2014 Hero World Challenge Discussion Thread

[Valleygolfer]

They started over hyping him up after he won the John Deer before his performance in this years Masters and, IMO, at that time, it was unwarranted. I think their basically looking for the next Tiger and doing everything they can to hype Spieth up in hopes that he'll carry the sport like Tiger did. Shows how much you know. I've been dressing respectfully for years.

He's been playing with pga pros since he was 17. He's got composure, respect for the game AND game. Let's appreciate it.

[RFKFREAK]

He's been playing with pga pros since he was 17. He's got composure, respect for the game AND game. Let's appreciate it.

One can appreciate and respect without rooting for or being a fan of someone.

[Valleygolfer]

One can appreciate and respect without rooting for or being a fan of someone.

But you don't like him and he didn't do anything wrong. You dislike him for others behavior?

[RFKFREAK]

But you don't like him and he didn't do anything wrong. You dislike him for others behavior?

I never said I didn't like him. I don't know him to like or dislike him. From everything I've seen of him, he seems like a good kid. But that's not my barometer for rooting for or being a fan of someone. If anything, the hyping of him has probably generated him more fans than it's lost him. It might be unfair but it can be a part of being a hyped athlete.

[Golfingdad]

They started over hyping him up after he won the John Deer before his performance in this years Masters and, IMO, at that time, it was unwarranted. I think their basically looking for the next Tiger and doing everything they can to hype Spieth up in hopes that he'll carry the sport like Tiger did. Shows how much you know. I've been dressing respectably for years.

You're misremembering, I think. They started hyping him up long before that win because he had made so much money and racked up enough fedex points to qualify for the playoffs ... But he wasn't a tour member so without that win it was all gonna be for naught. All of the hype from the win and since has been EARNED.

[Gunther]

They started over hyping him up after he won the John Deer before his performance in this years Masters and, IMO, at that time, it was unwarranted.

How soon we forget. It was plenty warranted at that tine. He came out beginning of the season with no status. Played amazing golf through the season and into the John Deere. Was top 10 on the Fed Ex list but it wouldn't have counted unless he got a win. Came close many times then finally broke through at the Deere. It was a very special moment in the golf world. Not sure something like that had ever been done. And, he was the youngest winner on the PGA since the 30s. You can hate the hype but you cannot make the argument it was unwarranted. He's done nothing but excel since then, been right around 10 in the world. He is the real deal.

[RFKFREAK]

You're misremembering, I think. They started hyping him up long before that win because he had made so much money and racked up enough fedex points to qualify for the playoffs ... But he wasn't a tour member so without that win it was all gonna be for naught. All of the hype from the win and since has been EARNED.

No, I remember their talking about him before he won the John Deer and that I had no problem with because I like know ing about the players but after that win and before this year's Masters I felt they were overhyping as often as they could. If you want to call that earned, you're free to call it that. I choose not to.

[Valleygolfer]

Maybe you should say "I hate the media over hypes the flavor of the month"... When I had a short stint watching NASCAR (shh don't tell anyone) I used to get tired of how every time some preverbal nobody would accidently find themselves in the lead, they would go into this spew on how they are turning the program around and making great strides. Then the big money guys would come out of the pits and pass the guy and he was not heard from again. That annoyed the hell out of me but I didn't hate the guy racing but it was enough to push me to not want to watch racing. From Wikipedia: Spieth accepted an exemption to play in the PGA Tour's HP Byron Nelson Championship in 2010. It was the event's first amateur exemption since 1995.[1] The tournament's previous exemptions had included Trip Kuehne in 1995, and Justin Leonard and Woods in 1993.[1] Spieth made the cut, becoming, at that time, the sixth-youngest player to make the cut at a PGA Tour event.[6] Spieth was tied for 7th place after the third round, and finished the tournament in a tie for 16th place.[7] He was offered another exemption into the tournament in 2011, when he again made the cut and finished in a tie for 32nd. This kid has been legit for a long time.

[jimmyc]

They started over hyping him up after he won the John Deer before his performance in this years Masters and, IMO, at that time, it was unwarranted.

I think their basically looking for the next Tiger and doing everything they can to hype Spieth up in hopes that he'll carry the sport like Tiger did.

Shows how much you know. I've been dressing respectably for years.

1 out of 10 bud.

[taxgolf]

Kind a like ' who will be the next Jordan, Lebron etc..'

