Why have 1 guy play alone

[budathephat]

Tom Pernice Jr.

I am very confused, :)

Why with 27 golfers in the field did the PGA make poor Tom Pernice play alone this AM? :) I completely understand why because they want to be in 2-somes, but why not for the sake of the poor guy play in 3 somes just so you don't have 1 guy flying solo...

Just don't make sence to me????

Thanks for hearing my rant!!!

[tm8838]

They said that they were going to have a marker play with him but nobody wanted to because it was 45* when he teed off this morning.

[3puttbert]

I was under the impression a marker was offered by he declined.

[matthew.bakkum]

Who cares

[Simp]

Maybe he should hit 2 balls off the tee then. Maybe play a scramble? I agree with the previous poster...who cares?

[fireice]

Doesn't really matter, he's just happy he shot -1.

[raehtz10]

He declined the marker as the course was setup fairly tough and he didn't want to wait on the marker playing along. He got done in 3 hours 10 minutes.

[mellum76]

Pgatour radio had an interview with Tom Pernice after his round today. Tom said that 1) he preferred to play alone as he often does during practice rounds when he's not paired with VJ and 2) he felt the course was playing a bit difficult and thought a marker might have a hard time keeping up.

[raehtz10]

Caught the same interview

[Charlie_Foxtrot]

Who cares

 

Me. Behind the scenes decisions like this one are interesting to me.

[Hungsolo]

Cause no one likes him except for Vijay.

[the_krulatz]

I think he saw it as an opportunity to go out and play a simple round of golf stress free, and possibly give himself the advantage in shooting a really low score today.

[wwhitehead]

If the Tour played threesomes, they'd have nine groups on the golf course. Instead, they had 14 (including Pernice). Paying patrons wouldn't be happy to have their opportunity to watch play cut by a third (and neither would Coca-Cola, who foots the bill for the whole thing). That's reason enough to stay with twosomes.

[bogeyk]

If they can do it in the Tour Championship..... Why not do it every event that Ben Crane enters? He might not get around in just over three hours, but he may break the five hour mark.

[Simp]

I think you may be on to something here. If the first tee time on Tour is 7:30 AM then they should give Crane a 5:30 AM standing tee time at every Tour stop.

[wedgehound]

I am very confused, :)

 

Why with 27 golfers in the field did the PGA make poor Tom Pernice play alone this AM? :) I completely understand why because they want to be in 2-somes, but why not for the sake of the poor guy play in 3 somes just so you don't have 1 guy flying solo...

 

Just don't make sence to me????

 

Thanks for hearing my rant!!!

 

 

Maybe this is why: http://blogs.golfdigest.com/hawkins/2006/1...ce_and_mal.html

[mcbush25]

I am very confused, :)

 

Why with 27 golfers in the field did the PGA make poor Tom Pernice play alone this AM? :) I completely understand why because they want to be in 2-somes, but why not for the sake of the poor guy play in 3 somes just so you don't have 1 guy flying solo...

 

Just don't make sence to me????

 

Thanks for hearing my rant!!!

 

 

Maybe this is why: http://blogs.golfdigest.com/hawkins/2006/1...ce_and_mal.html

 

That is what I was thinking. Maybe they knew he wasn't the most likeable guy on tour and just let him be the one to play alone.

[choeppner]

That's what I was thinking as well wedgehound. After hearing how he bashes people and and all that I wouldn't want to play with him either.

 

-CHRIS-

[NikeDD59]

HI Guys,

 

What exactly is a marker? Why have someone who isn't in the tournament play?

[Charlie_Foxtrot]

Maybe this is why: http://blogs.golfdigest.com/hawkins/2006/1...ce_and_mal.html

 

This is the quote by Pernice that makes me lose respect for him and burns his credibility as far as I am concerned:

 

"If you blow off the pro-am at a regular event, you’re not allowed to play in the tournament. If you qualify for an event like this and skip it, there should be some type of sanction. Maybe you should get a month [suspension] or something.”

 

What a crock of fecal matter. These guys are not employees. They do not receive a salary. They are not guaranteed to play on Sunday. They are independent contractors. They alone shoulder the risk that if they do not play, they do not get paid. If they get injured while playing, the PGA does not pay them anyway.

 

If the PGA want to turn golf into a team sport like football, baseball, or hockey - then each team can demand that their employees/players fulfil certain obligations.

 

In the mean time, the PGA cannot have it both ways. They cannot make the player earn their paychecks like independent contractors, but "ban" or "sanction" them like employees when they choose to exercise their rights as an independent contractor. Tiger and Phil and every other marquee player (and every player, actually) have earned the right to pick and choose when and where they play.

 

To me, Pernice sounds like a bitter guy, jealous of Tiger, trying to make a name for himself, and trying to kiss-up to the sponsors.

[Sam-Tee-Time]

HI Guys,

 

What exactly is a marker? Why have someone who isn't in the tournament play?

 

Markers are typically either club pros, former (or current professionals), or in some cases very highly ranked amateur golfers that fill that "odd" spot, so that a pro doesn't have to play alone, as described above.

 

PS: I never understood why some people feel they always have to play with others. I enjoy others' company, but given the choice........I'd rather play alone at MY PACE, especially if I were a professional.