Mini Tour Guys Present and Past - anyone every drop a big number?

[Ironman_32]

Wanted to see if anyone ever dropped a huge number in terms of qualifying for an event. I think this could apply to any level of players, mini tour players, tour players if they're available, even recreation players, but when you tee it up professional its more something that shouldn't really happen. I know there were PGA events where Dustin Johnson shot 80 back to back, such a thin margin.

 

Just looking at some scores from PGA Tour Americas Qualifying school, its crazy to me that some players think they are ready to tee it up and barely sniff par in any round. Is that nerves, a fluke, guys turning pro just to say it? I know pros can put up big numbers on individual holes, but over four rounds just seems like you didn't have it to begin with. Not trying to embarrass anyone or throw shame, just trying to understand if it's a true mindset thing. 

[Archimedes65]

Doesn’t surprise me at all. I’ve met so many delusional golfers over the years, who have no clue how different elite golfers are than the rest of us.  I’ve played with collegiate women’s players that would wax any scratch golfer that I’ve ever played with, and I’ve had scratch golfers argue with me about how that isn’t true.  Testosterone doesn’t necessarily aid brain function.

[tomjas]

I asked a pro a similar question some time ago and he simply said that there’s some people out there who like to brag about “being good enough to enter a qualifier”

 

Genuine players regard them as a joke 

[iBanesto]

A guy named Tiger Woods shot: 

• 85: 2015 Memorial Tournament
• 82: 2024 Masters
• 82: 2015 Waste Management Phoenix Open
• 81: 2002 British Open
• 80: 2015 U.S. Open
• 80: 1994, Nestle Invitational

[isaacbm]

It would be interesting to find out what the highest score of any past major champion is. I would assume that every guy who’s played at least 10 years of majors probably has at least one score over 80.
most of these courses adjusted ratings would be 77 to 79. Pretty easy just shoot 80 when you think about it.

[nino44]

I think its easy to think you are ready when you are the best player in your area, without having a ton of competition to see what the top few hundred in the world can do. I caddied some in Q school events for guys I've seen shoot 60-63 easily at our home course and not break 74 in q school. Some combination of tournament pressure/nerves/course difficulty can change the scores for guys who can play unbelievably good. 

I also know a few guys that have done Q school that knew they weren't ready yet, but wanted to see how their game stacked up to know what they needed to work on to chase the dream. 

 

At the end of the day, golf is hard and you are trying to be one of the best 200 out of millions who play. 

[byoung14]

Professional golf has the lowest barrier to entry out of the “major” sports so you’ll naturally have people who can’t keep up because you can easily inflate a handicap playing easy courses over and over. You have to consider that a lot of mini tour events are on shorter, more open courses with accessible hole locations essentially target golf so if someone doesn’t know how to manage their way around a more difficult course where misses are punished and pins are tucked then the scores will explode.

[OnTheBag]

Forgive my weak memory of the exact year, but I think it was 1976 or 77.  I had lost my caddying gig and was chasing mini tours in Florida and the Carolinas with some decent success, including a few wins.  Entered the US Open Qualifying path, thinking that my game was as good as it was going to get.  Back then, it was only a 2 stage process and I sailed through the first stage only to post an embarrassing number in the 2nd.  One of those spells where I couldn't get a wedge close or a putt to fall.  Sometimes it just happens.  Golf is hard.

 

I wouldn't regard those posting 80's in a tournament qualifier as frauds.  Some think their game is better than it is and others just have a bad day.

[Pnwpingi210]

24 minutes ago, OnTheBag said:

Forgive my weak memory of the exact year, but I think it was 1976 or 77.  I had lost my caddying gig and was chasing mini tours in Florida and the Carolinas with some decent success, including a few wins.  Entered the US Open Qualifying path, thinking that my game was as good as it was going to get.  Back then, it was only a 2 stage process and I sailed through the first stage only to post an embarrassing number in the 2nd.  One of those spells where I couldn't get a wedge close or a putt to fall.  Sometimes it just happens.  Golf is hard.

