2020/21 PGA Tour Thread

[transplant99]

https://twitter.com/user/status/1380241520201175043

[Senator Clay Davis]

Bryson on pace for DFL lol.

[chedder]

Good to see Dechambeau can't overpower Augusta. Driving it 380 into the forest doesn't work. +4 after 8 holes.

[GirlySports]

yup, there goes my Bryson pick.

[VictoryJuice]

Rose. Massive birdie on 15

[Senator Clay Davis]

Rose is -8 in his last nine holes, absolutely cooking right now

[Senator Clay Davis]

Rose is on an all-time heater right now. Birdie on 18 to shoot 64, with a 29 back, and -10 in his last 11 holes.

[Roughneck]

Rose ruining the bell curve for everybody. Because there's a lot of players in the -3 to +3 range to make for some exciting movement tomorrow and a competitive cut line.

[Sylvanfan]

So 63 year old Bernard Langer is in at 74 today...Bryson is +5.

I love Augusta because guys who are a bit more creative and good on the greens can still score as well as the big hitters who lack the precision in their game.

Although if DeChambeau isn't playing on the weekend that would be disappointing. As much as I like to throw shade at him, he is as entertaining to watch as anyone. Plus unlike say John Daly he won't go home and sulk in a bottle...he'll try to invent a 25th hour in his day so he can put another hour into overanalyzing his strategy.

[DoubleK]

Originally Posted by Roughneck

Rose ruining the bell curve for everybody. Because there's a lot of players in the -3 to +3 range to make for some exciting movement tomorrow and a competitive cut line.

Someone always shoots 65 in the first round. Can't win on Thursday, but you sure can lose.... Oh hi Rory!!

[Hockey]

I wasn't able to see any golf today but just looked at leaderboard and what the heck happened with Cantlay? I had some money on him to win.

[GirlySports]

the scoreboard is really bottom heavy. +3 is T53, top 50 and ties make the cut. Going to be wild tomorrow

[Roughneck]

Originally Posted by DoubleK

Someone always shoots 65 in the first round. Can't win on Thursday, but you sure can lose.... Oh hi Rory!!

Last time there was a 4 stroke lead after the first round was 2017 with Charley Hoffman and the gap was also -7 to -3. Hoffman of course finished above par for the tournament. But a tighter field at first glance so a lot of room for movement.



I'm just excited it's Rose. One of those guys I'd be really stoked to see win.

[transplant99]

As long as they keep the greens as firm as they are, there is going to be a lot of squares and worse on the score cards.

I love it when golf courses fight back. When Augusta is like this it makes for way better entertainment. Players have to know where to leave approach shots and where to miss instead of throwing darts at the pins.

Bernd Wiesberger had 40 feet for eagle at the par-5 15th, hit a putt toward the hole, then saw it trail off ... and roll into the water fronting the green. He dropped in the same spot and two-putted for bogey.

15 is usually one of the easiest on the course.

I hope we get 3 more rounds of it....mentally tougher guys will separate themselves from the rest.

Good stuff.

[calgarygeologist]

Originally Posted by transplant99

As long as they keep the greens as firm as they are, there is going to be a lot of squares and worse on the score cards.

I love it when golf courses fight back. When Augusta is like this it makes for way better entertainment. Players have to know where to leave approach shots and where to miss instead of throwing darts at the pins.

I actually feel the opposite about hard greens. I want to see the players challenged and have to work for low scores but I feel that the greens should be receptive and rewarding of good spots. I don't particularly enjoy watching a player make all the right shots, hit the green in the proper spot only to watch the ball roll off the green because it is like concrete.

[transplant99]

When the greens are soft and "receptive" ...you get the scores we saw in November. Augusta just doesnt have the length to fight off the technology of today.

Also, firm greens dont punish the players as long as they do hit them in the right spot, but instead penalizes them when they dont. Hole 15 yesterday was a perfect example. It still yielded 33 birdies or better but also clobbered guys with 20 bogeys or worse.

5 and 11 are the toughest holes and firm greens there may make them a bit unfair. Beyond that though I would say the course is playing as it was both imagined and built all those many decades ago.

Par 5's should never be reachable with driver 8 iron....and we saw that a lot the last time they played here.

[GirlySports]

we'll see how things go today, cut line is currently at +3 T49 (my 6 guys can still all make the cut)
Hughes went from -2 to +3

[Senator Clay Davis]

Originally Posted by transplant99

Par 5's should never be reachable with driver 8 iron....and we saw that a lot the last time they played here.

Augusta has two par 5s (13 and 15) that would be par 4s in the US Open. They are two of the easiest par 5s they play on tour all year. Most guys can easily do 3W/7I in. And it's great because it opens up the drama on Sunday because you could play 13-16 in -6.

[transplant99]

Originally Posted by GirlySports

we'll see how things go today, cut line is currently at +3 T49 (my 6 guys can still all make the cut)
Hughes went from -2 to +3

Rose is +3 through 7....course has some serious teeth again.

You just cant miss in the wrong spot or you are dead.

Mack goes +5 through holes 4-11. Ouch.

[Roughneck]

Originally Posted by Senator Clay Davis

Augusta has two par 5s (13 and 15) that would be par 4s in the US Open. They are two of the easiest par 5s they play on tour all year. Most guys can easily do 3W/7I in. And it's great because it opens up the drama on Sunday because you could play 13-16 in -6.

The key with 13 and 15 is that there's inherent risk in going for it in two. The water and shape of both can turn an eagle chance into needing a par save really quick. Basically the perfect Par 5s for a tournament, stuffed in a group of holes that are also the perfect back 9 for a tournament in how they can affect scoring.



But just as importantly as the layout, is that they set it up to ensure there's drama. Opposed to the USGA that seems to hate drama and scoring, Augusta will set up "easy" pins because it creates excitement, as can hard ones. For example, 16 on Sunday: might as well be a Par 2 when they pick that pin that feeds golf balls to it. But the water makes bogeys a real possibility so how safe do you want to play it when shooting par is like losing a stroke?


It's just great.



On an unrelated note: Rose, you're killing me!