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Golf Fanatic · #1 (**permalink**) April 3rd, 2007, 06:56 PM

Billy Payne is talking about trying to reinstate PGA Tour winners, but I think he may have backed off on this. In order to keep the field between 90 and 100, he will have to change the qualifications.

I have two questions:

1. Will Billy Payne reinstate the PGA tour winners getting into the Masters? If so, will he revise it and how will he revise it?

2. If Billy Payne reinstates the PGA tour winners getting into the Masters, what changes will he make to the other invitation criteria?

The list of invitees and criteria are below:

http://www.masters.org/en_US/scores/...ournament.html

green15 · #2 (**permalink**) April 4th, 2007, 11:39 AM

If he does change the criteria to all winners, it would be easiest to adjust the other criteria down, by implementing leaders in Fedex Cup points race, instead of other rankings and finishes in majors.

***BPC*** · #3 (**permalink**) April 4th, 2007, 02:21 PM

I've heard/read rumors of late. I sure hope they make winners automatic invites. That used to be so cool, because 99% of the time when someone would win for their first time, they always mentioned the invite to ANGC first. Most of the time they get in anyway, but there have been exceptions almost every year since they stopped it. It's the hardest field to get into all year, and I would really like to see it be more inclusive.

Will never happen, but I also wish they would expand the amateur qualifications. Used to be winners of the Western Am, North-South, et al, got in - wasn't unusual when Bob Jones actively running things in the 50s to see 20 or more non-pros tee it up. That's why you had great stories like Billy Joe Patton and Ken Venturi back then. Now it's a major feat to make the weekend, and a high finish like Ryan Moore a few years ago is extremely rare.

We all love rooting for the underdog. This is kind of like March Madness - we don't want the 6th place team from a BCS school, we want the little school that won 25 but lost their conference tourney. Same thing with Augusta - invite all first time winners and top amateurs. That's how Bobby wanted it.

Frank-0-Sport · #4 (**permalink**) April 4th, 2007, 03:37 PM

Greetings ...

Today (Weds April 4), Masters Chairman Billy Payne announced some (click-on »») new invitational categories which will take effect beginning with the 2008 Masters.

• Winners of PGA Tour "Regular Season" and Playoff events awarding at least a full point allocation toward the Tour Championship, from the previous year's Masters thru the current year's Masters -- I am afraid this does not include opposite events (Mayakoba, Tahoe, Milwaukee, etc.) or the Fall Series events (confirmed within the news source's report -- in spite of the "All" headline).

• The 30 players who qualify for the Tour Championship

• The Top 30 players on the previous year's Final Official Money List (after the Disney)

I'm sure that the new PGA Tour wins category won't be good news for sponsors of either the "Opposite" or Fall events.

I would prefer that the Money Winner Category threshold be kept at 40, rather than 30, just to be a little fairer to both players and the Fall Series events.

Thanx-A-Lot and Enjoy the 71st Masters, Frank-0-Sport
2007 Masters: Media Links & Purse Information

Golf Fanatic · #5 (**permalink**) April 7th, 2007, 08:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Frank-0-Sport

Greetings ...

Today (Weds April 4), Masters Chairman Billy Payne announced some (click-on »») new invitational categories which will take effect beginning with the 2008 Masters.

• Winners of PGA Tour "Regular Season" and Playoff events awarding at least a full point allocation toward the Tour Championship, from the previous year's Masters thru the current year's Masters -- I am afraid this does not include opposite events (Mayakoba, Tahoe, Milwaukee, etc.) or the Fall Series events (confirmed within the news source's report -- in spite of the "All" headline).

The quality of the opposite field events was probably the reason they got rid of the winners only criteria as well. They may end up having to look at events like Atlanta, New Orleans, Greensboro as well that aren't so strong. They certainly aren't as strong as some of the European events.

• The 30 players who qualify for the Tour Championship

• The Top 30 players on the previous year's Final Official Money List (after the Disney)

I'm sure that the new PGA Tour wins category won't be good news for sponsors of either the "Opposite" or Fall events.

See comments above concerning opposite field events.

I would prefer that the Money Winner Category threshold be kept at 40, rather than 30, just to be a little fairer to both players and the Fall Series events.

I think they did this to they to keep the field under 100, but the criteria may expand the field to about 105. I think the Masters may have to eliminate the world rankings as of Dec. 31 (keeping it two weeks prior to the event shouldn't be a problem). The may need to refer to the U.S. and British Open qualifications list for Japanese and European Order of Merits.

My opinion is I wish they would do away with the special foreign inviations. The Masters has more foreigners than U.S. players this week. It had a purpose a while back when there were very few international players, but it it now outdated.

Thanx-A-Lot and Enjoy the 71st Masters, Frank-0-Sport
2007 Masters: Media Links & Purse Information

Though it wouldn't make much, if any, difference, did the Masters eliminate the top 10 money winners as well as of one/two weeks before the event?

Golf Fanatic · #6 (**permalink**) April 7th, 2007, 08:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BPC

Will never happen, but I also wish they would expand the amateur qualifications. Used to be winners of the Western Am, North-South, et al, got in - wasn't unusual when Bob Jones actively running things in the 50s to see 20 or more non-pros tee it up. That's why you had great stories like Billy Joe Patton and Ken Venturi back then. Now it's a major feat to make the weekend, and a high finish like Ryan Moore a few years ago is extremely rare.

Would love to see the NCAA medalist and perhpas the European Mid Amateur champ get in.

We all love rooting for the underdog. This is kind of like March Madness - we don't want the 6th place team from a BCS school, we want the little school that won 25 but lost their conference tourney. Same thing with Augusta - invite all first time winners and top amateurs. That's how Bobby wanted it.

