OT - 2017 PGA Championship (Quail Hollow)

[Da_Aisijimo_Gou]

They are playing @ Bethpage and Ocean Course coming up

And, some PGA mucky muck already stated they'll return to Quail Hallow/Charlotte for a future PGA. So, you may have one more reason to be a future versus just a current miserable lout.

 

[Chin Diesel]

I hate to say it buts he's actually right Rickie is the most popular player on tour and it's not close.

Fowler was the second most mentioned athlete in all of sports last year on Twitter with 11,701, barely being edged out by LeBron James' 12,939 mentions.

Those whose job it is to pay golfers based on appeal disagree.

Sorry but Rickie isn't top 5 in endorsements, apparel sold or TV ratings.

Highest Paid Golfers 2017 - Golf Digest

 

[Jerry1714]

Those whose job it is to pay golfers based on appeal disagree.

Sorry but Rickie isn't top 5 in endorsements, apparel sold or TV ratings.

Highest Paid Golfers 2017 - Golf Digest

All you cited was endorsements and he's in the top 5 for active pkayers.

And that's with signing his Puma/Cobra deal in 2014. Puma and Cobra sold millions of units of their golf apperal and equipment in 2015 and their stuff sucks, people buy it for one reason.

 

[Jerry1714]

Those whose job it is to pay golfers based on appeal disagree.

Sorry but Rickie isn't top 5 in endorsements, apparel sold or TV ratings.

Highest Paid Golfers 2017 - Golf Digest

As a follow up, measuring most "popular" is an impossible post Tiger. But I have been to PGA events in MA, CT, SC, NC, GA, FL, WI, TX, AZ, and CA and at each one of them that Rickie was there he had the biggest groups following him, most people wearing his clothes, face print outs, and loudest cheers.

 

[AZHuskiePop]

Those whose job it is to pay golfers based on appeal disagree.

Sorry but Rickie isn't top 5 in endorsements, apparel sold or TV ratings.

Highest Paid Golfers 2017 - Golf Digest

Try to get out of your box .

We're talking about a guy who hasn't. won a major and only has 4-5 wins in 5 years.
With Spieths record his face would everywhere , why is that so difficult to grasp. We're talking charisma vs dull. That a golfer with his record comes up in every conversation should give you a clue.
The fact that he is number 13 and Guys like Tiger , Phil, Arnie, Jack , an Gary Player are ahead of him and he is ahead of Sergio makes your list an argument against your own case.
Let me give you some old AZ advise
when your wrong just admit it and walk away. You will gain a lot of respect. Also never give your executioners fuel for the fire to toast you with.

 

[Robertelamin]

Hard not to like Hideki

They'll throw a huge, crazy parade if he wins

Day is heating up too. He & Kaymer are the prettiest players on tour. Love watching both.

Matsuyama has been a beast these past two weeks.

 

[Chin Diesel]

Try to get out of your box .

We're talking about a guy who hasn't. won a major and only has 4-5 wins in 5 years.
With Spieths record his face would everywhere , why is that so difficult to grasp. We're talking charisma vs dull. That a golfer with his record comes up in every conversation should give you a clue.
The fact that he is number 13 and Guys like Tiger , Phil, Arnie, Jack , an Gary Player are ahead of him and he is ahead of Sergio makes your list an argument against your own case.
Let me give you some old AZ advise
when your wrong just admit it and walk away. You will gain a lot of respect. Also never give your executioners fuel for the fire to toast you with.

Except I'm right.

The claim by JSM and Jerry is Rickie is most popular golfer. There's no empirical evidence to back it up. Top 5 at best for active golfers.

Know why Spieth gets $30m+ UA? Because UA ripped up his initial contract and renegotiated ASAP.

Fowler is still on an old contract because, well, Cobra and Puma can get away with it.

No doubt Rickie is popular with the under 25 crowd and his charisma is good for golf.

But moving the TV needle or endorsements? Phil, Jordan, Rory smoke him. Globally Day, Sergio and Hideki leap him too.

 

[Chin Diesel]

Even with weather delay looks like everyone on top of board will finish today except for Stroud.

It would suck to have 5-6 top players having to come in at 7am to finish round two and wait until mid afternoon to start round three.

 

[Jerry1714]

Except I'm right.

