Michael Sim Deserves To Be In The Barclays
by Ryan Ballengee on Aug 24, 2009 10:51 AM EDT
23 comments
It may have taken longer than he had hoped, but Michael Sim finally earned his Battlefield Promotion (to be PC, Three Win Promotion) on the Nationwide Tour by winning the confusingly named Christmas in October Classic on Sunday. He prevailed by two strokes over Josh Teater.
To get that promotion, Sim had to win three times on the Nationwide Tour schedule this year - arguably the second best tour in the world (but really the third). It took him three months and a week to notch the third win, but he did it. Perhaps it was the pressure of trying to win for a third time, although he was close at the Cox Classic in late July.
Really, it was just a matter of time.
Now, Sim can enjoy having his PGA Tour card for the remainder of this season in addition to being assured a card for next year. The problem is that Sim won't be able to use the card for five weeks. Why? Because he isn't in the top 125 in the FedEx Cup points standings. Therefore, he cannot gain entry into any of the four Playoff events which continue until October.
The problem with this is multi-faceted. Any player that wins three times in a season on a tour as competitive as the Nationwide Tour deserves a spot in a field like this. Sim has beaten some pretty serious talent this year. Arguably, he has bested fields better than the one Tiger Woods beat at Warwick Hills, among other weaker tournaments this year on the PGA Tour.
More than that, Michael Sim is now ranked 57th in the Official World Golf Ranking. Believe it or not, that's higher than Ryan Moore's world ranking - 73rd - after winning the concurrent PGA Tour event this weekend in Greensboro. Moore is not the only player that Sim outranks. He is ranked higher than John Rollins (winner in Reno-Tahoe) & Pat Perez (winner at the Hope). Sim is ranked higher than Ryo Ishikawa, Fred Couples, Boo Weekley, Trevor Immelman, and Chris Wood.
How in the world does Sim not get some kind of speical consideration into The Barclays? Put him in as the 126th man and handicap his points so that he has to finish in the top twenty to move onto the Deutsche Bank. His story is dramatically more compelling than almost all of the players likely to get cut after this weekend at Liberty National.
The worst that happens is that he misses the cut. The best that happens is that the Nationwide Tour's best player could prove the fine line between being PGA Tour driven and driving the PGA Tour's playoffs. With the FedEx Cup still in its infancy and the cynicism surrounding the format perhaps at its peak, the Tour could use a guy like Sim to add some extra interest to what critics already consider a tired concept.
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I agree completely, Ryan.
Unfortunately, the rules are what they are and he simply doesn’t have the apples-to-apples competition points to qualify. If the “playoff” rules are changed, a slippery slope is inevitably undertaken, however, so even though it may seem unfair on the surface, at the end of the day, who-ever got bumped or left out that played a pure PGA Tour schedule would have plenty of reason to grouse about it.
by Old Man Par on Aug 24, 2009 11:01 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
It’s an interesting idea and it is pretty silly that he has earned his tour card, but can’t get into any events until the Fall Finish/Quest for the Card/whatever they are calling it these days. However, I guess they can’t get him in because the field is only supposed to have 125 players and all players are guaranteed some money from 1st-125th in the playoffs so that might be a pot of gold that was unfairly earned by not playing a "pure’ schedule as par said above.
I’m actually excited for the playoffs this year. I think the adjustments make sense so that the TOUR Championship is not anticlimactic and those in the top 5 can win it if they win the TOUR Championship. The only messy thing is that I don’t think the system is fair when they reset the points that way because Tiger has won 5 events and even if he wins the first 3 playoff events he could still lose when the points are reset prior to the TOUR Championship. That really stinks when you think about it. A bonus point system at the reset for wins, sort of like what NASCAR does, would be nice, but that might mean Tiger having such a wide lead he can’t be caught.
