Adam Scott to Skip WGCs?

[iacas]

Adam Scott might be eliminating the World Golf Championship events with new compact PGA Tour schedule - Golf Digest

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Quote

 

It's not unheard of for a player to skip a World Golf Championship event. But Adam Scott currently is entertaining the notion that he might not play in any of the three remaining WGC events this season.

"In the end I just kind of took the simple approach and thought I'll just play the ones I like and that make sense to play," the former No. 1 player in the world said Wednesday at the Sony Open in Hawaii. "Any inconvenience, whether it's a big tournament or not -- I don't know how everyone can define a big tournament differently -- but at the moment I have not scheduled a World Golf Championship because they don't fall in the right weeks for me."

 

WGC-Mexico is immediately followed by:

• Honda Classic
• Bay Hill/Arnold Palmer
• The Players Championship
• Valspar / Innisbrook

The next week after those five events, the WGC Match Play, which is followed by:

• Texas Open
• The Masters

The WGC-FedEx St. Judge is in late July, immediately after and then before:

• The British Open
• WGC the next week
• Wyndham
• The FedExCup Playoffs start after the Wyndham

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So this begs the question… how many other top players will skip the WGCs? Are the free OWGR points and the virtually free cash (no cuts) worth the extra compacted playing time?

[TN94z]

I hope not many skip them. The St.Jude is a tournament that we go to every year and we were looking forward to having a more stacked field this year.

[DeadMan]

28 minutes ago, iacas said:

So this begs the question… how many other top players will skip the WGCs? Are the free OWGR points and the virtually free cash (no cuts) worth the extra compacted playing time? 

I bet we'll see a decent amount of players skip one WGC. Players who want to play the Texas Open right before the Masters will probably skip the WGC Match Play. The WGC in Memphis might be another that gets skipped because not many players play right after a major, especially one on a different continent.

Skipping them all, though? I doubt it. These events are free money and world rankings points. That's a pretty big deal for most players. The WGC in Mexico is really easy to fit in because there are no majors nearby. What's more likely is that more players skip out on the events before and after the WGCs.

[iacas]

10 minutes ago, DeadMan said:

The WGC in Mexico is really easy to fit in because there are no majors nearby.

The Florida swing kicks off right after it, though. Honda, Bay Hill, Bay Hill, Innisbrook.

[JetFan1983]

Yea, from his perspective it makes a lot of sense. He's a past winner at the Honda and it's pretty close to his residence in the Bahamas (I think that's where he lives). He's dropped all the way down to 41 in the world, so I could see why he would think he has a better chance at a win at PGA National than in Mexico, and he doesn't want to pass that up. The Match-play meanwhile isn't particularly great prep for the Masters, so it makes sense skipping that too. And then the St.Jude one is right after the British. I would imagine he expects to feel pretty drained after that and wants the next week off. 

Edited January 10, 2019 by JetFan1983

[jamo]

I think a lot of players will be deciding between Mexico and an extra week off vs. playing the Honda and going 3 weeks in a row. 

The other two seem easier to schedule around. Not a ton of top players play Texas as it is, and plenty of top names skip the Wyndham. St. Jude may be a bit hurt initially by the fact that they'll have to take a trans-continental flight after the British and immediately play a new course in TPC Southwind. 

[DeadMan]

2 hours ago, iacas said:

The Florida swing kicks off right after it, though. Honda, Bay Hill, Bay Hill, Innisbrook.

Right, but there aren't going to be many players in the WGCs that will play in all of those events. I imagine there will be few, if any, players doing Genesis-Mexico-Honda. So either you skip Genesis or you skip Honda. if you want to participate in the boondoggle that's a WGC.

2 hours ago, JetFan1983 said:

He's dropped all the way down to 41 in the world

This makes it even more crazy to me. Adam Scott needs the free world ranking points at WGCs. If he drops below 50, he won't qualify for future WGCs. I figured he was ranked in the 20s at worst.

