2020 Honda Classic

[SDG90]

I never said Fleetwood lost the tournament because of the guy yelling. I just mentioned how disrespectful the American crowds can be.

You really believe most players are on the PGA tour for the crowds? Come on man, it’s all about the $$$. If the European Tour had the same prize money, most players would never return to the PGA ever again.

[jobin]

Luv Tommy's game. Wish i had his hair.

[OldTomMorris]

Tommy setup for the right shot on 18 but his execution was way off. I really don't think there is much more to it than that.

I wouldn't be surprised if he gets the win next week. He finished T3 last year at the API despite a third round of 76.

[iBanesto]

What an up and down from Sungjae Im on the 72nd hole.

[milesgiles]

Couldn’t believe the crowd noise worst I’ve ever heard. Total disgrace.

Fleetwood wasn’t trying to fade it he was aiming middle of the green with a draw the caddie said so.

the pga will have a problem if they don’t make players speak English. I don’t think that’s too much to ask.

[the bishop]

Well I disagree with you a little bit here. Money aside what makes the PGA Tour more attractive is that the great majority of the schedule can be played within 3 time zones. Don't get me wrong, I love watching the Euro Tour events on TV but the thing that makes them attractive to the viewer - it is a global tour and they play in some exotic locations - is what can make it unappealing to the player. A lot of very long flights at times with events in the Middle East, co santioned events in South Africa, etc... So guys like to make a base in the U.S. so in their down weeks its a reasonable travel home.

[SDG90]

Most of the Asian guys (and girls on the LPGA) can’t speak English.

Remember the Skins Match in Japan last October? One of their USP’s was that the players were wearing mics. Can’t understand why they asked Hideki for this match, other than the fact he is Japanese. Absolutely no conversation with the other players and no caddie talk either. His presence was redundant.

[milesgiles]

As usual golf governing bodies are asleep at the wheel here. Europe as well.

i wouldn’t expect to go and play on the Japanese tour without speaking the language at least passably

[fly787]

that's a laugh .. if you could play the Japanese tour today. you would be on the first plane...all of us would.

[bscinstnct]

 

Personally, I don't care if they speak english. If fact,

 

I don't care if they speak at all ; )

 

Take Jordan Spieth. Is there anything more annoying than his back and forth with his caddie for 2 minutes? Actually, sometimes, I wish the announcers did not speak either.

 

Not just golf, but any sport. I'm not watching to see them talk. Post round interview? Zzzzzzz.

 

I'd rather a guy speak no english like Masahiro Tanaka and be like,

 

 

Than have the speaking aptitude of a Shakespearean trained thespian and throw meatballs ; )

[dropkicked]

Is English a pre-requisite to play on the PGA tour?

Or,

Is the ability to play at the highest level, enough?

Game is Game... speaking a specific language means nothing in that regard..

[3jacker]

Some of you folks, I wonder if you even play golf. Tommy's miss on 18 was unfortunate. But it happens, golf is hard. It was good drama. Did he choke? If so, that' show you do it. Make a good show of it. He was 1 back, he had to do something. Poor execution, it happens.

Like Im's approach. That was a choke too, when he laid the sod over a basic wedge from a perfect lie. He just had 1 stroke insurance and pulled it back together like a champ to close it out.

It was a great finish to watch on TV.

As for the course, I've played it. It's a nightmare. Not fun.

[SilvioDante]

I know this may sound harsh for somebody, but I’m just wondering what is behind that for example Matsuyama doesn’t speak English at all? Is that some cultural thing, because I’m from Europe and I just don’t get it. If you have been living in a country what 6-7 years, you don’t even give simple interviews without interpreter. I know Hideki is shy by nature, but it just makes you feel so much cosy, when you learn even a little bit the language so you can communicate with people. And that is the way you learn even more and it comes easier. I remember Rory said something in this Skins game in October that Hideki don’t speak the language so they couldn’t communicate that much. You feel isolated for sure.

 

That thing just came to my mind last night when Im won, and gave the interview with his caddy as interpreter and that’s fine, I don’t know how long he has been living in the states, and propably will speak english in the near future. It would be nice to know these guys a little bit better what kind of people they are, because they both seems to be nice guys, but it just dont come over, because they don’t say even few phrases.

 

The main thing is that they speak golf with their clubs, but it just helps your life overall so much and even the golf game, when you feel as much home as possible in a foreign country. Say few phrases there and there, it comes easier that way. If I’m living for example in Japan, I would makes sure I can say even little things in Japanese and understand something what people are talking around me in a few years. It also shows that you appreciate those people. That’s why it is just bizarre Hideki doesn’t speak english a little bit, and maybe that’s the final step for him so he can reach his whole potential. And I’m not saying this particularly for Im, because he has not been living in states that long obviously.

 

And I’m huge fan of these guys because they play so good, but that language thing just came to my mind yesterday.

[Hawkeye77]

He doesn’t have to show me he appreciates me.

Big difference between basic communication (maybe he can) and talking with media.

[bscinstnct]

Hideki like,

 

Why dont you learn some Japanese : )

 

Clip is actually funny.

Watch: Hideki schools Tiger, Rory, Jason in Japanese for skins promo

 

[Soloman1]

Lived in Japan for 25+ years and never saw a single foreign player on the Japanese tour speak a word of Japanese.

