I was wondering what the rest of you think of the latest Champions Tour commercials promoting the upcoming debut of... drumroll please.... CURTIS STRANGE ?!? "People are strange... when you're a stranger... ", etc. Did I miss something ? Has this guy been even remotely competitive for the past 10 years or so ? Even when he was winning , was he ever a draw at the gate ? I sense desperation in the air on the OGs Tour.
He has not been competitive since because most of his time has been spent in the booth. But several PGA pros have had careers drop before they hit 50 and then take off again once they hit the Champions tour since there is no cut and the courses are easier. Remember, Strange won two US Open titles in a row. I think the Champions Tour is advertising this way to help breath some life into the tour.
I was wondering what the rest of you think of the latest Champions Tour commercials promoting the upcoming debut of... drumroll please.... CURTIS STRANGE ?!? "People are strange... when you're a stranger... ", etc. Did I miss something ? Has this guy been even remotely competitive for the past 10 years or so ? Even when he was winning , was he ever a draw at the gate ? I sense desperation in the air on the OGs Tour.
Anytime you can add a two-time US Open Champion to a field you're improving the competition. It's yet to be determined if Curtis Strange will be competitive on the Champions Tour, but I wouldn't bet against it. I don't see The Champions Tour promoting Strange's debut as "desperation" at all. I see it as a golden opportunity to add a world famous "Big Name" player to their Tour.
He has not been competitive since because most of his time has been spent in the booth. But several PGA pros have had careers drop before they hit 50 and then take off again once they hit the Champions tour since there is no cut and the courses are easier. Remember, Strange won two US Open titles in a row. I think the Champions Tour is advertising this way to help breath some life into the tour.
Yes and one of those Opens was his last victory in '89. He actually played a pretty full schedule through the mid-90's and played at least 16 per year through '99. He's missed about 80% of the cuts over his last 50 tourneys. Anything is possible, but I'd be amazed if Strange is a factor on the Champions Tour. I'd think they'd be pushing Norman. Isn't he eligible this year ? I can think of a number of guys who were never a big factor on the PGA who sort of found their game on the Seniors Tour or guys who stayed fairly competitive though their 40s and carried that success to the Seniors. But off the top of my head I can't think of anyone who reached the top on the PGA then fell so completely off the map, to re-surface with any significant success on the Seniors.
But off the top of my head I can't think of anyone who reached the top on the PGA then fell so completely off the map, to re-surface with any significant success on the Seniors.
Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, Lee Trevino, Hale Irwin, come to mind...just to name a few. None of them did much the few years prior to playing on the Senior Tour but had immediate success and dominated the Senior Tour.
I don't look for the "Shark" to play enough to be anything other than a ceremonial influence on the Champions Tour. I hope he plays a lot but I doubt it.
Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, Lee Trevino, Hale Irwin, come to mind...just to name a few. None of them did much the few years prior to playing on the Senior Tour but had immediate success and dominated the Senior Tour.
All 4(even Arnie) won multiple events and were competitive well in their 40s. 3 of them won majors well in their 40's. Irwin is a particularly bad example as he won at the age of 49 and earned over $800,000 his last year on tour(94). Strange has done virtually zip since he was 35 years old. None had a drought anywhere near what Strange has experienced. Going up against the likes of Watson, Kite, Stadler, Jake, Haas, Irwin and soon Price, Faldo, O'Meara, Hoch, Funk.. to name just a few... I don't see him winning and he'll be fortunate to be competitive, IMO.
You'll see that the guy who's putting the best usually wins on the Champions tour. That's why Watson is still doing so well. Oh, and wait until Loren Roberts gets out there.
You'll see that the guy who's putting the best usually wins on the Champions tour. That's why Watson is still doing so well. Oh, and wait until Loren Roberts gets out there.
That's the case on every tour at every event. When was the last time the winner of a professional event finished out of the top 10 in putting for the week?
Strange has shown that he has the skills and even though he's been dormant for so long I expect he'll do Ok for himself. He'll certainly add color to that tour!
No doubt Strange hasn't been competitive on the Tour in many years, but you never no when it comes to the Champions Tour. Perhaps sitting in the T.V. booth analyzing the best golfers in the world for a few years can be beneficial to one's game. Bob Murphy has won 11 Champions Tour events, but won only 1 PGA event in his final 17 years on tour and made only 1 cut in his final 4 years on tour. http://www.pgatour.com/players/bio/132211 Gary McCord was a 2-time winner on the Champions Tour in 1999. He NEVER won a PGA Tour event and averaged only 4 made cuts per year for his final 10 years on the PGA Tour. http://www.pgatour.com/players/bio/132567 Jim Thorpe won only 1 PGA Tour stroke play event in his career(won 2 match play events in '85 & '86-joined Champ. Tour in '99), which was 14 years before he joined the Champions Tour. So far, he has won 9 Champions Tour events. http://www.pgatour.com/players/bio/132229 Dana Quigley has also won 9 Champions Tour events. He NEVER won a PGA Tour event-his best finish was a 6th place in 1990. http://www.pgatour.com/players/bio/132218 The list of Champions Tour players that fit this mold goes on and on....
Thanks uc8u. I just didn't take the time to look up the "success stories" on the Champions Tour. Curtis Strange may not take that tour by storm but he'll be fine and a welcome addition for Champions Tour fans.