[iacas]

11 minutes ago, DeadMan said:

Right, but there aren't going to be many players in the WGCs that will play in all of those events. I imagine there will be few, if any, players doing Genesis-Mexico-Honda. So either you skip Genesis or you skip Honda. if you want to participate in the boondoggle that's a WGC.

Skip Riviera or the Honda? I dunno. I’m sure some will but I don’t know that I would to play a weird elevation course in Mexico which can still be dangerous.

[JetFan1983]

16 minutes ago, DeadMan said:

This makes it even more crazy to me. Adam Scott needs the free world ranking points at WGCs. If he drops below 50, he won't qualify for future WGCs. I figured he was ranked in the 20s at worst.

Yea, that's a good point. I think it could also be a mini-protest that it's not held in Miami anymore too. Scott won the last one they had at Doral. 

But yea, it is a bit curious he doesn't want the cheap world ranking points. Maybe he just doesn't like the WGC courses and thinks he has a better shot at wins elsewhere. 

[DeadMan]

18 minutes ago, iacas said:

Skip Riviera or the Honda? I dunno. I’m sure some will but I don’t know that I would to play a weird elevation course in Mexico which can still be dangerous.

You'd probably do it for $51,500, which is what last place at the WGC Mexico got last year...

[iacas]

8 minutes ago, DeadMan said:

You'd probably do it for $51,500, which is what last place at the WGC Mexico got last year...

Minus expenses. Minus being able to play Riv and Honda.

[Vinsk]

54 minutes ago, iacas said:

Minus expenses. Minus being able to play Riv and Honda.

And minus the fact that $51,500 is chump change to Adam Scott.

[DeadMan]

2 hours ago, iacas said:

Minus expenses. Minus being able to play Riv and Honda. 

For a comparison, making the cut and finishing DFL at both Riv and Honda last year was less money than showing up and finishing DFL at the WGC Mexico. These WGCs are so great for the players that qualify for them. That's why I don't really understand what Scott is doing here. It's a much bigger risk for him to only show up at normal tour stops. If he hates all the courses and would rather try to win elsewhere, then I sort of get it, since he doesn't need the money. But his explanation is strange.

1 hour ago, Vinsk said:

And minus the fact that $51,500 is chump change to Adam Scott.

True, but the world ranking points available at WGCs would probably make it worth his while. Unless he's thinking about going into semi retirement already.

Edited January 10, 2019 by DeadMan

[iacas]

You’re missing the point that even Tour players care what courses they play.

[Vinsk]

18 minutes ago, DeadMan said:

True, but the world ranking points available at WGCs would probably make it worth his while. Unless he's thinking about going into semi retirement already.

I don’t put this out completely. I don’t hear much from Scott anymore. With his family and who knows what else he’s got going he may just be ready to dial back. I’m sure he’s been disappointed with his performances so he’s either losing passion or he’s actually trying to develop a whole new plan. 

[boogielicious]

3 hours ago, Vinsk said:

And minus the fact that $51,500 is chump change to Adam Scott.

I’ve got that in the cushions on my couch. 😜

I think he may just not feel comfortable with the course. 

[DeadMan]

3 hours ago, iacas said:

You’re missing the point that even Tour players care what courses they play.

Sure. It makes sense for WGC Mexico, which is played on what looks like an overgrown muni. I don't get it for Memphis or the Match Play, which are pretty nondescript tour courses. 

The point I'm making that is I don't think many other players will skip all the WGCs like Adam Scott does. And I also don't think it's a good idea for a guy in a slump like Adam Scott is (slash was last year) to skip out on the easy world ranking points and easy money at a WGC. He had to qualify for the US Open last year. Doesn't make a lot of sense to me, if he wants to keep playing a full schedule.

Personally, if I'm ranked lower than 10th in the world, no way I'm missing a WGC just for the world ranking points.