The winners of PGA criteria actually began after Bobby Jones died. It was done for the 1973-99 Masters and stated during the 1972 Masters.

***BPC*** · #7 (**permalink**) April 7th, 2007, 04:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Golf Fanatic

The winners of PGA criteria actually began after Bobby Jones died. It was done for the 1973-99 Masters and stated during the 1972 Masters.

Thanks, I did not know that.

I always wondered why Charlie Sifford won the Hartford in 1968 but didn't get invited, but then 6 years later Lee Elder won the Mizuno and became the first African-American to play in the Masters the following spring (1975).

Frank-0-Sport · #8 (**permalink**) April 8th, 2007, 01:00 AM

Greetings ...

Mizuno? Perhaps you mean Monsanto?

Lee Elder won the 1974 Monsanto Pensacola Open - an official PGA Tour event held one week after the 1974 Masters - to qualify for the Masters in 1975.

In fact, Elder won the 74 Pensacola in a play-off. Who did he beat? Peter Oosterhuis!!

Here's the complete results of the 1974 Pensacola Open

***BPC*** · #9 (**permalink**) April 8th, 2007, 01:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Frank-0-Sport

Greetings ...

Mizuno? Perhaps you mean Monsanto?

Crassic

Aye, that's what I get for being lazy and not researching before I post.

Miss the Pensacola Open. Doubt it was ever on t.v., but back in the quaint era of the tour - sharing rides or flying commercial - it was a really nice late season event for young pros pushing for the top 60. Then the all-exempt tour came along and spoiled everyone.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Frank-0-Sport

In fact, Elder won the 74 Pensacola in a play-off. Who did he beat? Peter Oosterhuis!!

I volunteered there in 1983, not long after the switch to top 125 retain their card. Florida native Mark McCumber was the popular winner that year, Who finished 2nd? Why none other than TGC's own Mark Lye. The next spring he had his best ever finish in the Masters, a T-6 during gentle Ben's first win.

How's that for six degrees of golf separation?

To be perfectly honest, I don't remember the Monsanto Open. Or the Mizuno for that matter.

Frank-0-Sport · #10 (**permalink**) April 8th, 2007, 03:14 AM

Greetings ....

Although this gets a little off-topic, I feel you deserve to read about the (click-on»») 1981 Pensacola Open -- an event featuring more drama than what the Tour Championship has so far provided.

Thanx-A-Lot, Enjoy and Happy Easter,
Frank-0-Sport

***BPC*** · #11 (**permalink**) April 8th, 2007, 06:04 AM

Thank you, Frank, that was a very enjoyable read! You did a nice job with that one.

Back in '83, I was going to electronics school at a small base there, Cory Station Naval Technical Training Center. Actually all five services send folks there for crypto and electronic warfare training.

Anyway, a bunch of us volunteered to park cars, a few because we loved golf, most because it meant a week off from duty. It was a sweet gig; just flag the cars in, and once the patrons were done arriving, we had the rest of the day to join the gallery.

After a little over a year in the panhandle, I received a duty assignment to Mayport Naval Station, just east of Jacksonville, half hour up the road from Sawgrass. I volunteered at the TPC Stadium Course for three years, working the par 3 8th hole with largely the same group the whole time.

That was a little more hardcore than Pensacola. I had to take a weeks vacation each time, buy my own uniform ($60 TPC golf shirt plus khaki shorts), and work four hour shifts. The upside was free admittance for the remainder of the day, and best of all, a free round after the TPC ended.

We always met as a group (everyone who worked the 8th) to play our round. Only once did I break 40 on either side - I was about a 7 handicap back then. Only time I hit the green on 17, three putted.

Fun times.

Golf Fanatic · #12 (**permalink**) April 8th, 2007, 07:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BPC

Thanks, I did not know that.

I always wondered why Charlie Sifford won the Hartford in 1968 but didn't get invited, but then 6 years later Lee Elder won the Mizuno and became the first African-American to play in the Masters the following spring (1975).

I appeciate your response. Actually Pete Brown, another Afro-American won the 1970 San Diego Open at Torrey Pines and never got invited to the Masters.

Frank-0-Sport · #13 (**permalink**) April 8th, 2007, 10:01 AM

Greetings ....

Pete Brown's first PGA Tour win (before San Diego) was the 1964 Waco Turner Open - 1st Tour win ever by an African-American -- from PGA Tour Media Guide

Thanx-A-Lot, Enjoy and Happy Easter, Frank-0-Sport

Golf Fanatic · #14 (**permalink**) April 10th, 2007, 07:12 PM

http://www.masters.org/en_US/news/ar...707247406.html

1. 14 and 16 are an improvement over the old #14. However, it will be interesting to see how long it will be before one of the qualifications is eliminated (so similar), but to reduce field size.

2. Glad to see no mention of special foreign invitations. It's purpose is long gone. Ridiculous having that when foreigners (50) outnumbered Americans (47).

3. Don't understand 17 and 18 being there. Masters is only major that uses the world rankings for two separate periods. I prefer that they use the Order of Merits for various tours like Europe and Japan in lieu of 17.

Golf Fanatic · #15 (**permalink**) April 12th, 2007, 07:15 PM

[quote=Golf Fanatic;347265]http://www.masters.org/en_US/news/ar...707247406.html

2. Glad to see no mention of special foreign invitations. It's purpose is long gone. Ridiculous having that when foreigners (50) outnumbered Americans (47).

Hope I am right about this. I didn't see any mention of this for the 2007 Masters Invitation Criteria, though Hideto Tanihara was a foreign invitee (missed cut with 85-79).

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