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2014 Golf Season is Over

/ The Grateful Golfer / 10 Comments

The 2014 golf season is over! The Ryder Cup was the pinnacle event that capped of a very interesting golf year. In future articles I will talk about the goods, the bads and the uglys of the golf season. But for now, we go into hibernation waiting for the 2014-2015 to start!

But wait, the 2014-2015 golf season starts in only 2 weeks! Thank goodness we do not have to wait too long! The 2014 Ryder Cup extended the professional golf season by 2 weeks, so that means we will have our golfing fix sooner than expected. For that, I am grateful.

Here is the schedule for the first seven events of the 2014-15 PGA TOUR season.

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FRYS.COM OPEN
Date: Oct. 6-12, 2014 | Location: Silverado Resort and Spa (North Course) | Napa, Calif.
FedExCup points: 500 | Purse: $5,000,000 ($900,000 to winner)
Website: frysopengolf.com

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SHRINERS HOSPITALS FOR CHILDREN OPEN
Date: Oct. 13-19, 2014 | Location: TPC Summerlin | Las Vegas, Nev.
FedExCup points: 500 | Purse: $6,000,000 ($1,080,000 to winner)
Website: shrinershospitalsopen.com

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THE McGLADREY CLASSIC
Date: Oct. 20-26, 2014 | Location: Seaside Course | Sea Island, Ga.
FedExCup points: 500 | Purse: $5,500,000 ($990,000 to winner)
Website: mcgladreyclassic.com

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CIMB CLASSIC
Date: Oct. 27-Nov. 2, 2014 | Location: Kuala Lumpur Golf & CC | Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
FedExCup points: 500 | Purse: $7,000,000 ($1,260,000 to winner)
Website: cimbclassic.com

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WORLD GOLF CHAMPIONSHIPS – HSBC CHAMPIONS
Date: Nov. 3-9, 2014 | Location: Sheshan International Golf Club | Shanghai, China
FedExCup points: 550 | Purse: $8,500,000 ($1,400,000 to winner)
Website: HSBCgolf.com

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SANDERSON FARMS CHAMPIONSHIP
Date: Nov. 3-9, 2014 | Location: Country Club of Jackson | Jackson, Miss.
Website: sandersonfarmschampionship.com

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OHL CLASSIC AT MAYAKOBA
Date: Nov. 10-16, 2014 | Location: El Camaleon | Playa del Carmen, Mexico
FedExCup points: 500 | Purse: $6,000,000 ($1,080,000 to winner)
Website: ohlclassic.com

It is unlikely that any of the big names will be playing in the first few tournaments. The Ryder Cup cut into their down time and they will need some time to recharge their batteries. The absence of the top golfers will present an awesome opportunity for journeyman to start quick and, like Jimmy Walker, ride their early successes into a top position in the FedEx standings.

What are you going to do during the 2-week layoff as we wait for the 2014 – 2015 PGA Tour Season to start?

I am a grateful golfer! See you on the links!

2014 Ryder Cup – Wrap Up

/ The Grateful Golfer / 4 Comments

Congratulations to the European Ryder Cup team for winning this year’s premier golfing event 16.5 to 11.5. As predicted, the underdog US Team could not overcome the consistent play of the Europeans. The last day of the Ryder Cup is by far the most exciting. The singles matches are as much a chess game as it is a golfing match. The slightest error can have cascading effects on the outcome. However, heading into the final day down 4 points, the US team could not rise to the challenge of defeating a stronger team.

Earlier, I predicted that the European team would win. My choices were made through analysis and research. I generally vote for any team Phil Mickelson is on, but this time the cards were stacked against that choice. As it turned out, my prediction was correct. This morning, just for fun, I made predictions on the singles matches. Here is how I made out:

Jordan Spieth 2 and 1 – Graeme McDowell won.
Henrick Stenson 1 up – Patrick Reed won.
Rickie Fowler 3 and 2 – Rory McIlroy won.
Justin Rose 2 and 1 – Havled
Phil Mickelson 1 up – Phil Mickelson won.
Martin Kaymer 3 and 2 – Martin Kaymer won.
Matt Kuchar 2 and 1 – Matt Kuchar won.
Sergio Garcia 1 up – Sergio Garcia won.
Ian Poulter 1 up – Halved
Keegan Bradley 1 up – Jamie Donaldson won.
Jimmy Walker 2 and 1 – Jimmy Walker won.
Victor Dubuisson 4 and 3 – Halved.