[SilvioDante]

Like I said, Hideki don’t have to talk or communicate with English because other people. It’s because it makes Hideki feel more comfortable and then he would not feel so much isolated with people and finally when he is more comfortable, he plays naturally even better golf. :)

And Japanese is hard to learn I know, but if I’m going to work to Japan, Korea or Italy for more than a year, and It would make my working easier, I would even try to learn some basics and few phrases that I can used that I need in that potential daily life.

[Darth Putter]

I see the Euros are already complaining about American crowds. Get used to it boys.

 

This crowd was nothing. It was only about a 5 compared to the 10 they'll get from the drunkest state in the Union in September at the Ryder Cup.

 

The crowds in New York City in 2024 will start at 11 on Friday.

 

 

 

[3jacker]

Unlike most Japanese folks I know, who went to school, studied English here or abroadetc. I have a very strong feeling that Hideki's had his hands full learning to compete at the highest levels in golf. Doesn't leave a lot of time for English lessons.

 

[bscinstnct]

And he probably does. Im here he can say, "where is the bathroom" and "I'll have a quarter pounder meal"

 

But, proficiency in English for a Japanese speaker is nothing like that. Think about it. The languages are nothing alike. You can't just pick it up talking to people. He would have take hundreds of hours of classes.

And what's the point of learning a few phrases and doing an interview in English.

 

 

They would as him, "Hideki, what do you think of the golf course".

If he learned some phrases he might say," I like it, It's very good and I'm looking forward to playing"

 

But, isn't it better if , via an interpreter, he can say, "well, I'm very impressed with course condidtions. The fairways are narrow but fair and reward a well executed risky shot. Bunker placement is tricky and the greens are like marble but the pin placements are fair.

 

 

And consider this. We all took 4 years of high school Spanish or French but can't even order a taco or crepe in the respective countries ; )

[SilvioDante]

The point is learning few phrases and say even something little is that this is the way you learn more and more. If you never expose yourself and take those baby steps, you never going to learn more. It feels terrible at first and you don’t wanna look fool, I know for experience because I used to be so bad in english when I was abroad and speaking was so hard, but when you take those first steps, you will learn so much quicker. And you don’t learn talking with foreign language if you never talk using that. And I’m not attacking for Hideki with this language thing, I’m just wondering because I know it’s make life so much harder, if you live your life and can’t speak the language at all. When Rory says he can’t talk with Hideki because language barrier, I can see that quite problematic and isolating.

[Jay28]

I don't think anyone in golf wants the Ryder Cup ruined by crowds like they had at Kiawah in '91 or Brookline in 99 or worst of all Medinah in 2012 (the abuse of the recently passed Seve Ballesteros was perhaps the most disgusting thing have heard on a golf course during a professional tournament). Only people who don;t really understand the game want that kind of cra*p.

There is nothing wrong with partisan crowds, but that can not extend to shouting in players backswings or whilst they are over putts or verbally abusing players.

I am hoping that the US crowds are loud and partisan, but fair. That will be all OK - in fact good. It's about time the American crowds stopped disgracing the game.

Take note of the Solheim Cup crowd last year - wonderful. Or, in fact, any Ryder Cup held in Europe.

 

 

[flushem]

your statement was true decades ago in 90s. Even KJ Choi now speaks in English though his response is sometimes pretty out of tangent from questions.

S Im is young enough to pick up English pretty soon like other renown Korean LPGA players like Seri Pak and Inbee Park. For now, his caddie is fluent both in Korean and English; translation was pretty good.

[dcmidnight]

The guy did not yell in his backswing - thats probably why he later said he didnt hear anything like that. The TV/shotlink delays the video a millisecond or so - to the point where thats what it sounded like on the broadcast.

But there has been fan video posted on Twitter that clearly shows it was after impact.

Again - good reason that TF said he didnt hear anyone yell in his backswing - because they didnt.

[stingerfade]

Except that when the player and caddie are talking to each other’s their lips are in sync so that is not true. It doesn’t matter to me if he heard it or not. Again, you yell stupid crap at a golf event you’re an idiot.

[dcmidnight]

But - personally I hate what the last few holes of the Honda have become. They said in the early coverage on Saturday that they - and I'm pretty sure it was the sponsors being referred to - were happy it had started to take on the "event" feel of 16/Waste Management. No thanks, that drunken garbage is enough for me once a year.

And yes I realize those kind of comments probably earn the (OldManYellsAtCloud.GIF)

[dcmidnight]

You be the judge

Fan video

Broadcast

 

[HitEmTrue]

Interesting...so on the broadcast, the microphone near Fleetwood was delayed/synced with the video, but there mics near the green were NOT delayed. Or not delayed enough, so it sounded like it was before impact.

 

 

[Hawkeye77]

You keep repeating basically the same things, which so far as I can work out is you think Hideki would feel better if he felt the way you feel about it?

He may be perfectly comfortable with where he's at and how things work.

Not saying you are wrong, but you really don't know how he feels or how his life would be or wouldn't be better if he were more conversant in English.

[stingerfade]

Did they add the sound effect of club hitting ball because that’s in sync on broadcast? On fan vid you hear impact/yell and on broadcast it’s yell/impact. I tend to believe the broadcast as in when I FaceTime my wife with my phone the audio is always delayed. Either way, just don’t yell stupid crap ever.