2020 CME Group Tour Championship Dec 17 - 20

[ChronicSlicer]

2 hours ago, Bad9 said:

I watch the LPGA much more than the PGA, recognize most names but don't recall her at all.

That tends to happen when you are not playing well enough to make TV time.

[Stooch]

I don't understand all the crooked numbers on #2, looks pretty straight forward but I guess that's easy to say sitting on my couch lol.

[pmcuk]

Following Inbee and Nasa I can't help musing on all the double and triple bogies that descend on even the greatest players like some kind of fatalistic curse. It's sometimes hard to accept that they're part of the game and can't be avoided by mere humans. They've stopped many a great round in its tracks....

[Kaysquare]

It took me a little while to figure out that Morgan Pressel is doing some on-course commentating, she seems to have changed her voice a bit for this job, I like it.  Of course, no one talks as much as Karen Stupples, so Morgan is a refreshing addition.  

[Bad9]

Just now, Kaysquare said:

Of course, no one talks as much as Karen Stupples

Paige certainly does. Too much IMHO.

[BadgerLin]

Yikes, Brittany Lang has sunk below Natalie!  At the moment those ripping the sponsor’s invite by saying Gulbis is dead last will have to adjust that claim.

[pmcuk]

11 minutes ago, BadgerLin said:

Yikes, Brittany Lang has sunk below Natalie!  At the moment those ripping the sponsor’s invite by saying Gulbis is dead last will have to adjust that claim.

 

She's sensitive to being called Bethany....

[Stooch]

49 minutes ago, BadgerLin said:

Yikes, Brittany Lang has sunk below Natalie!  At the moment those ripping the sponsor’s invite by saying Gulbis is dead last will have to adjust that claim.

Not really, for me it's a tour Championship that IMO you should earn your way into.  If you earn your way in and choose to shoot 24 over par during the 4 days, well you do you.

[18majors]

Golf is such a fickle game; but Jin Young Ko and Sei Young Kim seem to stand out.

 

Danielle Kang was flying high after the restart, but the magic seems waned right now.  On the other hand, little by little, Lydia Ko seems to rediscover her past touches.

[Stooch]

25 minutes ago, 18majors said:

Golf is such a fickle game; but Jin Young Ko and Sei Young Kim seem to stand out.

 

Danielle Kang was flying high after the restart, but the magic seems waned right now.  On the other hand, little by little, Lydia Ko seems to rediscover her past touches.

Consistency over 4 rounds is the key, J Y Ko and SYK are usually very consistent over 4 rounds.  Many shooters can drop the mid 60 rounds 2-3 times but can't keep it together for 4.  You need 4 very good rounds to get the win most weeks on the LPGA.

Edited December 18, 2020 by Stooch

[iotone]

40 minutes ago, 18majors said:

Golf is such a fickle game; but Jin Young Ko and Sei Young Kim seem to stand out.

 

Danielle Kang was flying high after the restart, but the magic seems waned right now.  On the other hand, little by little, Lydia Ko seems to rediscover her past touches.

 

DK seemed to be having some back issues on yesterday's telecast. Not sure if she's playing hurt this week? 

[18majors]

I know Korean players are good, but 2020 seems to disproportionately amplify the disparities:

 

1.  Koreans occupy the Top-3 on Rolex Ranking

2. Koreans won 3 of 4 majors; one by a superstar, two by journeywomen

3. Korean could finish 1-2-3 on 2020 money list

 

With two rounds to go; it'd be good if one or two players from other countries can mount a meaningful challenge.

 

Lexi Thompson, Hannah Green, Nelly Korda, Austin Ernst, Georgia Hall or Lydia Ko, anyone?

 

 

 

 

 

Edited December 18, 2020 by 18majors

[pmcuk]

5 minutes ago, 18majors said:

With two rounds to go; it'd be good if one or two players from other countries can mount a meaningful challenge.

 

Why? It is what it is!

 

.

Edited December 18, 2020 by pmcuk

[Stooch]

19 minutes ago, iotone said:

 

DK seemed to be having some back issues on yesterday's telecast. Not sure if she's playing hurt this week? 