So my total was 5 matches correct, 4 wrong and 3 a push. Well just over 50 percent is not a bad track record considering the variables for selecting a winner are….well….astronomical. Picking winners in golf does pose great challenges for most golfing pundits and regardless of the results, it is fun to do.

Many people are talking about the strategy employed by the US Team. Additionally, reports about Phil Mickelson and Tom Watson having a disagreement,is making headlines.The only thing I can say is that you win and lose as a team. Finger pointing, or at least the perception of finger pointing, is not productive and as such I have no further comment on that matter.

Through my readings, I have found some great articles I would like to share. They talk about gifs, wrap-ups, and in-depth articles about the Ryder Cup. They are quite interesting and are worth the read.

The Ryder Cup. European Glory at Gleneagles. By Pete Robbins

2014 Ryder Cup GIFs – Part Five. By Adam Sarson

Ryder Cup Day 3 Recap: Europe wins 16.5-11.5 at Gleneagles. theScore.com

Wei Under Par -The Ryder Cup. By Stephanie Wei

The 2014 Ryder Cup is in the books. The media hype, the golfing frenzy, and the tale of David and Goliath is over. The best player from each team was Justin Rose (Europe) and Patrick Reed (US). They approached the game differently, but in their own way showed that competing at this pinnacle event is challenging, rewarding and most of all fun. Because if it isn’t fun, what is the point!

I am a grateful golfer! See you all at Hazeltine in 2016!

Congratulations to the 2014 Ryder Cup Champions – Europe!

 

2014 Ryder Cup – The Real Story

/ The Grateful Golfer / Leave a comment

In a few short hours, the 2014 Ryder Cup will be underway. The golfing world is waiting with much anticipation to see if the European team is as strong as everyone suggests. It is difficult to cut through the minutia to follow the real stories, so I thought I would share the thoughts of a few people I follow:

Who do you think are the real game changers for this year’s Ryder Cup?

Who is the better team Captain – Tom Watson or Paul McGinley?

Looks pretty event to me! What do you think?

Is this an exciting match up or what?

I could go on and on. However, I think you get the point! The 2014 Ryder Cup is about to start and we are ready! All I have left to say about that is:

GO EUROPE GO!

I am a grateful golfer! Time to get in front of the TV!

 

The 2014 Ryder Cup Frenzy

/ The Grateful Golfer / 11 Comments

Its here! Its here! The 2014 Ryder Cup is scheduled to start tomorrow! The pundits have made their predictions, the experts inched out onto a limb and the fanatics have all chosen sides. The PGA® Centenary Course, at the Gleneagles Hotel, Perthshire, Scotland, is ready for the horde of sporting enthusiasts to descend on their peaceful community like a plague of locust! The only problem with this whole scenario is that many of us will have to experience the highs and lows of every play from afar! Going to a Ryder Cup is on my bucket list and someday I will be one of those amazed fans rooting for my favorite team.

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Let the Games Begin at the 2014 Ryder Cup!

Each team has been dissected, probed and over-analyzed. The captains have been second-guessed to the nth degree, but they have stood fast by their decisions. Everyone is ready for the matches to begin and history to be made at the 2014 Ryder Cup!

theScore, written by Adam Sarson, has profiled the US Ryder Cup Team. Sarson says:

Team USA will be looking to win their first Ryder Cup since 2008 and their first on European soil since the last time Watson was the captain back in 1993. Key players like Tiger Woods and Dustin Johnson won’t be playing this week, but Watson still has a solid group of established PGA Tour players on his side.

BBC Sports, has highlighted the European Ryder Cup Team. They have not provided the same detail as theScore, but shows how each player qualified.

In all, nine nationalities and three debutantes are included in the team which will bid for Europe’s third successive Ryder Cup victory.

Each team has its strengths and weaknesses. Ultimately, which ever team is hot at the beginning of the event will likely ride the wave of adrenaline to victory. When the teams were first selected on 2 September, everyone was leaning towards the European team as hands down favorites. However, over the past couple of weeks, the attitudes of many experts seem to have shifted. The four sites selected (and there are thousands more) provide some very persuasive reasons for their picks. They are worth checking out if you are still on the fence.