The claim by JSM and Jerry is Rickie is most popular golfer. There's no empirical evidence to back it up. Top 5 at best for active golfers.

Know why Spieth gets $30m+ UA? Because UA ripped up his initial contract and renegotiated ASAP.

Fowler is still on an old contract because, well, Cobra and Puma can get away with it.

No doubt Rickie is popular with the under 25 crowd and his charisma is good for golf.

But moving the TV needle or endorsements? Phil, Jordan, Rory smoke him. Globally Day, Sergio and Hideki leap him too.

It is not just our claim but the claim of every golf analyst in the sport , but hey they are not you so they must be wrong too.

Show me one piece of data supporting your TV ratings claim, one. You cannot.

Also your argument about Speith and his contract makes you look not very bright. If you think they gave him that deal because of his popularity you are lost.

 

[jleves]

It is not just our claim but the claim of every golf analyst in the sport , but hey they are not you so they must be wrong too.

Show me one piece of data supporting your TV ratings claim, one. You cannot.

Also your argument about Speith and his contract makes you look not very bright. If you think they gave him that deal because of his popularity you are lost.

While I will admit that I underestimated Rickie's popularity, he still isn't 'the most popular'. I have no idea why they would give Spieth the contract except for popularity. They tend to give these contracts to sell equipment based on how popular and accomplished a player is (which tend to go together).

Let's all just agree that Rickie is the most popular player to never win a major and we can all be right. His popularity certainly exceeds his accomplishments by a long shot. The argument that 'if he had Jordan's numbers...' is a little misplaced because he doesn't have those numbers and therefore isn't at popular as he could be. Certainly comparing him to Tiger's popularity is far fetched. Potential popularity and actual popularity are two very different things.

 

[jleves]

Kind of a crazy end to the day. Guys running up to the next hole to hit shots before the rest of the group is finished finished putting is hilarious. The 13 foot high duck hook just to get a shot off was awesome.

Rory and Spieth just didn't do enough to really be in the mix. Maybe if one goes nuts and shoots a 62 tomorrow, but that's not likely. Too many good players way in front of them that won't come back. I have no idea what to expect from Kisner, but Hideki, Day, Moinari, Oost, Rickie, Justin Thomas and Paul Casey just aren't going to come back enough for them to really have a chance.

Hard to bet against Hideki. When he gets his irons dialed in like he has for the last couple weeks, he's just a machine. Day has been there before and only two shots back - he has a great chance. I would expect these two in the final pairing on Sunday.

 

[Jerry1714]

While I will admit that I underestimated Rickie's popularity, he still isn't 'the most popular'. I have no idea why they would give Spieth the contract except for popularity. They tend to give these contracts to sell equipment based on how popular and accomplished a player is (which tend to go together).

Let's all just agree that Rickie is the most popular player to never win a major and we can all be right. His popularity certainly exceeds his accomplishments by a long shot. The argument that 'if he had Jordan's numbers...' is a little misplaced because he doesn't have those numbers and therefore isn't at popular as he could be. Certainly comparing him to Tiger's popularity is far fetched. Potential popularity and actual popularity are two very different things.

I did not compare him to Tiger, no one is close Tiger, nor will anyone probably ever be in terms of popularity.

UA does not sell golf equipment, they sell clothing, and at the time they signed Spieth their biggest golfer was Hunter Mahan. Yes, Hunter Mahan. UA went all in, and was right, on Spieth because he was young and a huge name in terms of potential when he turned pro so they tried to make a splash. Again, it worked.

By any measure, whether it be social media followers or interactions, fans at tournaments, ect. there are 3 players who dominate others and its Rickie, Rory, and Jordan. Phil is obviously massively popular as well but he is on the back end of his career.

 

[gtcam]

I am not convinced that if a poll was taken that Rickie would not win the popularity contest - my guess he and Rory are very close to the top
Again popularity not endorsements, wins

 

[Jerry1714]

Kind of a crazy end to the day. Guys running up to the next hole to hit shots before the rest of the group is finished finished putting is hilarious. The 13 foot high duck hook just to get a shot off was awesome.

Rory and Spieth just didn't do enough to really be in the mix. Maybe if one goes nuts and shoots a 62 tomorrow, but that's not likely. Too many good players way in front of them that won't come back. I have no idea what to expect from Kisner, but Hideki, Day, Moinari, Oost, Rickie, Justin Thomas and Paul Casey just aren't going to come back enough for them to really have a chance.