I think she is hurt but she's gotta finish the tournament to win the Vare Trophy and is most likely why she's still playing

[mallrat]

Side note and will probably draw some hate but I hate the athletic t-shirt look. Mostly I notice it on Anna Nordquist but Danielle seems to where it a bit also. Just don’t feel like it comes across as professional. Any-shirt with a few sponsor logos is still a t-shirt. 

[mallrat]

Just now, Stooch said:

I think she is hurt but she's gotta finish the tournament to win the Vare Trophy and is most likely why she's still playing

Yeah they were talking about her getting treatment earlier in the week 

[8602081]

36 minutes ago, pmcuk said:

 

Why? It is what it is!

 

.

It would have been nice to have Lexi in the final pairing.. because it will draw ratings.  I think for LPGA to succeed, we need someone from North America to start dominating the Tour..

 

She is in the final pairing.. NM..

Edited December 18, 2020 by 8602081

[pmcuk]

10 minutes ago, 8602081 said:

 I think for LPGA to succeed, we need someone from North America to start dominating the Tour..

 

I can see where you're going with this argument and I'm not blind to sponsorship money and media exposure. But it's a slippery slope when you start to wish for particular nationalities to upset what is, at the end of the day, a game of talent and merit. 

[Argonne69]

Shaping up to be an interesting tournament. 

 

Not quite the day many were expecting from Lexi, but she still in the hunt. 

 

Sei Young is uncanny in her ability to make birdies or bogies. She could have a 5 shot lead. 

 

Jin Young sure picked a good time to get hot. Definitely looks like any rust has been removed. 

 

Lydia looks like she found a time machine, and traveled forward from 2015. Lol. 

 

Hannah hasn't had a top 10 all season. 'Not sure if her play today will repeat tomorrow. 

 

I need to find out who Nelly uses for her back issues. Injury? What injury? 

 

[Argonne69]

49 minutes ago, pmcuk said:

 

I can see where you're going with this argument and I'm not blind to sponsorship money and media exposure. But it's a slippery slope when you start to wish for particular nationalities to upset what is, at the end of the day, a game of talent and merit. 

 

I don't really think having an American near the top of the leaderboard is going to make much of a difference. Danielle, Nelly, Lexi, Ally, Amy, Megan, and Austin have all had solid seasons, and a few have been in the hunt most weeks. Has it significantly improved the ratings? Me thinks not. 

 

Edited December 18, 2020 by Argonne69

[18majors]

4 minutes ago, Argonne69 said:

 

Has it significantly improved the ratings? Me thinks not. 

 

I'm not saying it's related to anything you've mentioned, but TV rating is up this year.

 

LPGA releases robust 2021 schedule with record $76.45M in purses

 

"Social engagement was up more than 40 percent in 2020 and TV viewership was up 30 percent over last year. Most importantly, the tour proved that it can hold events safely, not just for the tour but for the communities they visit as well."

[MagicClassic407]

1 hour ago, 18majors said:

I know Korean players are good, but 2020 seems to disproportionately amplify the disparities:

 

1.  Koreans occupy the Top-3 on Rolex Ranking

2. Koreans won 3 of 4 majors; one by a superstar, two by journeywomen

3. Korean could finish 1-2-3 on 2020 money list

 

With two rounds to go; it'd be good if one or two players from other countries can mount a meaningful challenge.

 

Lexi Thompson, Hannah Green, Nelly Korda, Austin Ernst, Georgia Hall or Lydia Ko, anyone?

 

 

 

 

 

My group today included Ernst and Hall. They both performed well but at least today, Georgia's game seemed to be in a better place. Although, she def left a few out there, too.

[18majors]

59 minutes ago, pmcuk said:

 

I can see where you're going with this argument and I'm not blind to sponsorship money and media exposure. But it's a slippery slope when you start to wish for particular nationalities to upset what is, at the end of the day, a game of talent and merit. 

 

The results are what they're; it's what it's, no question about it.  Korean players are fine and I wish them well.

