It is the second time Ames has won the event at Disney in FLA, taking the Disney event in a playoff after shooting a final round 64.
It should move Ames into the Top 50 in the world — he had fallen to 71. In typical Ames fashion, he appeared really loose in the round and talked about having his son, Ryan, walk with him:
Oh, yeah. It was a very casual round. Casual round of golf. It’s Mickey Mouse, come on.
No, we were walking up the fairway together. He actually walked the whole Back 9 with me, and the honorary members, honorary walkers, observers, is that what they’re called, he was walking with them, and we were chatting and going on, and he was very much aware of what the situation was, and he said, dad, you need to hole this. I went, okay, I’ll try my best. Four feet wasn’t a bad shot.
Ames had fallen out of the Top 50 in recent months — a figure that gains him entrance to a host of top events (majors, World Golf Championships, etc.) The Disney win will surely change some of that, but I wonder if it cements him as one of the game’s best. After all, Ames’ last two wins have both come at the end of the season in events not typically played by the best in the business — just those struggling to find the Top 125 or help a poor season. Even with the win, his $2.1-million in earnings is lower than last year when he did not have a win. To contrast, Mike Weir made $2.4 million without a win.
Ames has now won in three of his last four years — a period in which Weir has won once. On the other hand, Weir has played exceptionally well in most majors and has played in all eight FedEx Cup events in the last two years, as well as on the last two Presidents Cups teams. Maybe too close to call in the race for top Canuck? I still lean to Weir, but Ames seems to get the job done more often lately in a game that really is determined by wins.
If your counting, that’s 2 wins for Sean Foley this year. Not too bad for a Wanker RT.
Question, how many career ‘W’s can Henry Brunton claim and the almighty RCGA performance staff? Oh yeah, that would be zero all-time…
Geoff: Not bad indeed. But who is talking about Henry or the RCGA here… not sure I see the point.
RT…
This is not a slight on this specific post just a generic comment on how I feel that Sean’s impact on Canadian golf is underapreciated at best. At times, this site has debated the merits of the RCGA performance team and their role in the development of Matt Hill/Nick Taylor but to my knowledge you have never given Sean the coverage he absolutely deserves.
At 34 he is without question the most influential golf instructor this country has ever produced and we should celebrate that amazing achievement.
I don’t believe Henry Brunton coaches any PGA Tour players, so I don’t understand Geoff’s logic. What Henry does and what Sean does are two entirely different things.
I do agree that Sean is having some great success with PGA Tour players and is a good Canadian golf succcess story. However, I’m not sure what impact Sean has on Canadian golf…he lives in Orlando and coaches 1 quasi-Canadian player in Stephen Ames. I guess he inspires up-and-coming Canadian golf instructors?
Geoff — show me where I’ve written what you’ve suggested. Where have I praised the role of Brunton in the development of Hill or Taylor?
The field this week included more big names than some summer tournaments, including (maybe) the Canadian Open. Justin Leonard, Justin Rose, Zack Johnson, David Toms, Nick o’Hern, Brain Gay, DL 3, not bad really and better than most of the fall events.
Just curious,
I believe prize money was down overall in 2009 vs 2008. If you took 2008 prize money and applied it to 2009 results or vice versa where would the two years compare?
cg
Probably flat for Ames — or close. Seven Top 10s last year and a third, vs. five top 10s and a win….
to Matt:
He has coached Chris Baryla for a while who has gone from nationwide Tour to now PGA Tour for the 2010 season, along with 5 or 6 young guys who have earned there way onto the Canadian Tour, As well as two young ladies on the National Team, one of whom won every single amateur event she played in during the summer including all the national and provincial titles she played in. Along with helping many local juniors move on to college scholarships..
All of these players he helped build to where they are, they are not people he just snatched when they were already winning. He’s also helped shape the way many golf coaches in the area teach and still continues to lend a helping hand to them. Try being informed before claiming he hasn’t done anything for Canadian Golf .