 

I wouldn't regard those posting 80's in a tournament qualifier as frauds.  Some think their game is better than it is and others just have a bad day.

80s is no fraud.

 

 Just about every week in the pga tour there is a legit +6 guy dropping an 8 over for a round.  

[Ironman_32]

9 hours ago, iBanesto said:

A guy named Tiger Woods shot: 

• 85: 2015 Memorial Tournament
• 82: 2024 Masters
• 82: 2015 Waste Management Phoenix Open
• 81: 2002 British Open
• 80: 2015 U.S. Open
• 80: 1994, Nestle Invitational

True, but take that 81 in the 2002 British Open; weather was horrible that day, and his 1st, 2nd, and 4th rounds were not also 80. (shot 65 last round per google). He also finished 6 shots out of first, different than being 20 strokes behind the leaders and not sniffing par out of any round out of 4.  

[grm24]

8 hours ago, isaacbm said:

It would be interesting to find out what the highest score of any past major champion is. I would assume that every guy who’s played at least 10 years of majors probably has at least one score over 80.
most of these courses adjusted ratings would be 77 to 79. Pretty easy just shoot 80 when you think about it.

John Daly (go figure) once shot 90 in a PGA Tour event (Valspar). He has plenty of other rounds in the upper 80's as well.

[J-Blade]

13 hours ago, Archimedes65 said:

Doesn’t surprise me at all. I’ve met so many delusional golfers over the years, who have no clue how different elite golfers are than the rest of us.  I’ve played with collegiate women’s players that would wax any scratch golfer that I’ve ever played with, and I’ve had scratch golfers argue with me about how that isn’t true.  Testosterone doesn’t necessarily aid brain function.

Case in point: Several years ago, Grace Na, one of the members of our, Pepperdine's, women's team at the time was on the range with me and several other guys. She's maybe 5'2, 120, and she was out driving all the big guys. Most of her drives went well up into the net at the far end of the range. Grace was All-WCC and went on to play on the Epson Tour.  

[Peak]

10 hours ago, isaacbm said:

It would be interesting to find out what the highest score of any past major champion is. I would assume that every guy who’s played at least 10 years of majors probably has at least one score over 80.
most of these courses adjusted ratings would be 77 to 79. Pretty easy just shoot 80 when you think about it.

Might not be the worst of all time and this feels a bit like cheating because of Augusta’s past champion policy but Billy Casper shot a cool 106 at Augusta in 2005.

 

https://www.espn.com/golf/player/scorecards/_/id/73/billy-casper

[GungHoGolf]

2 hours ago, Peak said:

Might not be the worst of all time and this feels a bit like cheating because of Augusta’s past champion policy but Billy Casper shot a cool 106 at Augusta in 2005.

 

https://www.espn.com/golf/player/scorecards/_/id/73/billy-casper

Wonder how many water balls he had to take a 14 on 16, ouch.

 

He was 73 at the time.

Edited May 25 by GungHoGolf

[iBanesto]

7 hours ago, Ironman_32 said:

True, but take that 81 in the 2002 British Open; weather was horrible that day, and his 1st, 2nd, and 4th rounds were not also 80. (shot 65 last round per google). He also finished 6 shots out of first, different than being 20 strokes behind the leaders and not sniffing par out of any round out of 4.  

 

[fowlerscousin]

Yes big numbers are posted all the time. But competitive golf is about firing a lot of shots knowing that most will miss, but sometimes your game is in a place where you can run hot.

[Maine Golfer]

I played JV golf AMA. But yeah golf is hard, ive never been great but its not shocking. 

[jmcm87]

On 5/24/2024 at 9:10 PM, Ironman_32 said:

Wanted to see if anyone ever dropped a huge number in terms of qualifying for an event. I think this could apply to any level of players, mini tour players, tour players if they're available, even recreation players, but when you tee it up professional its more something that shouldn't really happen. I know there were PGA events where Dustin Johnson shot 80 back to back, such a thin margin.

