Duke Alums on the 2023 PGA and LPGA Tours

[seacap29]

With Wyndham complete the regular '21-'22 tour ended, and with only the playoffs remaining, we can anticipate '22-'23. The new season opens in wine country with the Fortinet Championship, Silverado Resort, in Napa on September 15. If I'm not mistaken this part of the world is one of Coach K's favorite getaways. It is indeed special country.

Not sure (and could be totally wrong) but I believe the LPGA '23 season begins in April.

[75Crazie]

So the PGA and LPGA tours start a half-year apart?

I am NOT a fan of the PGA tour starting anywhere near that early. Basketball and hockey are bad enough, trying to identify the calendar year of a specific event; there's no reason for golf to join that, except for this stupid FedEx Cup that probably started this whole thing. Ryder and President Cups are associated with the calendar year, I believe, but occur now after the start of a new PGA year. I remember somebody here claiming that there was no Masters tournament in 2020, because it was delayed until after the start of the next PGA year, and were therefore two Masters tournaments in the next calendar year. At least that belief seems to have died a merciful death.

[sagegrouse]

So the PGA and LPGA tours start a half-year apart?

I am NOT a fan of the PGA tour starting anywhere near that early. Basketball and hockey are bad enough, trying to identify the calendar year of a specific event; there's no reason for golf to join that, except for this stupid FedEx Cup that probably started this whole thing. Ryder and President Cups are associated with the calendar year, I believe, but occur now after the start of a new PGA year. I remember somebody here claiming that there was no Masters tournament in 2020, because it was delayed until after the start of the next PGA year, and were therefore two Masters tournaments in the next calendar year. At least that belief seems to have died a merciful death.

I tend to disagree, although I see your point of view. The tour championship consists of the FedEx Cup playoffs. It would be imprudent to have them in November and December, because of weather in most of the US and the lack of viewer interest due to football season. So, the East Lake event and the tournaments before were scheduled in August and to occur just before the Ryder and President"s Cup events, bringing the season to a close around Labor Day (and just before football really gets going).

Now one way or another, the October and November PGA Tour events are gonna be forgotten by many. I think it's OK to have them at the beginning of the new season, which enables those players looking for points and dollars to play against less competitive fields.

[dudog84]

I tend to disagree, although I see your point of view. The tour championship consists of the FedEx Cup playoffs. It would be imprudent to have them in November and December, because of weather in most of the US and the lack of viewer interest due to football season. So, the East Lake event and the tournaments before were scheduled in August and to occur just before the Ryder and President"s Cup events, bringing the season to a close around Labor Day (and just before football really gets going).

Now one way or another, the October and November PGA Tour events are gonna be forgotten by many. I think it's OK to have them at the beginning of the new season, which enables those players looking for points and dollars to play against less competitive fields.

This is spot on. Football is the behemoth of American sports (and futbol of everywhere else) and the PGA was entirely correct to end their season when they do. Golf also needed a playoff system, every sport has one, those that didn't have created one (see NASCAR also).

Re the comment on The Masters...remember a little thing called COVID? That is 100% the explanation for that blip in the schedule. There were not 2 in 1 year, the April event was played in November, even then with no spectators. I think Jim Nantz still piped in the sounds of birds, however.

Edit: And shouldn't the thread title be "Dukies"?

[sagegrouse]

After being busted by two of my friends for using random and inappropriate bird calls on golf telecasts,* the networks send the sound folks out in the early AM to record actual songs on the property. The reason: very few birds sing in the afternoon**

* It was a Kentucky event in mid-summer, I believe, and my friends hear the song of the white-throated Sparrow ("I love Canada, Canada, Canada"). The White-throats, although extremely numerous in the cooler months in much of the U.S., are only in Canada and the Northern tier of U.S. states during the summer months.


** Yeah, yeah, yeah! I know many of you have been kept awake at night by the non-stop song of a Mockingbird on a nearby rooftop or utility wire, but that bird is unique.

