Article on:Spieth taking more money from Tony Romo than he can count

[mmoan2]

From golfdigest.com

http://www.golfdigest.com/blogs/the-loop/2015/04/spieth-has-taken-more-money-fr.html

I guess Tony likes losing money to Spieth!

Why the heck would you gamble at golf with Jordan Spieth? That's like betting on a 3-point contest against Steph Curry. I always knew Romo was a loser-

(Sorry, that last part slipped out because I'm a lifelong Giants fan. I'd kill for Romo's golf game).

[Shindig]

Why the heck would you gamble at golf with Jordan Spieth? That's like betting on a 3-point contest against Steph Curry. I always knew Romo was a loser-

I suspect that Jordan was giving Romo strokes for their match. He's good, but he's not good enough to take on Jordan without that help.

[kpaulhus]

I think most players are betting on their own ability to win. They cant really bet on the outcome of an event because they dont have as much control of the outcome as a pitcher would in Baseball or a QB in football would.

Im super confident in myself and my game, when gauged against the right players and like Romo usually dont give myself enough strokes....but unlike Tony, it only takes one whooping before Im begging for more strokes.

[newtogolf]

Spieth doesn't usually have to count higher than 75 so they must have been playing for over $100

[CraiginKSA]

Wonder what age he started gambling on the golf course?  For me, I recall it being around 14 and in many ways I think it is good prep for tournament golf.

It was Lee Trevino who said (and I'm paraphrasing) "Tour pressure is nothing. Real pressure is playing for $10 with $5 in your pocket."

[MEfree]

I suspect that Jordan was giving Romo strokes for their match. He's good, but he's not good enough to take on Jordan without that help.

Maybe, maybe not. Isn't Romo close to a scratch who has tried to qualify for the US Open. Assuming they started playing together a few years ago when Jordan was in HS, Romo's ego may not have let him ask for shots from a HS kid and/or he figured that he didn't mind losing a few bucks to a HS kid in an effort to test his game- what might have been too high for Jordan to count in HS might have been chump change for Romo. I have a friend who might be a similar golfer to Romo who played two matches even against Anthony Kim just before Kim got out on Tour- the guy played two of his best rounds ever and beat Kim both times...still likely the highlight of his golf career (although I saw he made the cut at the Sr. CO Open a few years ago).

[Shindig]

Maybe, maybe not. Isn't Romo close to a scratch who has tried to qualify for the US Open. Assuming they started playing together a few years ago when Jordan was in HS, Romo's ego may not have let him ask for shots from a HS kid and/or he figured that he didn't mind losing a few bucks to a HS kid in an effort to test his game- what might have been too high for Jordan to count in HS might have been chump change for Romo.

You are correct that Romo is close to scratch -- and he played to that on a U.S. Open course in 2008 (the Golf Digest event with Timberlake, not the main show). But even a +2 handicap wouldn't stick around on the PGA Tour, much less win a major.

[Fourputt]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rick Martin

I don't recall saying "all Tour Players do it".....if you're going to quote me, please be accurate and please show me where I say it was "okay".

I'll wait.

But since you asked, I'm surprised the PGA Tour allows it. I can see where it might get out of hand, influence competition,  just like MLB doesn't allow betting on baseball.

PGA Tour doesn't allow it. They just don't enforce it.

Quote:

FINANCIAL INTEREST BY A PLAYER IN ANOTHER PLAYER; GAMBLING; BRIBES; GIFTS; DOPING A player shall not have any financial interest, either direct or indirect, in the performance or the winnings of another player in any event cosponsored, coordinated, approved or otherwise sanctioned by the PGA TOUR, whether through purse-splitting, prize money “insurance,” financial assistance, bets or otherwise. Any player who violates the provisions of this paragraph shall be 45 subject to a suspension from tournament play for a minimum period of two seasons. A player shall not do any of the following:

2. Gamble or play cards on the premises where a PGA TOUR cosponsored or coordinated tournament is being played.

3. Associate with or have dealings with persons whose activities, including gambling, might reflect adversely upon the integrity of the game of golf.

4. Bet money or anything of value on a golf tournament or similar event, whether or not the player is in such competition.

I guess the warm up rounds are not really considered part of the event or directly related to towards the performance during the tournament.

This looks more like a prohibition for betting on other players, not so much blocking a wager between individual players, which is essentially a player betting on himself.  The opening phrase "Financial interest by a player in another player" would seem to be the key phrase.  This might cause a player to do something in his play to help elevate the player he has a wager on.  If he just has a side bet with another competitor, he is only betting on himself, and that can only add additional inspiration for him to play his best.  While they do make some specific prohibitions involving betting on other players or on the tournament in general, I see no specific language that would bar players making side bets with each other.  I'm not saying that it isn't implied, but if push came to shove, I think a player would have a legitimate argument.

[ay33660]

So because all Tour Players do it, its ok?

So that means Tigers cursing is just fine then!

So are you saying it is not OK to have a bet going on a round of golf??????

If so WOW !!

Every weekend we have a bet going in our group. In fact a lot of time there are too many bets going and it takes us most of lunch to figure out who won what. You know points for sand saves, birdies, chip ins etc etc.

When my son was 7 or 8 and just taking up golf I would always bet him a chocolate bar or pop from the cart girl if he two putted or something. Off topic but there is nothing like playing golf with your 7 year old to get on the good side of the cart girls.

[Mr. Desmond]

I think this article from Dallas Morning News offers additional insight:

Recent Masters champion and Dallas native Jordan Spieth says he’s taken so much money from the Cowboys quarterback on the golf course that he can’t even recall the total amount.

Spieth revealed that information during a recent appearance on “Jim Rome on Showtime.”

“Ha ha. Oh man. I don’t know. I can’t even count that high,” Spieth replied when asked for a figure, according to CBSSports.com. “He’s a good friend and a great competitor so we have fun out there.”

But Spieth also included that Romo, who has attempted to qualify for the U.S. Open on several occasions, doesn’t ask for many strokes.

“The good news is he doesn’t swallow his pride and take a lot of strokes,” Spieth said. “He likes to play maybe like 2 or 3 a side, which means I’m usually on the winning end of that one.”

Romo and Spieth were partners at the AT&T; Pebble Beach National Pro-Am in 2013. They had the lead on the final day but ended up finishing third.

“I watch golf,” Romo said during a recent radio interview. “That doesn’t go hand in hand with playing. I do miss the aspect of just competing. I like going against Jordan Spieth and competing and seeing if I can have a chance. That doesn’t usually turn out very well.”

After having multiple back surgeries, Romo said last June that he had not played golf in nearly a year and a half.