Jerry Kelly to Skip Open Championship
by Ryan Ballengee on Apr 29, 2009 11:29 AM EDT
14 comments
Jerry Kelly, fresh off of his first PGA Tour win in seven years last weekend in NOLA, indicated that he will not play in the Open Championship at Turnberry.
Geoff Shackelford has a link to Scottish golfer Alastair Forsyth's response in the Daily Record in the UK.
I am completely dumbfounded by Jerry Kelly's decision to snub The Open Championship place he won in New Orleans on Sunday because he would rather play an event in Milwaukee.
I accept that any individual has the right to make his own decisions but come on! This is the greatest championship in the world we're talking about and Kelly, by virtue of his weekend victory has been given a place in it.
In the interest of being consistent, I have to call Jerry Kelly a sissy like I did to Kenny Perry last year for opting to skip the Open to play in the US Bank Championship in Milwaukee.
Given that Kelly is from Wisconsin, he has a convenient excuse to skip the Open - A MAJOR CHAMPIONSHIP - and play in an event in his home state. This may well be one of the final playings of the Milwaukee event, which will lose US Bank as its title sponsor in 2010. Perhaps Kelly believes that showing allegiance to his hometown event may better help attract a new title sponsor. That is a noble motivation.
Then again, Kenny Perry's motviation last year to make the Ryder Cup team was noble. That doesn't mean that I agree with either. I would love to play in the Open Championship. Hell, I would dress up as Jerry Kelly, have his goofy swing, and eat tons of oysters in order to masquerade as him and play at Turnberry.
That just gave me an idea...
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Whatever
Grow up people. This word “snub” has become a complete cliche. Jerry Kelly did not sit down and say “screw the British”.
The players are under no obligation to play any of the 4 Majors – and this idea that anybody has a right to pass judgement on their character or maturity or respect for the game is way out of line.
"this ball will fit in that fairway"
by courtgolf on Apr 29, 2009 11:50 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
I disagree with Forsyth that it was a “snub.” I get Kelly’s rationale and it wasn’t to hurt the British so much as to help his hometown event.
Still, I don’t know how someone can turn down an opportunity to play in a major.
Email me any comments or questions at ryan@thegolfnewsnet.com.
by Ryan Ballengee on Apr 29, 2009 11:52 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
How the heck does Jerry Friggin’ Kelly not playing the British “hurt” the tournament ? He’s a great guy and he won for the first time in 200 starts – but be serious. This isn’t Tiger Woods or Phil Mickelson.
Kelly is getting to the downhill side of his career. He would rather take a shot at a high finish on a course he is familiar with instead of spending thousands of dollars to travel overseas to a course he doesn’t know and conditions he’s not familiar with JUST because someone put a label on the tournament that says “Major”.
Jerry Kelly isn’t playing for history – he’s playing for money.
"this ball will fit in that fairway"
by courtgolf on Apr 29, 2009 12:25 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I didn’t imply that Kelly’s absence hurts the British Open. I said that he didn’t make his decision to negatively impact the Open so much as positively impact Milwaukee.
Jerry certainly isn’t a top top guy, but it would be inconsistent of me to rail Kenny and not him for the exact same move. That’s particularly true considering that that Kenny Perry made his decision to not try to qualify for the US Open & skip the British after his first win last season at Memorial.
Email me any comments or questions at ryan@thegolfnewsnet.com.
by Ryan Ballengee on Apr 29, 2009 1:44 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
the word SNUB was used
"this ball will fit in that fairway"
by courtgolf on Apr 29, 2009 2:05 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
As I said beforer
Ryder Cup players and or Vardon Trophy winners like Dave Hill, Don January, Calvin Peete, Dave Stockton have skipped the British Open entirely or only made one or two appearances. They all won in double figures on tour,too.
DA Weibring didn’t play there too, instead he would play Quad Cities. The PGA Tour player from Mexico with the most tour wins preferred Quad Cities too. No his name isn’t Lee Trevino.
by Bill Jempty on Apr 29, 2009 12:02 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
I just don’t understand how you can voluntarily skip a major unless you have tried it several times and just fail miserably at it. Then again, Jerry doesn’t appear to have a very good record at the Open.
Email me any comments or questions at ryan@thegolfnewsnet.com.
by Ryan Ballengee on Apr 29, 2009 12:09 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
jerry kelly a good fantasy pick for this weeks wachovia or did he just get hot for a week seeing that he hasn’t won in 7 or so years?
by wiggitywhales on Apr 29, 2009 12:03 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
I like Jerry Kelly a lot as a player, but I gotta take a look at his track record at QH before I tell ya for sure.
Email me any comments or questions at ryan@thegolfnewsnet.com.
by Ryan Ballengee on Apr 29, 2009 12:08 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
nobody but a world number one stands a chance of winning back-to-back.
ps: I’m certain it’s happened once or twice, but this week won’t be added to the short list.
Truth has a well-known liberal bias.
by dianemarie on Apr 29, 2009 12:18 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
He can do what he wants. Who cares anyway?
He wouldn’t win to start with
So, again…whats the big deal?
I have been to Europe several times and wouldn’t want to go back if it was annoyance to me
by AppleCub on Apr 29, 2009 8:27 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Jerry Kelly
Kelly said a while back that he wouldn’t try to qualify for the British and that he would turn down a spot if he earned one. He feels that it’s good for the state of WI to have an annual PGA event, and he knows having Wisconsin golfers in the tourney has a tremendous impact on attendance. Kelly has also offered to help secure sponsorship for the tournament for the future. Rather than rip on him for his decision, he should be admired for putting the future of a tournament in his home state ahead of an opportunity to win a major.
by NInerFan_WI on May 3, 2009 9:38 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Good for him...
…you can’t argue with that kind of reasoning. The guy supports the place where he lives.
"this ball will fit in that fairway"
by courtgolf on May 4, 2009 9:05 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
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