No Entry for Defending Champion

[bcjim]

 

[bcjim]

Bad look for whoever runs it. And bad look for the Tour. 

 

Anyone know the logic behind this?

Edited February 27 by bcjim

[Rob G 89]

8 minutes ago, bcjim said:

Bad look for whoever runs it. And bad look for the Tour. 

 

Anyone know the logic behind this?

It wasn’t considered a kft event last year therefore they don’t consider anyone defending champ. I would link article but I don’t want to get into trouble here.

[stinger_gc]

 

In a nutshell you need to be in the top 75 of the kft standings to play in this tournament which Zach is not. This event was last played in 2022 and Zach lost his status since then. The pga tour equivalent would be winning the BMW Championship one year and then not qualifying the next year. 

Edited February 27 by pga43
Link off Golfwrx removed

[Maine Golfer]

Seems rude to not invite him imho 

[bcjim]

4 hours ago, stinger_gc said:

 

In a nutshell you need to be in the top 75 of the kft standings to play in this tournament which Zach is not. This event was last played in 2022 and Zach lost his status since then. The pga tour equivalent would be winning the BMW Championship one year and then not qualifying the next year. 

This is not a playoff event. Are there any other such recurring non-playoff tournaments where the defending champ is not invited? Especially a national open?  It effectively was played "last year" as he won it in Dec 2022 (15 months ago) then they moved it to March and skipped 2023 to avoid having 2 Argentine opens in a 3 month period.  Shameful. Mostly on the part of the organizers but just as bad for the pga tour. Bet if he was Argentine he'd be in.

 

Anyone know if prior champs were given automatic invites here in past years?

Edited February 27 by pga43

[byoung14]

When he won the tournament it was apart of the PGA Tour Latinoamerica schedule, it’s since been moved to a Korn Ferry Tour event. The PGA Tour considers it a “new” event so therefore they don’t consider him a defending champion. A similar thing happened to Nate Lashley when he won a Korn Ferry event in the Dominican Republic then the next year it became a PGA Tour event so Lashley wasn’t exempt into the tournament but because he had earned his tour card that’s how he was able play in the tournament. 

[grm24]

Article on golf.com covers the situation fairly well. FWIW quite a few KFT players every year do not return to defend their titles the next year as they make it to the PGA Tour. There were 4 unlimited sposnor exempetions for the event. They can use them for whoever they choose. One went to Angel Cabrera and the other 3 players are likely local regional/country players which makes sense. PGA Tour website has the field and how they are entered in the event. 

[Chunkitgood]

It appears to wear two hats: national open and Korn Ferry event.

 

He ought to be in as winner of last national championship, irrespective of his Korn Ferry status.  Else the idea that it is in fact a national championship is degraded.

[Hawkeye77]

Would sure be nice to read source material/information which has been freely linked here forever without having to exit the site and go off on a Googling expedition. Silliness. 
 

 

[Cactus Jack]

Play better

[smashdn]

Argentina OPEN

 

Am I missing something with the open portion of the tournament name?  Is there not a path to qualify through sectionals or something along those lines?

[jimecherry]

21 minutes ago, smashdn said:

Argentina OPEN

 

Am I missing something with the open portion of the tournament name?  Is there not a path to qualify through sectionals or something along those lines?

8 players qualified through open qualifying which is only 2x the norm of a normal kf event. the event like other kft events in latin america is less a national open and more a national fund raiser for golf in that region.

[PedronNiall]

3 hours ago, smashdn said:

Argentina OPEN

 

Am I missing something with the open portion of the tournament name?  Is there not a path to qualify through sectionals or something along those lines?

I can't think of many instances where the person who won last time it was played would need to play through a series of rounds to get back in regardless of a title change or host change. Regardless of the technicalities it's very odd and I can't see many thinking all the hoops are worth it.