[Golf Fanatic]

Sorry if we got off track with Tiger not being in the field.

Sean O' Hair leads after 1 round.

Luke Donald leads after 2 rounds.

[straightshooter]

Top 10 after round 3:

1 Luke Donald (GBR) -10 F
2 Scott Verplank (USA) -9 F
3 Michael Allen (USA) -8 F
4 Ian Poulter (GBR) -6 F
T5 Ryuji Imada (JPN) -5 F
T5 Ken Duke (USA) -5 F
T5 Phil Mickelson (USA) -5 F
T5 Vijay Singh (FIJ) -5 F
T5 Fredrik Jacobson (SWE) -5 F
T10 Jerry Kelly (USA) -4 F

[nikeone]

This is the first week Phil is playing with Butch as his swing coach, right? I know it's a little too early for dramatic changes to be happening but I wonder how Phil's driving stats are?

[Tamaj13]

Don't know what the stats are, but looks like he had a decent week. By the time the Open comes around, hopefully he'll be feeling pretty confident with his game.

[victory]

Here are some stats for Phil. First #'s are for the Byron Nelson. Second #'s are on the season:

Driving accuracy: 55.4% (T46)... 58.40% (130th) for the season
Driving distance: 294.5 (T20)... 296.2 (12th) for the season
Greens in reg: 61.1% (T46)... 64.6% (51st) for the season

His stats are similar to his season averages but compared to the field, he seems to be "above average." Still managed to finish in the top 10, though.

[rc-combat]

Frankly Phil should have been DQed for not playing in the ProAm. But of course he is Phil so like Tiger he can walk on water.

[BPC]

Originally Posted by rc-combat

Frankly Phil should have been DQed for not playing in the ProAm. But of course he is Phil so like Tiger he can walk on water.

Robert Allenby, Shaun Micheel, and Rod Pampling sure thought so.

Phil checked into the D-FW Four Seasons on Monday p.m., then flew to Little Rock Tuesday a.m. for a First Tee charity event. His spokesperson claims he left early to try and beat the weather, but his plane was grounded. He made it back some 18 hours later, in time to have lunch with his Pro-Am partners (who got Alex Cejka as a fill in partner).

BTW - the entry fee for the amateurs who played in the Wednesday Pro-Am was $7,500. But at least one of the snubbed partners was happy - Cejka turned out to be a good guy, and Phil bought lunch afterwards.

Goosen got DQ'ed in L.A. for the missing the Pro-Am at the Nissan a few years back. Sure seems like a double standard. It's 320 miles from LR to Dallas - about a 5 hour drive.

[lowof83]

Originally Posted by BPC

Goosen got DQ'ed in L.A. for the missing the Pro-Am at the Nissan a few years back. Sure seems like a double standard.

That happened before the new rule was put into effect concerning unavoidable emergencies. Weather apparently constitutes such an emergency. The others who had been DQed from events for missing the pro-am were also affected by the old rules. So there is no "double standard."
Before anyone asks, I don't even like Mickelson, but I did pay attention to the explanation given on TGC.

[BPC]

After the new rule was put into effect concerning unavoidable emergencies, Micheel was fined $7,600 for missing a Pro Am in Reno. He was in the locker room vomiting. Phil's penalty? None.

[rc-combat]

Weather had nothing to do with it. He was in Dallas and left to play another event, and if he truly wanted to be back in Dallas he could have. It is not a bad drive from Little Rock to Dallas, a straight shot on I-30. The fact is Phil knew they would not DQ him because he is a superstar. If it had been anyone out of the top 10 on the Money list the PGA would have DQed them.

[lowof83]

Originally Posted by rc-combat

Weather had nothing to do with it. He was in Dallas and left to play another event, and if he truly wanted to be back in Dallas he could have. It is not a bad drive from Little Rock to Dallas, a straight shot on I-30. The fact is Phil knew they would not DQ him because he is a superstar. If it had been anyone out of the top 10 on the Money list the PGA would have DQed them.

He went to Little Rock to go to a charity event. I haven't seen where he played in one, though he may very well have.
Since you're stating it as "fact" that Mickelson knew nothing would happen to him, are we to take it that the two of you are friends, and you've spoken with him about this? I've seen no interview where he made such a statement.
While I agree that the drive is not a big deal, the fact remains that his plane was grounded in Arkansas due to weather. Personally, I don't consider this an emergency either, but apparently the PGA does.

[lowof83]

Here's a USA Today link:
Players say Mickelson got special treatment - Sports Scope - USATODAY.com

[shelby]

Originally Posted by lowof83

Since you're stating it as "fact" that Mickelson knew nothing would happen to him, are we to take it that the two of you are friends, and you've spoken with him about this?

You don't have to be a friend of Phil to figure that out.

[straightshooter]

Final Score:

1 Scott Verplank (USA) -13 $1,134,000
2 Luke Donald (GBR) -12 $680,400
T3 Jerry Kelly (USA) -10 $302,400
T3 Rory Sabbatini (RSA) -10 $302,400
T3 Phil Mickelson (USA) -10 $302,400
T3 Ian Poulter (GBR) -10 $302,400
T7 Ken Duke (USA) -9 $203,175
T7 Fredrik Jacobson (SWE) -9 $203,175
9 Ryuji Imada (JPN) -8 $182,700
T10 Rod Pampling (AUS) -7 $157,500

Congratulations on an emotional win for native Texan Scott Verplank. Verplank received some 'coaching' from Byron earlier in this career, and considers this event his "5th major".

[shaderunner]

Another article about Phil...oh, and Tiger, too.

Is There a Double Standard on PGA Tour?

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