 

But we're fans, it wasn't very interesting when Bolton Celtics won eleven out of thirteen Championship from 1957 to 1969.

 

I don't think there's anything wrong wishing players from other countries to provide more resistance and give it a tougher fight.  We need that to change the dynamics.

[Stooch]

I'm actually anti-Brooking this week and wasn't impressed her score today, 68 although not a world beater but it was still too good.  Her putting and short game gotta be destroying her mentally right now and I need that to continue so she decides to get professional help in the off-season and not have a good weekend where she thinks she found something.  But her ballstriking is so great it's allowing her to have good rounds.  She made 2 bogeys today one with a 3-putt (putting) and one with the only green she missed today (short-game) although after the 3-putt on her first measuring hole she did crack it 325 yards so I like the fire lol.  So I feel bad for thinking this but I need a bad ballstriking day to really expose her flaws.  Her dad and she have done a great job with ballstriking she is/been one of the best ballstrickers on tour and will probably go down among the best to ever play on the LPGA, but putting and short-game haven't got better since she's been on tour and probably she's regressed and time for her and Dad to get some outside help or at least a different set of eyes and different voice.  My thinking here is it's time to try something different, cause doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result has a definition. lol

[MagicClassic407]

HELP!! I'm working the tourney and back in my airbnb. TGC was supposed to replay today's coverage at 6:00pm ET. Up to 6, they had the Father/Son on then the channel went to salt and pepper! I cannot get it online either....black screen. Is anyone out there actually watching it? Wondering if something is amiss at TGC.   Thanks

[Stooch]

1 minute ago, MagicClassic407 said:

HELP!! I'm working the tourney and back in my airbnb. TGC was supposed to replay today's coverage at 6:00pm ET. Up to 6, they had the Father/Son on then the channel went to salt and pepper! I cannot get it online either....black screen. Is anyone out there actually watching it? Wondering if something is amiss at TGC.   Thanks

I just turn on the GC and it's playing right now but I'm in Canada so I don't know if that matters

[18majors]

3 minutes ago, MagicClassic407 said:

HELP!! I'm working the tourney and back in my airbnb. TGC was supposed to replay today's coverage at 6:00pm ET. Up to 6, they had the Father/Son on then the channel went to salt and pepper! I cannot get it online either....black screen. Is anyone out there actually watching it? Wondering if something is amiss at TGC.   Thanks

 My Golf Channel is playing it, no problems.

[Argonne69]

1 minute ago, Stooch said:

I just turn on the GC and it's playing right now but I'm in Canada so I don't know if that matters

 

Same here. Cox Cable in Phoenix is showing the replay. 

 

[mallrat]

Honestly, IMO part of the popularity issues of the tour has nothing to do with the Koreans and more the play/personality of the Americans. The US has need a lady to kind of carry the banner for US women’s golf for years. Recently there was Paula and Morgan, Morgan never seemed to have the personality (not to mention the game) and Paula had the personality (no matter how fake) but her results never really planned out. Then there was Michelle Wie and same think, I’m not sure about her personality or if she wanted the spotlight but her play never let us find out. Then came Lexi who seems more like she just wants to golf and isn’t comfortable in the spotlight and now her play seems to have leveled off. The current younger crop (Danielle, Nelly) seems to be growing into the roll (when my son asked for Nelly’s autograph at the ANA 2 years ago she seemed like she didn’t know what to do, like surprised someone knew who she was) but there stills needs more consistency in their game. 
 

one name who could kind of carry the banner but it remains to be seen if her game will hold up Or let her get there is Sierra Brooks, has the looks, seems to be comfortable in froNot of the camera & mic and understands social media. 
 

 

[18majors]

17 minutes ago, mallrat said:

 

one name who could kind of carry the banner but it remains to be seen if her game will hold up Or let her get there is Sierra Brooks, has the looks, seems to be comfortable in froNot of the camera & mic and understands social media. 
 

 

You've lost all your credibility by mentioning Sierra Brooks.

 

Do you know Yealimi Noh is an American?  She's 19, three years younger than Sierra, and has already accomplished 100 times more than Sierra.