PGA 2011 care of Albert Rounds 1 and 2 Well, we just read Gabes’ assessment of Tiger’s play, so no need to comment on that any further. Good to see some Americans atop the leaderboard for a change, and good to see a crowded board at that. Not exactly a “Who’s Who” amongst the golf elite… but should make for an interesting weekend. Jack smoked the field on Day 1 by 6 strokes riding Stricker’s 63 plus 4 other golfers collectively 2 under. Hans wins day 2 in a tight contest over Sobo with Andy and I one stoke further back. My team is shot for the weekend w/ only 2 players making the cut… but I could have taken Day 2 honors had Phil and Adam Scott finished w/ aprs on 18. Alas, both DOUBLED the hole, I gave up four strokes to par, and lose the day by 3. Gabes and Ikey are dead meat like me for the weekend… my suggestion: don’t watch golf, go play. Hans has a 5 stroke lead heading into the weekend. but all other teams have at least 4 players going and remain in the hunt. Hans and Jack have 5 going… Andy and Sobo 4… and amazingly, Fox has all six. Plus… his alternate sits one stroke out of the lead, so he was 7 for 7. But even more amazingly…. With all six making the cut at 144 or less, not ONE of his golfers broke par over the two days. 12 scores of 70 or higher… yet no missed the 144 cut. What are the odds of that???? Fox, give your students dispersion of Rd 1 and 2 scores, and have them figure the probability of that occurrence. I suspect astronomical odds Some interesting non-starters… Points for Fox, Dufner for Jack, Verplank for ????, Bradley for Gabes and Senden for Andy. Each of those dudes are -5 or -4 and all on the sidelines. All three of my non-starters/alternate… Molder, Sabbatini, and Vegas… made the cut as well. It sucks having to run these pools when you are out of it by Thur night like I was. Was hoping Adam Scott or Phil could keep my interest but their hopes sunk with their balls in the water on 18. I guess Adam still has a chance… after all, Stevie Williams is on his bag, right? But I see either Furyk or Stricker coming thru over the weekend. But would be nice to see Verplank win a big one ++++++++ Al - this tournament is wide open. the winner could come from way back. Watch #15, the par 3 the next two days. 260 fucking yards! I couldnt reach it with my driver! This was the hole that David Toms aced the last time the PGA was here - at 225 yards. No more. As a reminder the drama available at the PGA - this is where Dustin Johnson unknowingly grounded his club in one of the thousand sand bunkers last year at Whistling Straights. The year earlier, Y.E. Yang made a name for himself beating a then capable Tiger Woods. regarding decisions on players to sit or play - Furyk has had a lousy year and is playing only because of a strong final 36 last weekend. Maybe he is just catching his stride late, having celebrated last years Player of the Year a little too long. Dont count out Lee Westwood. hans ++++++++ Round 3 Well, my only interest was in the Double Major Skin on the table. And interest waned when Adam Scott managed to 3 putt #10 from 3 feet. Dead uphill, no break!!!! Went from a kick in birdie taking him to -4 and in the thick of things to -2 and behind too many people to make a meaningful run today. I guess I’m rooting for Verplank or Stricker at this point… two veterans who have not won a major. Would prefer Verplank… he’s older, and no one has him active on their teams for the Double Skin. Of the newer players, Keegan Bradley is my fave. St. John’s grad… and what a great recovery yesterday after starting with a DB on the relatively easy #1. And how cool would it be to see one of Gabes’ non-starters take the title? OK… on to our pool. Hans team had another great day and have basically salted away the #1 spot overall, barring a Norman-esque collapse on Sunday. But Fox’s team made a big move, using the power of numbers to have his best 4 of 6 post the day’s low score of 273, edging Hans by one. Andy had a great day… 276, and made up ground on both Jack and Sobo. So the battle for second and third will be fun today, with 4 teams separated by a total of 6 strokes. Likely will come down to pars vs DBs on the treachorous 18th. **************************************************** Final Well, it wasn’t Phil vs Tiger down the stretch as two relative unknownscame down to the last four holes yesterday. But it sure was great theatre! Bradley making birdie on 16 and 17 after triple bogey on 15 was clutch stuff. Dufner made a nice bogey on 15 after splashdown… bogey on 16 starting tightening up his butt hole, and the three putt on 17 was ugky. Clutch par to make the playoff. And he stiffs his second shot to within 5-6 eet on first playoff hole, so it looks like he may be back on track. But Bradley knocks it inside him, Dufner badly pulls a putt, Bradley drains. And then Dufner hits the same shit lag on 17, leading to a three putt. His birdie on 18 is window dressing since Bradley has cleared the water in 2. As for our event… as predicted, Hans is an easy winner, and we had a great race for second and third. Fox had the power of numbers w 6 golfers gojng, but his quality did not match his quantity, and he finished 4 from $$$$, w/ Toms being his only solid player on Sunday. Jack was next with 5 players… but only one broke 70, and his 283 left room for Andy and Sobo to make their moves. And with each only having 4 golfers teeing it up, they could not afford any stumbles. Both teams played great, collectively 6 under, picked up 9 stokes on Jack, and end up tied for second. Almost as clutch as Keegan Bradley. Gabes: Do we carry over the major skins to next year? How about it goes to the man who wins the FedEx Cup? Silly to think that we do not have action on that overall Championship… what do you think about that, either for these two Major Skins this year, or add’l sidebet for next year? Ranked by Score 1 Hans 347 349 274 280 1250 2 Sobo 358 351 280 274 1263 3 Andy 361 352 276 274 1263 4 Jack 341 360 282 283 1266 5 Fox 355 358 273 281 1267 6 Gabes 363 357 286 281 1287 7 Albert 365 352 291 288 1296 8 Ikey 367 358 298 289 1312 9 10 11 #1 Daily Jack Hans #2 Daily Hans Sobo # 3 Daily Fox Hans # 4 Daily Sobo/Andy Sobo/Andy Winners Hans Sobo Andy Fox Jack Day 1 8.40 19.60 28.00 Day 2 19.60 8.40 28.00 Day 3 8.40 19.60 28.00 Day 4 14.00 14.00 28.00 Final 100.80 33.60 33.60 168.00 Total 137.20 56.00 47.60 19.60 19.60 0.00 280.00