Been a Reds fan since 1996 and am desperate for a playoff run.
by Britain United on Aug 24, 2009 11:30 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
I’m not sure I follow this at all. Sim had no PGA Tour standing until yesterday – Nationwide Tour money doesn’t count on the PGA Tour.
There were over 200 guys with PGA Tour cards this year – only 125 make it into the playoffs. Giving a special invitation to a Nationwide Tour guy, a guy who hasn’t faced the same competition on the same courses, no matter how good his year has been, has no place in the PGA Tour / Fed Ex Cup playoffs. He has ZERO points.
Big shank on this one, RB.
"this ball will fit in that fairway"
by courtgolf on Aug 24, 2009 11:35 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
He is higher ranked than over half of the field in the Barclays. You mean to tell me that he wouldn’t do well in this event? And he’s a name that people know, which is way better than what people can say about a lot of the Tour rank and file sure to get cut after this week.
It’s an easy call to make this an addition condition of getting the Battlefield Promotion. I mean, really easy.
Email me any comments or questions at ryan@thegolfnewsnet.com.
by Ryan Ballengee on Aug 24, 2009 11:37 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
It doesn’t matter how well I think he might do – he has NO STANDING on the PGA Tour. Better check the rules, RB. Zero Fed Ex Cup points gets you zero places in the playoffs.
Sim didn’t get his promotion until the week before the playoffs, and you want to just GIVE him a spot in the playoffs ? That’s crazy.
People know Michelle Wie’s name more than Michael Sim’s – and she got 3.5 points in the Solheim Cup with a bunch of top 10 final rounds….err…finishes. You think they should invite her, too ?
This is a season long points race – it took Sim this long just to get his 3rd win. This isn’t the PGA Be Nice To Everybody Tour.
"this ball will fit in that fairway"
by courtgolf on Aug 24, 2009 11:42 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Haha, the PGA Tour is all-exempt – it’s nice to everybody.
Don’t give me junk about the rules. The Tour clearly doesn’t believe in them or they would assess slow play penalties.
Sim’s ranking – despite the OWGR’s flaws – show that he has earned a place among his new peers. Why make him wait five weeks to enjoy it?
Email me any comments or questions at ryan@thegolfnewsnet.com.
by Ryan Ballengee on Aug 24, 2009 11:50 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
BECAUSE HE HAS NO FED EX CUP POINTS !!!!!!!!!!
The Baltimore Orioles are a swell bunch of guys who could probably beat up on AAA teams – should we be nice to them and put them in the playoffs even though they are 27.5 games behind the Spankees ?
"this ball will fit in that fairway"
by courtgolf on Aug 24, 2009 11:55 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Then give him some FedEx Cup points. There is absolutely zero chance that he wins the FedEx Cup. Just put him in as the 126th man and see what he does. He would have to win twice in a row to even have a remote chance to win the thing.
Email me any comments or questions at ryan@thegolfnewsnet.com.
by Ryan Ballengee on Aug 24, 2009 11:59 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Ok – who is this ? RB isn’t a tree hugging liberal flashing a peace sign and hugging everybody he sees…
GIVE HIM SOME POINTS ??? He didn’t play on the PGA Tour to EARN any points. GIVE him the 126th spot ? What about the guy who went head to head with the big boys and missed a spot by a handful of points ?
GIVE HIM ???? Now you want the PGA Welfare Tour ?
And the 125th player in the field has no chance to win it all.
"this ball will fit in that fairway"
by courtgolf on Aug 24, 2009 12:03 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
If the 125th player has no chance, then what does it matter to give an extra perk to a guy who crushed a tour of former and future rank-and-file PGA Tour players?
Email me any comments or questions at ryan@thegolfnewsnet.com.
by Ryan Ballengee on Aug 24, 2009 12:13 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
What’s your mailing address ? I’m going to send you applications for Greenpeace and Amnesty International. :-)
There are more than 125 guys who EARNED points – Sim earned NO points. He was playing in the minor leagues.