 

Just looking at some scores from PGA Tour Americas Qualifying school, its crazy to me that some players think they are ready to tee it up and barely sniff par in any round. Is that nerves, a fluke, guys turning pro just to say it? I know pros can put up big numbers on individual holes, but over four rounds just seems like you didn't have it to begin with. Not trying to embarrass anyone or throw shame, just trying to understand if it's a true mindset thing. 

The difference between rec and tournament golf is huge. I think that's where a lot of guys get lost especially guys getting a taste of it on mini tour. 5' for bragging rights and 5' to save par as a momentum builder is huge. 

You might be a scratch/plus guy with your shirt untucked and a few beers, now do it when it matters. 

 

[m d g]

On 5/25/2024 at 11:35 AM, J-Blade said:

Case in point: Several years ago, Grace Na, one of the members of our, Pepperdine's, women's team at the time was on the range with me and several other guys. She's maybe 5'2, 120, and she was out driving all the big guys. Most of her drives went well up into the net at the far end of the range. Grace was All-WCC and went on to play on the Epson Tour.  

 

I hate to be 'that guy,' but is this the Grace Na that played LPGA events in 2016?

 

If so, she was 133 in driving distance at 245 yards.

 

Your 'big guys' may have been big but they didn't hit it very far.

 

I'm not trying to be mean, and maybe stories get better with age, but it seemed too interesting to check...

[J-Blade]

32 minutes ago, m d g said:

 

I hate to be 'that guy,' but is this the Grace Na that played LPGA events in 2016?

 

If so, she was 133 in driving distance at 245 yards.

 

Your 'big guys' may have been big but they didn't hit it very far.

 

I'm not trying to be mean, and maybe stories get better with age, but it seemed too interesting to check...

I imagine that is the same Grace Na, though I thought she had mainly played on the Epson/Symetra Tour back then. I don't know what to say except that I'm pretty short off the tee, so out driving me is pretty easy. I just remember being impressed with her drives that day. She took some classes in our department. Nice kid. 

[Neo1]

I mean big numbers can happen anytime, i've seen a former PGA tour winner drop an 85 in a qualifier before. another pro who famously made a cut as a 16 year old shot an 88 in a qualifier as well....the course rating for the 2 courses are around 74 so it's quite shocking...golf is a humbling game

[m d g]

45 minutes ago, J-Blade said:

I imagine that is the same Grace Na, though I thought she had mainly played on the Epson/Symetra Tour back then. I don't know what to say except that I'm pretty short off the tee, so out driving me is pretty easy. I just remember being impressed with her drives that day. She took some classes in our department. Nice kid. 

I am a short hitter as well who manages to score.

 

My 10-years older playing partner hits it 20-30 yards past me...about 240-250 so I am constantly amazed.

 

But my son flies his 5-wood 235-240 which is silly. Good thing for me he doesn't usually know where it's going : )

[MtlJeff]

This is a tough course when the wind is blowing as there's lots of water. But i remember this story and found it on a google search

 

https://www.golfdigest.com/story/webcom-tour-pro-who-shot-three-consecutive-rounds-in-the-90s-fires-back-at-the-haters-in-spectacular-fashion

 

[Dave230]

On 5/25/2024 at 10:21 AM, isaacbm said:

It would be interesting to find out what the highest score of any past major champion is. I would assume that every guy who’s played at least 10 years of majors probably has at least one score over 80.
most of these courses adjusted ratings would be 77 to 79. Pretty easy just shoot 80 when you think about it.

One of the worst of a 'peak' player was when Sergio Garcia shot 89 at Carnoustie in 1999. That was probably the hardest Open ever, but it's amazing how you can go from winning a tournament two weeks earlier to shooting 89. The next month he nearly won the PGA behind Tiger too.

Edited May 29 by Dave230