Walker, a superstar on the U.S. Tour. (geddit?)

[FarawayFairways]

I don't how familiar you are with horseracing parlance Shorty, but if you are, you'd understand the concept of an exposed handicapper. By any yardstick both Jiminez and Bjorn would be exposed handicappers. They've had plenty of time now to show what they're capable of and both would have been Gp3 racehorses in their prime. They've won tour events, and Bjorn should perhaps have managed an Open about 10 years ago, but apart from that neither is going to go down as a 'legend' or even a 'great'.

It's also the case I'm sure that were you to plot the average age of winners over a time series on the European tour you'd almost certainly find a sweet spot in line with normal distribution which I'd guess is somewhere around 33-34 (perhaps younger). It's from this cohort that you'd normally expect to source your most successful players. Sure you can get the odd outlier, quantitative analysis understands that, but the apex strength of the tour is likely to be within a standard deviation of this mean value. That is likely to be where the indicative strength is statistically, (or should be) and we can use this to inform us accordingly

You might argue that the likes of Bjorn and Jiminez are indicative of the strength in depth, but that's a slightly separate issue, and especially when we're talking about the 9 best players, plus 3 discretionary selections. I can't think of many (if any) sports where players improve once they pass the age of 50? or even 40 for that matter? Is it so unreasonable therefore to question how players who should have been in their prime 10 years or so ago (and were only 'good' at their best) are now winning (I won't call it dominating).

OK golf makes nothing like the demands on the body as many other sports, so it is comparing apples and pears. There is simply no way for instance that a 50 year old tennis player who was only ever ranked top 25 in his heyday, would beat a 25 year old who was in the contemporary top 10

Ultimately, someone has to win every tournament. I know if I were American with one eye on the Ryder Cup, I'd be a lot more concerned if the likes of Donald, McIlroy or Westwood were ripping up trees. I'd be equally concerned if it were the likes of Donaldson, Blix or Dubisson. But Jiminez and Bjorn? These are players they've gotten the better of before. They'll have to face 12 ultimately, of which 9 should be in some kind of form in order to have qualified in the first place, but if given a choice I suspect they'd be more comfortable against the 50 somethings? I know I would. I wouldn't expect Europe to be quaking at the prospect of facing someone like Fred Couples for instance

[Monte the Bear]

Shall we talk about the course this week? It's playing very long - it would be long without the rain, but it's really long this week. Been great to see so many woods and l;ong-ish irons used off of the fairways instead of the normal diet of driver - wedge I see in the US. The rough is horrid and punitive, bunkers compressed with rain, and Els has improved the course considerably with his redesign.

So it is gratifying to see Luke Donald plotting his waya around - what a lovely player to watch. McIlroy...is it me or is he in need of a looper who actually slows him down and asks him to think before he pulls a club. This kid..if he was to string 2 good rounds (for him), a hot round and a decent round every week, he's crush everyone. He's such a talent, but his inconsistency is irritating.

Bjorn may well be as dull as ditchwater, not a bloke I'd like to be trapped down a mine with, but his iron play and putting was supreme yesterday, on greens that were wet, slow and marked. Never missed a beat.

Fascinating day ahead.

[ScouseJohnny]

Quote:

or perhaps lob a pair of underpants on his head and stick pencils up his nose.

Is that you, Captain Blackadder?

[Crim]

Returning to golf then (rant over)

Are you not encouraged though Crim, when you see the likes of Bjorn and Jiminez showing up so well in Europe? I'm more inclined to view their prominence as a sign of weakness. It's not as if either were top drawer 10 years ago. Is it really likely to be the case that they're playing better today than they've ever played? Or is it the case that the opposition isn't as strong?

I love it, however if you think about...it's not like these guys are dominating week in and week out. They are just two time-honored individuals who have found their game as of late. I don't see it as European or Pro golfing weakness as far as the rest of the roster goes. I mean....Tiger woods on a good weekend would probably be right around where Bjorn is right now. The dude is simply just crushing the back nine.

I think it is very likely that they are playing better golf today. Golf is so much different than other sports. You got older guys like Freddie Couples who can still hit the ball 300 yards. With the technology these days and if these vets can just manage to stay healthy...you'll start to see them contending more often, and that's so awesome. That's the problem though, it's hard for these guys to stay healthy and put in 4 consistent rounds.

I don't know, maybe I'm talking out of my ass, it's early in the morn. Let's see how Bjorn handles the day!

[Crim]

And let me also say this...if an American Ryder Cup player actually paid attention, Rory is play FAR better golf than Jiminez is. Eight top 10's in his last 9 tournaments....looking at getting another top 10 today. He's also playing in tournaments with a far better roster. If American Ryder Cup players are smart...they'd still be far more afraid of Rory.