The Ryder Cup is an exciting event. There are many head-to-head battles that capture the golfing world. It is very likely that all golfing enthusiasts will tune in to hear the shot by shot account of the action. In anticipation for the matches, here are a couple of things to watch for:

  • Tom Watson’s strategy of matching players. For the US team to win this will have to be perfect!
  • Phil Mickelson playing like the Phil of old. Again a must if the US is to have any chance.
  • Rickie Fowler playing head to head against Rory McIlroy and playing to a draw.
  • Rory McIlroy not losing a match.
  • Ian Poulter’s fiery eyes will be matched by Keegan Bradley’s.
  • Sergio Garcia sinking the winning putt on Sunday!

To make it clear, the European team will win. This selection is made with my head and not my heart. I am a huge Phil Mickelson fan and rarely cheer for the other team, but the European Team is just too strong. They are peaking at the right time and have demonstrated resilience all year. Playing in Scotland will only fuel their desire to win the 2014 Ryder Cup!

What do you think? Who are you cheering for? Why?

I am a grateful golfer! See you on the links!

TOUR Championship by Coca-Cola

/ The Grateful Golfer / 3 Comments

It is finally here! The TOUR Championship will start at 1145 am at East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta, Georgia.  The prize money is a paltry 8 million dollars and the winners take is 1.4 million dollars. Not a bad payday for four days of pressure packed golf. The top 30 players in the FedEx Cup standings will slug it out for the 10 million dollar grand prize as the FedExCup Champion. The four-week grind has taken its toll on some of the players, but it all comes to an end on Sunday.

If at the beginning of the year, you were asked to pick the top six players heading into the Tour Championship, there is little doubt it would not be similar to the current standings.

  1. Chris Kirk
  2. Billy Horschel
  3. Bubba Watson
  4. Rory McIlroy
  5. Hunter Mahan
  6. Jimmy Walker

Except for Rory McIlroy and maybe Bubba Watson, the rest of the players would not be leading contenders heading into this weekend’s tournament. I would consider the three different winners over the past three tournaments as journeymen players. Only Rory McIlroy and Bubba Watson are Major winners in 2014. So, the question that needs asking is: Are the points during the season really worth anything? Is it time for an new format? If the winners of the last three tournaments can vault to 1st, 2nd and 5th, maybe the hype of the FedExCup standings is a bit over-rated.

On a side note, Dustin Johnson is ranked number 30 in the FedExCup standings and cannot play in the tournament. Personally, he should have been removed from contention when he took a leave of absence and let Stuart Appleby play. It does not make sense that Johnson is still on the list….or am I missing something?

There is no doubt that this weekend’s tournament will provide some exciting golf. The pressure of playing in this weekend’s tournament will take its toll on many players. Unfortunately, many of the journeyman players will have difficulty shooting four solid rounds of golf in a row and it will cost them the title.

The players to watch this weekend are the usual favourites. If you ask 100 golf analysts, Rory McIlroy will be the player to beat. Why not, he is the world’s number one golfer; he has a steady game; and he handles pressure very well. Added to the mix of players to watch are Bubba Watson, Jim Furyk, Adam Scott, and Matt Kuchar. They are steady and always have the potential to score low over four rounds of golf.

Rickie Fowler

Rickie Fowler – The Grateful Golfer’s pick as TOUR Championship and FedExCup winner for 2014

However, none of those mentioned above are my pick for the Tour Championship. This week Rickie Fowler will step out from the shadows and into the light of great golfers. He is going to win this tournament and will play head to head with Sergio Garcia on the final day! Both of these players are poised and ready to raise the Tour Championship Trophy over their heads! Fowler has played the most consistent golf in the Majors (except for McIlroy) this year. And it is time for him to shine.

Most years, the TOUR Championship is the end of the golfing season for most professionals. However, the Ryder Cup is only two weeks away. So for some of these players, the TOUR Championship is just a warm up for the greatest head-to-head golf championship going, the Ryder Cup. However, before they get to all the fun at Gleneagles, they must focus on the tournament on hand.

I am a grateful golfer! See you on the links!