18 Pull Out for Memphis, Claim to Be Too Tired to Play
by Ryan Ballengee on Jun 9, 2010 11:48 AM EDT
in Pro Golf
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PrintAdam Schupak nails down a developing story this week in the oft-overlooked Memphis event at TPC Southwind. Some eighteen players have withdrawn from this week's event so far, with perhaps more to come. Most of them are players that teed it up in the sectional qualifier for the US Open on Monday, either in Columbus or Memphis. A number of them earned spots in the US Open and, therefore, don't see the point of playing 72 holes this week, then fly cross-country, and try to play in the most psychologically damaging test of the year.
What gives? Too tired to play for a million dollar first prize? Poker player Phil Laak - delightfully nicknamed The Unibomber - broke a Guinness world record when he played 115 straight hours of poker last week. Sure, golf is outside and Memphis is hotter than a climate-controlled casino, but both Tour pros and Laak share that they were playing for exorbitant sums of money doing what most consider an expensive hobby.
The PGA Tour's Sid Wilson told Schupak that each player who pulled out would have to submit a written rationale for it. In other words: supply the doctor's note. And unlike Hollywood celebrities who can flake out citing "fatigue," the Tour won't allow such excuses. Good for them - now make the penalty for faking it public.
Or, how about the idea of scaling back the number of fully-exempt players each week? The idea seems to be getting more attention at the same time that the PGA Tour is considering creating its "endangered tournaments" list to compel force top-ranked players to add a couple of extra starts each year.
Speaking with Brad Faxon yesterday, he told me that he was pleased with the all-exempt system because it allowed players to spend time with their families and have a more consistent schedule. That's all well and good, but exemption does not mean absolution from responsibility - particularly when fans and sponsors are paying good money.
By being a placeholder for a spot in the field, the players that withdrew created havoc for those lower lever players that would have gladly sucked up a spot to play for $1.08 million for the win. What about those guys? Are the guys in exemption categories below 20 supposed to just follow around the big dogs like puppies, just hoping for scraps?
The concept of the "designated tournament" list becomes another opportunity for the A-list to flex their muscle over guys who - to the disgust of sponsors - only seem to appear in these lesser revered events. It helps the sponsor, but kills the little guy. In that case, reduce the number of PGA Tour cards. Just do the Nationwide Tour a favor, increase its field depth and purses, and set up the infrastructure for a real minor league.
As for the guys that typically populate these lesser events but simply lack the stamina to play 108 holes in a week - remember Q-school, boys? - perhaps the Finchem-pushed concept may make them consider that having the right to quit does not mean that they should. Or otherwise, there will be consequences.
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Because Golf Has No Offseason ®
Some players will try to squeeze in an extra week off whenever they can. They are independent contractors who make their own schedule. If the Tour wants them to play more events, make them employees and establish work rules that include and attendance policy.
"(I)f you think you've got an inside track to absolute truth, you become doctrinaire, humorless and intellectually constipated." Saul Alinsky
I agree – I did a post on the ruse of the notion of the “independent contractor” last year. That notion just kind of has to go away.
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by Ryan Ballengee on Jun 9, 2010 12:22 PM EDT up reply actions
loosely defined as an independent contractor because they do have to follow the rules of the Tour for pulling out of a tournament, etc.
"this ball will fit in that fairway"
Right, it’s a weird symbiosis really.
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by Ryan Ballengee on Jun 9, 2010 12:35 PM EDT up reply actions
Ok, RB – you’re back to the old tricks with the misleading headlines. You can’t say that 18 pulled out saying they were too tired and then specifically say in the post that fatigue would not be accepted as an excuse.
With that out of the way – it would be interesting to know why 18 guys pulled out of Memphis. How many of the WD’s were actually in the Monday qualifier and are now in the US Open ? If the weather is a concern on any level, do you really need to wait until Monday to check NOAA or WeatherChannel.com to know that it’s going to be 95 degrees with 900% humidity next to the Mississippi River this week ?
Don’t worry about the pure numbers – there are plenty of guys who would jump at a chance to play this week in Memphis. I really hope Loren Roberts is one of the first calls made – then Fred Couples – and Justin Rose, if he’s not already there.
It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to realize that this track is not a good way to get used to conditions at Pebble Beach. This will be a brutal physical test – and guys who are playing this week and next are definitely going to feel it when they get to Pebble.
This is going to be an interesting debate between players and management. I can understand guys coming off of a 36 hole day to earn a spot in one of the four biggest tournaments of the year and especially at such a historic course not wanting to beat themselves up and not have their best game for the US Open – but it’s not fair to the sponsors and fans in Memphis – and on down the line to the tournament organizers for Memphis AND the Nationwide Tour, where some of the players in the field will come from to fill these spots.
Eighteen guys are going to get hammered with fines and a serious lecture from Finchem – and honestly, they deserve it. Maybe this will cause some change in the qualifying schedule or requirements used by the USGA so that the pros can make their schedules a little better – but the USGA goes its own way. We’ll have to see.