Hard to bet against Hideki. When he gets his irons dialed in like he has for the last couple weeks, he's just a machine. Day has been there before and only two shots back - he has a great chance. I would expect these two in the final pairing on Sunday.

Good to see Day back in contention, outside of the Byron Nelson I think the last time he was the PGA last year.

Hideki has had issues following up really low rounds in majors, tomorrow is huge for him.

You are right on Rory and Jordan too many guys ahead of them now.

Rickie conservative play this morning was right for the conditions at the time but the softness allowed others to be aggressive and pass him last in the day.

Cannot wait to see how Kisner handles this pressure tomorrow.

 

[Chin Diesel]

It is not just our claim but the claim of every golf analyst in the sport , but hey they are not you so they must be wrong too.

Show me one piece of data supporting your TV ratings claim, one. You cannot.

Also your argument about Speith and his contract makes you look not very bright. If you think they gave him that deal because of his popularity you are lost.

Well, we can start with Sunday's Open Championship having highest rating in 9 years and beating US Open final round ratings for first time in 20+ years.

 

[Jerry1714]

Well, we can start with Sunday's Open Championship having highest rating in 9 years and beating US Open final round ratings for first time in 20+ years.

Ok you convinced me, Matt Kuchar is the most popular player in golf.

 

[Chin Diesel]

It is not just our claim but the claim of every golf analyst in the sport , but hey they are not you so they must be wrong too.

Show me one piece of data supporting your TV ratings claim, one. You cannot.

Also your argument about Speith and his contract makes you look not very bright. If you think they gave him that deal because of his popularity you are lost.

Link to analyst calling Rickie is most popular?

 

[jleves]

I did not compare him to Tiger,

JSM did. That was the point there.

 

[Jerry1714]

Link to analyst calling Rickie is most popular?

Turn on the golf channel right now, or anytime in past 5 years.

Still waiting on those TV numbers......

P.S. I loved how you ignored the twitter interactions facts, which is by far the best evidence of fan popularity shown so far, smart move by you.

 

[Chin Diesel]

Turn on the golf channel right now, or anytime in past 5 years.

Still waiting on those TV numbers.

P.S. I loved how you ignored the twitter interactions facts, which is by far the best evidence of fan popularity shown so far, smart move by you.

You really think Twitter is the best measure of popularity? Good for you.

Newsflash. Earlier this year Butch Harmon told Rickie if he ever wants to get to the top, lay off the Twittering.

Butch Harmon tells Rickie Fowler to forget about keeping up with the Kardashians

Twitter may expand a brand but it doesn't pay like performance and the endorsement dollars and quality of companies paying you speak volumes.

 

[JSM1970]

Fair.

Tiger has rock star status. Rickie is a close second. He's crazy popular. The most popular player since Tiger.

JSM did. That was the point there.

 

[Chin Diesel]

Oh by the way, leaderboard for Saturday looks great. Young bloods, major champs, bombers, strikers, putters

 

[Jerry1714]

You really think Twitter is the best measure of popularity? Good for you.

Newsflash. Earlier this year Butch Harmon told Rickie if he ever wants to get to the top, lay off the Twittering.

Butch Harmon tells Rickie Fowler to forget about keeping up with the Kardashians

Twitter may expand a brand but it doesn't pay like performance and the endorsement dollars and quality of companies paying you speak volumes.

You're arguing performance and I am arguing fan popularity, you seem to think they are the same thing but they are not.

Whenever you want to send over those TV numbers we can revisit this but I am done with this topic until then.

The weekend should be great, very excited.

 

[Jaker]

I like Rickie, but don't think he really has the game to win majors at this point in his career.

 

[Chin Diesel]

You're arguing performance and I am arguing fan popularity, you seem to think they are the same thing but they are not.

Whenever you want to send over those TV numbers we can revisit this but I am done with this topic until then.

The weekend should be great, very excited.

I sent you TV ratings from the British Open being highest in 9 years which includes wins by Rory, Ton W's near win, etc.

I'll be nice and let you check out this year's Traveler's Championship.

Bottom line? Jordan moves the needle like only he and Rory can do right now. Not Tiger level but above anything Fowler, Say, DJ or anyone else can do.