[boogielicious]

I like Spieth and the way he plays.  He is a very steady player.  Let's not hope he is like Manning though.  What is the golf equivalent of a pick-six in a Superbowl?

[Gunther]

Curious what consensus might be on this. Understand Tiger is ill, this is a more philosophical question. In fact, take Tiger out of it, although I'll use him as the example. The reason I ask is I'm hearing the GC go on and on about his improvement day to day but I'm not sure I agree. Tiger lost 10 strokes to the leader Thurs. He lost 4 strokes to the leader Fri. Definite improvement, I'd say 6 strokes even though his own score was 7 strokes better. Sat he lost 6 strokes to the lead but improved his score by 1. So, would that be considered continued improvement or, because he lost 2 strokes to the lead more Sat than Fri, was it actually a worse round? I'm of the mind that his round yesterday was worse than Fri because the course was able to yield lower scores for whatever reason, and ultimately he lost 2 more strokes to the lead than he did on Fri.

[iacas]

Curious what consensus might be on this. Understand Tiger is ill, this is a more philosophical question. In fact, take Tiger out of it, although I'll use him as the example. The reason I ask is I'm hearing the GC go on and on about his improvement day to day but I'm not sure I agree.

Tiger lost 10 strokes to the leader Thurs. He lost 4 strokes to the leader Fri. Definite improvement, I'd say 6 strokes even though his own score was 7 strokes better.

Sat he lost 6 strokes to the lead but improved his score by 1. So, would that be considered continued improvement or, because he lost 2 strokes to the lead more Sat than Fri, was it actually a worse round?

I'm of the mind that his round yesterday was worse than Fri because the course was able to yield lower scores for whatever reason, and ultimately he lost 2 more strokes to the lead than he did on Fri.

One-to-one comparisons are pointless.

What was the field average score for the day (excluding Tiger each day)? At least then you're talking about 17 scores.

[3putter]

Curious what consensus might be on this. Understand Tiger is ill, this is a more philosophical question. In fact, take Tiger out of it, although I'll use him as the example. The reason I ask is I'm hearing the GC go on and on about his improvement day to day but I'm not sure I agree.

Tiger lost 10 strokes to the leader Thurs. He lost 4 strokes to the leader Fri. Definite improvement, I'd say 6 strokes even though his own score was 7 strokes better.

Sat he lost 6 strokes to the lead but improved his score by 1. So, would that be considered continued improvement or, because he lost 2 strokes to the lead more Sat than Fri, was it actually a worse round?

I'm of the mind that his round yesterday was worse than Fri because the course was able to yield lower scores for whatever reason, and ultimately he lost 2 more strokes to the lead than he did on Fri

If that's the "hypothesis" you want to test, wouldn't comparing his score to the "yielded lower scores" give you a better answer?

Edit: @iacas basically said the same thing I typed. Sorry.

Speith's round was an exceptional round

[jamo]

One-to-one comparisons are pointless. What was the field average score for the day (excluding Tiger each day)? At least then you're talking about 17 scores.

This is a good application for z-score.

[Gunther]

Yes, actually thought about comparing to avg field score about 10 min after I posted this. That makes the most sense and since I don't have those figures offhand, nor the time to knock out a spreadsheet now, won't be able to tell if he has shown continued progress these 3 rounds for a bit. I'd be interested in that Z-score table but I can't zoom it and it's too small to read. I'll do some research on it. Thanks all...

[iacas]

I'd be interested in that Z-score table but I can't zoom it and it's too small to read. I'll do some research on it.

Tiger's Saturday score was about 0.65 (in z-score) better than his Friday score.

[turtleback]

Yes, actually thought about comparing to avg field score about 10 min after I posted this. That makes the most sense and since I don't have those figures offhand, nor the time to knock out a spreadsheet now, won't be able to tell if he has shown continued progress these 3 rounds for a bit.

I'd be interested in that Z-score table but I can't zoom it and it's too small to read. I'll do some research on it.

Thanks all...

The notion that round to round score changes, whether absolute or relative to the field or leader, as a measure of a golfer's progress seems misdirected to me to start with.  Even when statistical methods are used to make the comparison.  Golfers' scores fluctuate from round to round for many reasons other than systemic improvement.  If you shoot 80 one day and 76 the next did you really GET better, in any real or permanent sense, or did you just play better?  Or maybe neither but you scored better.

Given how little he has been able to play, so far, I think a success would be for him to come out of the event with no physical issues and a growing comfort level in being out there.