"this ball will fit in that fairway"
Feast
If I were a Tour pro I’d be feasting on these smaller tournaments. Sure it’s nice to win a big tournament but, as any poker player will tell you, it makes tons of sense to play in events that have heavy purses and lighter competition.
Jim Dauer
FullForesome.com
Poker only expensive if you suck
There are tens of thousands of professional online poker players in the world all of whom make a living grinding it out daily. 90% of cash players and 80% of tournament players are losers, which means a relatively small percentage is taking all the money.
It may seem like a crappy lifestyle until you realize you just got up at 1 in the afternoon without a care in the world and made over 100K last year off people who have an “expensive hobby.”
http://thegreenblazer.blogspot.com
Haha, very true – as someone who loves poker, I loved this comment.
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by Ryan Ballengee on Jun 9, 2010 2:09 PM EDT up reply actions
it’s amazing how many pros there are. I played out in Tunica a couple of years ago and sat with three guys at a table who were pros, but they only play the 1/2 or 2/5 tables. They come in with a few hundred dollars and their goal for each day is to have at least $200 more at the end of the day. There were enough tourists playing those tables that they could make a thousand or two most every week and have a pretty good living going. (I enjoyed talking with them…but left about as soon as I got ahead in the game knowing they were eyeing my chips) :-)
"this ball will fit in that fairway"
I’m a big fan of 2/5 NL – almost always win when I go to AC. It’s a grind, but I can make 3-400 easily.
Find me! Email: ryan@thegolfnewsnet.com, Twitter: http://twitter.com/waggleroom, or Facebook: http://facebook.com/waggleroom.
by Ryan Ballengee on Jun 9, 2010 4:57 PM EDT up reply actions
Hey....how the heck did we get to Poker?
Last I looked, the deal was “18 pull out of Memphis”….and too tired to play my big red Arse….Lets cut all the crap out and get back to dancing with who brung ya….Namely, GOLF….Stop all the drivel….Stick the exempt list where the sun doesn’t shine….Monday qualifying….iF YA CAN’T PLAY, GO DOWN THE ROAD….get a day job and see how ya like that….Some hot factory for 8-9 hrs a day and see how that grabs ya….Ask Easy what he would rather be doing….Since when the heck did we become such a nation of WIMPS?…Bet if came to night clubbing all night they wouldn’t be too tired….Ask AK….Take away a few of the tour cards, and see how they like that….If I had paid 8-10 grand to play in the Pro-Am and they pulled this s—t, I’d ask for my money back….Let them remain independent contractors, but also let them act like men, not spoiled brats….STUB
Easy, STUB. We all sray off-topic now and then.
Not to grill ya, but haven’t you went on about barbecue this and that now and then?
by TXQ on Jun 9, 2010 5:25 PM EDT up reply actions
uh-huh...see ?
“Last I looked…the DEAL was…” you’re at the card table, too ! :-D
Good point on the pro-am – I’m sure the commish will include that in the lecture.
"this ball will fit in that fairway"
Well, I thought I had my say on this,
but I was talking to someone, and decided no, I’m not done with this….It boils down to PERSONAL INTEGRETY….either ya have it or ya don’t…..I realize I’m an old fossil, and that’s all right…the thing is, I don;‘t believe things change that much….It’s part of being a decent human being….True story…..My family was getting bigger and growing up….Our home was 2 bedrooms with 1 bath and a shower in the basement….My wife and I decided we needed 2 more bedrooms and a bath….I went to the lumber yard, owned by a friend of the family, explained what I wanted, and he came a figured out what we needed in materials and the cost…Other friends were professional Electricians and Plumbers….short story, got all the figures together and went to the bank I did business with…The Manager was well acquainted with the family, as my father had his business account there, and he went to the same church we did…I explained what we wanted to do, showed him all the estimates and in a couple minutes of silence, he said to me ARE YOU GOING TO PAY ME BACK? I said YES SIR…he called to a lady, and told her to put the money I needed into my account…We shook hands, and I went out and built the bedrooms and bath….I went into that bank every Friday, and paid the amount we had agreed on….One Friday, I went to him and said I couldn’t pay that week, explained why and said I would begin again the next week…Hard to do…you better believe it….I paid back every dime, and never felt so good…I had given a man my word, and had stood by it….I didn’t find out until years later, that he had told my father that I was going to be a fine person..He even stopped at the house to see the work we had done…If you don’t have personal integrity, I don’t think you have much of anything else…I do know, if push came to shove I wouldn’t want to depend on you…These men gave someone their word, and now reneged on it….patheric…..STUB..
Stub......I agree with you.
There are thousands of good golfers that would love to have the chance to play on the PGA every week. Sometimes I think some of these guys are too impressed with themselves and lose sight of just how blessed they are. I played in a 54 hole tournament and played 3 days before and, yeah, I was tired, but I was back out playing two days later (course closed on Monday) and felt fine. If they commit to play…..they should play.
The Saints ARE the SUPER BOWL CHAMPS....WHO DAT!
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