[dudog84]

After some time off, Alex Smalley, Kevin Streelman, and Adam Long have their cards and are all in the first tournament of the new season, the Fortinet Championship in Napa next week.

I believe the LPGA starts their new season later, so perhaps there should be a separate thread for them. Whatever the board wants.

[sagegrouse]

I am OK with keeping our LPGA coverage of Duke women on the same thread as Duke men. While the LPGA cycle is different, it doesn't seem to have the same end-of-season crescendo as created by the FedEx Cup/Tour Championship. Moreover, Duke women usually win more tournaments.

[dudog84]

I am OK with keeping our LPGA coverage of Duke women on the same thread as Duke men. While the LPGA cycle is different, it doesn't seem to have the same end-of-season crescendo as created by the FedEx Cup/Tour Championship. Moreover, Duke women usually win more tournaments.

All the more reason for them to have their own thread. They've earned it.

[Bob Green]

There is already a 2023 golf thread so I merged the two.

[dudog84]

There is already a 2023 golf thread so I merged the two.

Sorry, I looked a couple of pages for a thread, but the last post was over a month ago so I missed it. However, the title should be "Dukies". Duke is not on either tour.

[seacap29]

I am proud to think Kevin et al represent Duke as well as themselves as pros, thus Duke, not Dukies, in the thread title. Besides, I never have liked the term "Dukies". But, gosh, that's just me, so mods feel free change the thread title to Dukies if you like.

[dudog84]

I get what you mean about "Dukie" but I'm used to it. It's shorthand for Duke alumnus (which is worse, doesn't exactly roll off the tongue) and better than Blue Devil. We are who we are. But perhaps a compromise of Duke alums for the thread title would be best.

And I think that's a stretch to say these guys represent Duke on the tour. They much more represent PING (Alex), etc.

Speaking of Alex, here's great recent article on him:

https://www.pgatour.com/tour-insider...tour-card.html

[seacap29]

I get what you mean about "Dukie" but I'm used to it. It's shorthand for Duke alumnus (which is worse, doesn't exactly roll off the tongue) and better than Blue Devil. We are who we are. But perhaps a compromise of Duke alums for the thread title would be best.

And I think that's a stretch to say these guys represent Duke on the tour. They much more represent PING (Alex), etc.

Speaking of Alex, here's great recent article on him:

https://www.pgatour.com/tour-insider...tour-card.html

I have no problem with Duke Alums. As I began the '22-'23 thread I would be happy to adjust the title if I knew how, but perhaps Bob Green or someone else can do so. In the meantime, on to Napa Valley! Looking for all three of our guys to do well there, and indeed this entire new season.

[dudog84]

And here we go! They're playing in Napa, so tee times are PDT:

Alex 8:28
Adam 12:32
Kevin 1:16

[AGDukesky]

I know this is a PGA thread, but could someone list where the other Duke alums are playing (I.e. Korn Ferry, Europe)? I know many names but always miss a few.

[seacap29]

Early morning fog delaying starts in wine country.

[dudog84]

Early morning fog delaying starts in wine country.

Updated tee times PDT:

Alex 9:58
Adam 2:02
Kevin 2:46

[dudog84]

Good start for Alex, -2. Currently top-20 but a lot of players (over half) still on the course. Leader at -6.

[Bob Green]

Kevin Streelman shot a -4 (68) and is T16. Good start to the season.

[seacap29]

I know this is a PGA thread, but could someone list where the other Duke alums are playing (I.e. Korn Ferry, Europe)? I know many names but always miss a few.

Ryan Blaum (career winding down?) and Max Greyserman (recently recovering from injury) played the Korn Ferry Tour, Chandler Eaton and Motin Yeung were active on the PGA Tour Canada, Matt Oshrine played the PGA Tour LatinoAmerica, and Julian Suri continues to play the DP World Tour, although failing to make many cuts this year (missed the cut today in Italy). Not sure about others. I guess Quinn Riley is getting started, but I'm not sure how.