It really is that simple. The winner of the AAA World Series doesn’t get into the baseball playoffs.
"this ball will fit in that fairway"
by courtgolf on Aug 24, 2009 12:18 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
A number of players “earned” points by playing in no cut WGC events. That counts as much as Sim’s winning events on the Nationwide Tour.
Email me any comments or questions at ryan@thegolfnewsnet.com.
by Ryan Ballengee on Aug 24, 2009 12:25 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
no – it doesn’t – WGC events are limited field. Nobody even CLOSE to 125 was in those events.
And no – they DON’T count as much as winning on the Nationwide Tour – because the Nationwide Tour is a developmental tour to get to the PGA Tour. MINOR LEAGUES.
Please tell me you’re just trying to get me riled up ! (lol)
"this ball will fit in that fairway"
by courtgolf on Aug 24, 2009 12:34 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Adam Scott. Andres Romero. Stuart Appleby. Trevor Immelman.
Email me any comments or questions at ryan@thegolfnewsnet.com.
by Ryan Ballengee on Aug 24, 2009 12:41 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
ok – true dat…and how many Nationwide Tour guys were invited to the WGC tournaments?
"this ball will fit in that fairway"
by courtgolf on Aug 24, 2009 12:51 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
world rankings are 2 years – Fed Ex Cup points start over in the calender year
you got that one.
"this ball will fit in that fairway"
by courtgolf on Aug 24, 2009 12:53 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I can see your argument, I just like fighting! :)
Email me any comments or questions at ryan@thegolfnewsnet.com.
by Ryan Ballengee on Aug 24, 2009 1:04 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I thought so – but next time – don’t forget to tie your shoe laces before coming out of the corner. ;-)
"this ball will fit in that fairway"
by courtgolf on Aug 24, 2009 1:40 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Great year, but...
I think it’s his OWGR that should be questioned, not whether or not he deserves a spot in the Barclays (which he doesn’t). Here are the players that have earned a “Battlefield Promotion”:
* 1997 Chris Smith
* 2001 Heath Slocum, Chad Campbell, Pat Bates
* 2002 Patrick Moore
* 2003 Tom Carter
* 2005 Jason Gore
* 2007 Nick Flanagan
* 2009 Michael Sim
Not exactly legends, and goes to show where the PGA Tour is in relation to the Nationwide Tour, because (except for Chad Campbell backdooring top 25s), none of those guys have been able to hold onto their cards.
by MattSpence on Aug 24, 2009 12:03 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Heath Slocum has had a very solid PGA Tour career to this point – especially 2 years ago when he EARNED (hear that RB ?) his way into the Tour Championship – the first year of the Fed Ex Cup. It took him a few years to get things cranked up.
Chad Campbell is a multiple winner on Tour, but has had injury problems that caused him to make some changes to his swing.
Good stuff, Matt !
"this ball will fit in that fairway"
by courtgolf on Aug 24, 2009 12:07 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I actually did a story earlier this year about the potential curse of the Battlefield Promotion. It’s about a 50/50 chance that Sim will go on to do well.
http://www.waggleroom.com/2009/5/26/887897/nationwide-tour-battlefield
Email me any comments or questions at ryan@thegolfnewsnet.com.
by Ryan Ballengee on Aug 24, 2009 12:13 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
ah – so you’re saying that he should turn down the chance to play on the big tour for the last few tournaments of the year and just play with the Nationwide guys ? Turn down a chance to get acclamated to the big stage before taking it on full time next year ?
But you want the PGA Tour to GIVE him a spot in the playoffs….hmmmm
"this ball will fit in that fairway"
by courtgolf on Aug 24, 2009 12:20 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
The “horrible curse” part is supposed to be funny. He’d be an idiot to turn it down :)
Email me any comments or questions at ryan@thegolfnewsnet.com.
by Ryan Ballengee on Aug 24, 2009 12:24 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
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