Blasting into the week ahead Like a Rolling Stone.
Bob Dylans first album, titled Bob Dylan, was recorded during this week in 1961. We set the weeks storylines with the Pulitzer Prize winning singer-songwriter leading the way:
Remembering a riveting year in the majors
Precious memories, how they linger
How they ever flood my soul.
In the stillness of the midnight,
Precious sacred scenes unfold.
From Bob Dylans Precious Memories
The four major championship winners teeing it up in the PGA Grand Slam of Golf Tuesday and Wednesday have iron wills.
We know because they won with so much energy working against them.
They relished the role of spoilers in denying victory to the sentimental favorites or the heavy favorite.
This weeks big event is a celebration of what Angel Cabrera, Lucas Glover, Stewart Cink and Y.E. Yang overcame, but its also a reminder of what we could have seen in Bermuda. With a couple different bounces, or one less putt, we could be watching Kenny Perry, Phil Mickelson (or David Duval), Tom Watson and Tiger Woods teeing it up at Port Royal Golf Course. Yes, yes, its time to get over it, time to appreciate that this years winners gave us some terrific finishes in a riveting major championship season, but well always remember this year for what might have been.
In case youre wondering, Cinks the slight favorite to win in Bermuda, according to Ladbrokes. Hes a 2-to-1 bet. In some extremely bunched odds, Cabreras next at 9-to-4 with Glover at 3-to-1 and Yang at 7-to-2.
None of the four brings much momentum to Bermuda. They all played in the Presidents Cup, combining for a 4-11-2 mark. None of them had a winning record with Yang sporting the best mark at 2-2-1.
Money makes their world go round
The gravel road is bumpy,
It’s a hard road to ride,
But there’s a clearer road a-waitin’
With the cinders on the side.
Trails of troubles,
Roads of battles,
Paths of victory,
We shall walk.
From Bob Dylans Paths of Victory
The fight to claim a spot among the top 125 money winners on the PGA Tour this season intensifies with the Frys.com Open one of the last three events remaining in the Fall Series.
The fact that PGA Tours Q-School begins in earnest this week with first stage qualifying adds some incentive for struggling pros making their way to Grayhawk Golf Club in Scottsdale, Ariz.
Mike Weir is the highest ranked player in the Frys.com Open field at No. 30 in the Official World Golf Ranking, but the falls big stories arent about world rankings. Every player ranked from 109th on the PGA Tour money list to 139th is in the field. Chris Stroud has this weeks honors as the bubble boy at No. 125. Those are the compelling stories.
Three players moved up and inside the top 125 at the Justin Timberlake Shriners Hospital for Childrens Open last week. Martin Laird, the champion, leaped from No. 134 to No. 62, Bill Lunde climbed two spots to No. 124 and Stroud jumped four spots to get on the bubble. The three players who fell out of the top 125 were Jimmy Walker (123rd to 126th), Will MacKenzie (124th 127th) and Matt Jones (125th to 128th).
The long, hard road begins
How does it feel
To be on your own
With no direction home
Like a complete unknown
Like a rolling stone?
From Bob Dylans Like a Rolling Stone
Danny Lees the man to watch with PGA Tour Q-Schools first-stage events beginning this week.
Lee, the 2008 U.S. Amateur champ, became the youngest winner of a European Tour event when he claimed the Johnny Walker Classic title in Australia in February. He hoped to avoid Q-School by winning exempt status through the seven sponsor exemptions the PGA Tour allows and other avenues into Tour events. Lee made 11 PGA Tour starts this year, but the $359,846 he won was not enough to earn the promotion. So hell tee it up today at Stonebridge Ranch in McKinney, Texas. Andrew Giuliani, the son of former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani and Big Break Disney Golf contestant, is also in the field.
Thirteen first-stage events will be played over the next two weeks, seven this week.
Gary Nicklaus, son of Jack Nicklaus; Erik Compton, who has twice recovered from heart transplants to pursue his dream; and Sam Saunders, grandson to Arnold Palmer, are among notables teeing it up in Wednesdays start at PGA Golf Club in Port St. Lucie, Fla. Tadd Fujikawa tees it up Wednesday at St. Johns Country Club in St. Augustine, Fla. Jay Haas Jr., son of the PGA Tour and Champions Tour star, and Jon McLean, son of noted swing instructor Jim McLean, also are scheduled to play there.
Next weeks six first-stage events are scheduled to include former Oklahoma State All-American Rickie Fowler at Lantana (Texas) Golf Club, former teen phenom Ty Tryon at Grasslands Golf & Country Club in Lakeland and Manuel Villegas, brother to PGA Tour Camilo Villegas, at Kinderlou Forest in Valdosta, Ga. Mike Van Sickle, son of long-time Sports Illustrated golf writer Gary Van Sickle, also is scheduled to play at Kinderlou Forest.
About 1,000 players will be competing for about 140 berths into the second-stage events scheduled next month. The fields strengthen at the six second-stage sites with PGA Tour pros who arent among the top 150 on this years money list joining the mix.
The final stage of Q-School will be played Dec. 2-7 at Bear Lakes Country Club in West Palm Beach, Fla.
Twenty-five winners crowned this week
Come writers and critics
Who prophesize with your pen
And keep your eyes wide
The chance won’t come again
And don’t speak too soon
For the wheel’s still in spin
And there’s no tellin’ who
That it’s namin’.
For the loser now
Will be later to win
For the times they are a-changin’.
From Bob Dylans Times They are a Changin
The Nationwide Tour Championships appeal is that all 60 players in this weeks field have a chance to win a PGA Tour card.
When the season-ending event concludes at Daniel Island in Charleston, S.C., the top 25 on the Tours money list get promotions to the PGA Tour next year. With a $1 million purse and $180,000 to the winner, even the last player into the field, Darron Stiles at No. 60 on the money list, can win a tour card.
Australias Alistair Presnell has the distinction of being 25th on the money list entering the event.
