Rory Sabbatini Is The Biggest Loser

by One-Eyed Golfer Guy on Sep 14, 2009 10:36 AM EDT Comment 13 comments

...in many, many ways.

Rory Sabbatini is a butt head. He withdrew from Tiger's tournament and collected $170,000 for last place.

He totally embarrassed Ben Crane at the 2005 Booz-Allen by playing out of turn (legal) and then leaving Crane by himself on the 17th green to finish as he strode to the 18th tee.

He called out Presidents Cup captains Greg Norman and Frank Nobilo for not having the "class" to call Rory and tell him why they chose Ryo Ishikawa and Adam Scott.

And finally, was the player with the most points in the top thirty of the season ending FedEx Cup points leaderboard to not punch their ticket to Atlanta for the Tour Championship. Sabbatini was 17th in points and ended up in 34th place.

Be careful what you ask for, Rory. I can hear the phone conversation now.

"Rory? This is Greg Norman. Listen, mate, I chose Adam Scott and Ryo Ishikawa instead of you for two reasons. First, you are an arsehole. And secondly, you are an arsehole."

FanPosts are written by Waggle Room members. Viewpoints expressed do not necessarily reflect those of WaggleRoom.com and its editor, Ryan Ballengee. The Waggle Room member whose byline appears with the FanPost is solely responsible for its content.

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I applauded Rory for the Crane incident – that was the best thing that could have happened in the effort to speed things up…but the Tour ignored it shortly after and slowed back down. (can we put Rory with Furyk sometime ?)

He pulled out of Tiger’s event with leg problems – that course is not an easy walk. Where is the vitriole against Phil and Tiger for pulling out of the Tour Championship and collecting a check ? Rory caved to the (misplaced – in my opinion) public pressure and returned the check.

lol – but that phonecall from Norman had potential ! (lol)

"this ball will fit in that fairway"

by courtgolf on Sep 14, 2009 10:57 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

He DID NOT return the check, but he did

donate the same amount to United Through Reading. Initially, he stated personal reasons for pulling out. After the uproar, it changed to shin splints that did not respond to therapy that night. However, he emptied his locked and withdrew PRIOR to getting any physical therapy.

If I had my choice of playing with a slow player or someone who did what Rory did, I would choose the slow player and I would refuse to play with the rude person ever again.

He is right about Norman. But, you do not call him out in public like he did on TV in front of a nationwide audience.

...from the land of pleasant living, Baltimore.

by One-Eyed Golfer Guy on Sep 14, 2009 11:26 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I didn’t care what the uproar was – the guy said he had shin splints – and it HURTS hitting golf shots with shin splints. People need to mind their own business.

He wasn’t playing a casual round on Saturday morning – he was playing a PGA Tour event and Crane had completely thrown his game off and had backed up the entire golf course. Crane SHOULD have been penalized several times for breaking the rule – but that would have affected Sabattini, too.

Personally, I have separated from excessively slow players before – they knew they were bad and we had someplace to be – couldn’t play a 6 1/2 hour round. We were polite and they understood – so it can be done as a regular golfer.

No doubt – calling out Norman was bad form. Besides, the rest of the world was already on Norman’s case.

"this ball will fit in that fairway"

by courtgolf on Sep 14, 2009 11:38 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

0-3-1

is Sabbatini’s record in the President’s Cup. That would be a pretty short phone conversation if I were in Norman’s place.

Also, how about the gag job over the weekend? He was absolutely rolling at -8 thru the first 27 holes only to play the final 45 holes +6 with his Tour Championship spot on the line (and a minimum of a few hundred K).

He’s won five tournaments, which is impressive, however they are all mid-level tour events. When the heat is on or the stage is grand, this guy crumbles.

Everybody knows about the collapse to Tiger, giving up a one shot lead and losing by five after calling him more beatable than ever. But it’s his record in majors that proves he can’t handle the heat.

Throughout his career, Rory makes the cut 66% of the time. In majors, he makes the cut 45% of the time. He has on top 10 and one top 25 to go with his 18 missed cuts and 10 finishes of worse than 50th place. When the heat is on, he game goes away.

by MattSpence on Sep 14, 2009 11:40 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I hardly noticed his play over the weekend once I got a look at the haircut and bizarre sunglasses look. He looked like an alien from some of these ufo movies.

"this ball will fit in that fairway"

by courtgolf on Sep 14, 2009 12:00 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

If Sabbatini

is an arsehole for walking off the 17th green because of Ben Crane’s slow play, what should we call Tiger Woods for walking off the 17th green before YE Yang putted out at the PGA Championship?

by Bill Jempty on Sep 14, 2009 2:09 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I wouldn’t put those in the same company. Yang had a one foot putt. Crane was still actively playing the hole with some serious work left to do.

Email me any comments or questions at ryan@thegolfnewsnet.com.

by Ryan Ballengee on Sep 14, 2009 2:37 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

exactly – Sabbatini had a good excuse for what he did :-)

"this ball will fit in that fairway"

by courtgolf on Sep 14, 2009 4:41 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

so......

Tiger is more of an arsehole. What he did was an deliberate attempt at gamesmanship.

by Bill Jempty on Sep 14, 2009 6:17 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

nah – like RB said – Yang was tapping in. Michelle Wie could have come streaking across the green and he wouldn’t have missed the putt.

"this ball will fit in that fairway"

by courtgolf on Sep 14, 2009 6:20 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Crane deserved what he got

I have no idea how the injury situation but I have been in spots where I couldn’t finish out a round and I consider myself a tough guy (not tough as in fighting but you know what I mean).

by AppleCub on Sep 14, 2009 7:33 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs