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Wow. I'm watching the John Deere Classic right now, and the story line that they're following, other than who will win, is that the top finisher who's not already qualified for it will go to the British Open next week. Apparently, a bunch of guys playing didn't even know this was the case... and when they've asked some of them about it, they said they wouldn't go if it was them. Huh?! The current leader, Hensby, is one of them, and I find myself rooting against him, so that the guy behind him, an Englishman by the name of Morgan, can win. He would go - probably a life dream for the guy.

Not much point other than I find this amazing - how could you not go, given the chance. Sure, it would be a pain, expensive, and you might suck and not make the cut, but... still, don't you think you'd want to take the chance and go? Just in case you have the four days of your life, and win?! Or even just play well on a fluke, and make the cut?

Edit: A typo - and comment: Maybe it's just the novice in me showing...

I would think so, but the PGA over here is so lucrative that many of them stay here cause the money is more important. Go figure.

I find this pretty amazing, too. I can't understand why someone would choose not to play in a major if they had qualified for one. I guess they figure their chances of missing the cut are too large and the expenses involved wouldn't be worth it. I think when it comes down to it, though, look at Ben Curtis. He didn't just make the cut, he won the Open. If I qualified by winning a PGA Tour event, I would think it would be enough to show I had a good chance to make the cut. Does anyone know if he gave a reason for not going?

I'm with you on this one. The pros that didn't show up for the British Open US Site Qualifying, as well as those that just flat out won't go when eligible, should be fined severely by the PGA Tour. Players with legitimate injuries are excused, but the rest of them should face disciplinary action. That's not going to happen anytime soon but the PGA Tour is investigating the no-shows at the US Qualifying Sites.

It's all about the money and the inconvenience of traveling to Europe for most of the guys that are eligible but won't go. I'll bet if these same "No Go" players were eligible for the Masters they'd couldn't get to Augusta fast enough!

I read an interview with Hensby on another message board. Apparently after he won he handed his spot over to Morgan. He said that he had never played a course like Royal Troon and wouldn't have the time to prepare to play it since he did not expect to make the trip anyways. The catch is that the PGA said that there is no clause that a player can hand his spot over to another player for the exemption so it looks like Morgan won't be going. I don't know who will fill that spot but it's really a shame, the energy Morgan exuded made today one of the most exciting days of golf I've watched this season without many big names at the tournament.

Thanks for the update, CAuger (and welcome, you're new, no?). Yeah, the TV guys pointed out that Hensby might give up his spot, but they also weren't sure if it would roll over to the runner up in that case.

Heck, if they can let Michelle Wie in the U.S. Ladies' Open, you'd think the R&A could do the same for one of their compatriots via special exemption. But then, would you take it if you didn't earn it?!

My head spins.

Keep spinning.
Do you know what would be required to arrange a trip to the UK at the last moment. There is definately no "special exemptions "other than previous winners as it is certainly not a sponsored event.

Have a look what this guy has been through to get to this stage. I would have thought he might want to come home for some R & R after the BC Open.

Go the aussies

[quote=leaguegolf]I'm with you on this one. The pros that didn't show up for the British Open US Site Qualifying, as well as those that just flat out won't go when eligible, should be fined severely by the PGA Tour. Players with legitimate injuries are excused, but the rest of them should face disciplinary action.[quote]

Whoa there, leaguegolf! Fine players who don't want to play in a qualifier for the British Open or who don't want to play if eligible? Isn't that a bit extreme? Why would anyone want the PGA to take such action?

Professional golfers are independent businessmen who make their own decisions about where and when to play, within certain limits already determined by the PGA Tour. What would anyone gain by forcing them to play in a particular tournament, especially one that possesses weather and course conditions foreign to many US golfers and that requires the expenditure of so much money for travel and accomodations, some of which are not up to US standards.

I fail to see the benefit to the tournament of making US pros play in the British Open--even if it is my second favorite major, or maybe my first (I can't remember what I posted in an earlier thread!)

[quote=valeogut]----

I'm with you on this one. While we might drop everything to get to play in a major, a lot of pros just think of playing golf as a way to earn a decent living, not necessarily the 'prestige' of playing in majors, particuarily someone that hasn't solidly established themselves yet. Kinda like walking b4 running concept.

Hensby had probably thought this out b4 the John Deere - if he did win, how would all the logistics be worked out? The travel, hotel, practice rounds, etc.... Pros pick and choose where they play where they have the best chance to win $$$ first and with someone like a relative unknown like Hensby, the $$ and the lack of preparation weighs in more.

Someone who was more secure in their playing priveledges prior to this tournament might have done it differently. If he goes on to be a steady player with consistent earnings and has the time prior to the John Deere to plan for the trip, my guess he would go in the future. This was purely a business decision, nothing more.

One last thot - I'll bet my next paycheck that Hensby chose to play in the John Deere because he thot this would be a great chance to pick up some money. Winning was frosting on the cake. Bottom line, he played to pick a decent check first; he didn't play in it to qualify for the British - that's what is different than let's say a US Open qualifier. There's only one reason you enter a US Open qualifier and it ain't the chance to pick up some significant $$. This was a PGA Tour event first, not a British Open qualifier in the purest sense.

Call me a typical fan, but I think it's just great for the game for guys like Morgan to get to go to the open....yeah, he missed the chance, and Hensby passed on the offer; but would it be bad business for the PGA to allow Hensby to give his spot to Morgan? I don't think it would be that bad...I mean it's Morgan's dream, let the guy have some fun....

Thoughts?

Mike

Just watched the interview with Hensby, on TGC, and he stated that it was simply too late to go to the Open. He said, had he won last week, he would have gone to the Open and not even played in the John Deere Classic. I think that says it all, it was purely a decision based on the amount of time, basicly none left.

Any thoughts?

Most of us on this forum would give most anything to play in a major (even watch one live). I also find it hard to believe that a qualifier would give up the opportunity to play the British Open, but that is his perogative.

Its a business, and its his business - not mine nor the PGA's.

QUOTE] Whoa there, leaguegolf! Fine players who don't want to play in a qualifier for the British Open or who don't want to play if eligible? Isn't that a bit extreme? Why would anyone want the PGA to take such action?QUOTE]

This is the first year the British arranged a Qualifying Site here in the US and 50+ PGA Professionals (who had entered to qualify) failed to show up at the site or withdrew in the first round.

I just donated last week's GolfWorld & GolfWeek magazines or I would post the articles and have more precise information. From what I remember reading, The R & A had assigned 15 qualifying spots to the US site (based on confirmed entries) and when almost half of the players didn't show up it was too late to transfer those qualifying spots to other sites. The PGA Tour is not happy that such a large number of entries failed to show up for play at the site and they (PGA) are looking for answers from the no-shos.

I understand the logistics of last minute travel to the British Open and players who fall into that category should get a pass on this one. However, there is no excuse for those that failed to show up at the qualifying site. Again, how many Tour players, no matter what the logistics, or where they were in the world at the time, would "skip" the Masters for any of the reasons given by those skipping the British Open?

There will be more to come from the PGA Policy Board regarding this issue.

[
This is the first year the British arranged a Qualifying Site here in the US and 50+ PGA Professionals (who had entered to qualify) failed to show up at the site or withdrew in the first round.

I just donated last week's GolfWorld & GolfWeek magazines or I would post the articles and have more precise information. From what I remember reading, The R & A had assigned 15 qualifying spots to the US site (based on confirmed entries) and when almost half of the players didn't show up it was too late to transfer those qualifying spots to other sites. The PGA Tour is not happy that such a large number of entries failed to show up for play at the site and they (PGA) are looking for answers from the no-shos.

I understand the logistics of last minute travel to the British Open and players who fall into that category should get a pass on this one. However, there is no excuse for those that failed to show up at the qualifying site. Again, how many Tour players, no matter what the logistics, or where they were in the world at the time, would "skip" the Masters for any of the reasons given by those skipping the British Open?

There will be more to come from the PGA Policy Board regarding this issue. [/quote]


That's a different story if they made reservations specifically for qualifying for the British. I am confused on this - weren't the normal Tour events set aside to act as qualifiers, so the players wouldn't have to play one course to qualify and then also play in the PGA tournament? Since the Tour had set aside certain positions in the tournament itself as a way to automatically qualify, depending on where you finished, then why have additional qualifiers (with presumably little or no $$) on top of that for the PGA Tour golfers? Maybe some guys skipped the qualifiers thinking they could also get in if they played well in the Western or John Deere. I would agree in principal that they should not have skipped the traditional qualifier since the R & A didn't have time to change things up.

I found the article in the I was referring to in the July 10 issue of GOLFWEEK.

"An International Final Qualifying 36 Hole Event was held June 28, 2004 at Congressional Country Club. Only 61 of 120 players completed the 36 holes. 12 players withdrew well in advance; 34 pulled out over the weekend before the Monday competition; seven were disqualified when they failed to show for their starting times; and 6 withdrew during the competition."

"Peter Dawson, Secretary of the R & A, said the R & A will not take action this year against the players who failed to show. he said the PGA Tour has assured him it will review the episode and "send us their views when they have had time to talk to everyone."

The story also has several very interesting quotes from PGA Tour players:

Glen Day.... who played on the weekend's Booze Allen Classic tour event, shot 70-67 the next day at Congressional and qualified for Troon....."The no-shows are inexcusable. As a professional athlete, you should have enough class to call. You owe them that. Guys need to quit whining. The R & A gave them an opportunity to play in a Major event. If you don't want to do it, don't enter....I have to apologize for my fellow constituents being idiots."

Tour Rookie Dan Olsen....was an IFQ Monday No-Show. He had withdrawn from the Booze Allen because of "fatique" and said that when he remembered to call Congressional, he didn't have the phone number. "It's bad when only half showed up. It gives them (R & A) a false impression. It's not our intention that we don't want to play. First year players can't go there. I've got to worry about my money here."

Olsen then took the offensive, claiming that American players are treated poorly on foreign tours. "Anybody who doesn't say that is a kiss-***. Tell the R & A that if it wasn't for the Golf Channel, nobody would even know they played the European Tour."

Steve Elkington....who was among the 15 qualifiers at Congressional. "It's a disgrace. It's a micro snapshot of what's wrong with young players. If you're not willing to try it, how can you be recognized as a good player? It's about the money. Some young players have so much money, it's gotten to the point where going to the British is an inconvenience."

That's the meat and potatoes of the article. We'll see what, if anything, the PGA Tour has to say about this. Do you think Glen Day is a popular with the players involved? How about a tour ROOKIE spouting off about the R & A after admitting he couldn't find Congressional Country Club's phone number?
That excuse didn't work for me when I was 12 and it sure sounds childish coming from a PGA Pro. Do you think he could've found Hootie's phone number at Augusta if he needed to?