Bubble Bursts At Disney, PGATour.com Not There To Cover It?

There was much kvetching about the lack of Orlando Sentinel coverage for the Children's Miracle Network event at Disney World, but the real story was in PGATour.com's odd choice not to send someone to the final tour event of the year. Instead they posted AP game stories and a live blog, yet that wasn't enough when there are so many intriguing storylines like finalization of the top 125 and determination of tour cards for the following year.  Inevitably great storylines develop and the web becomes a prime source for family, friends, acquaintances and former pro-am partners to see how their horses are doing.

It's also disconcerting to see such coverage when the event is played in the same state as tour headquarters and where the sponsor is propping up a long time event popular with players.

Thankfully, we got compelling accounts of the final day's play and money list scenarios from Steve Elling (here), Bob Harig (here) and Sean Martin (here).

I know, those three probably did the job better than PGATour.com would when their writers file in fear of little men with a red pen scribbling away edgier details. But with media consolidation the tour's own site often becomes a primary source of news. How can they be trusted when they aren't even giving an important event serious coverage? (Not to mention the decision not to post a story about Doug Barron's lawsuit).

Most of all, what does the lack of coverage say about the home office's view of the Fall Finish and the event at Disney?

Comments

[On Tour]

To answer your question I think it says OOPS... ball dropped at HQ.

[Steven T.]

What happened to Ricky Fowler?

[On Tour]

I think Fowler and the media got ahead of the Fowler story before the second round and after the first.

[Wisconsin Reader]

I did record the Disney and watched it this AM. . . I enjoy these end of the season events (including the Tour Qualifying Finals) since they have such a profound impact on the next season for many players. . . The Golf Channel "data department" did a great job in updating the "final standings" throughout the last day. . . The interviews with the players - who were on the "bubble" - after their rounds were revealing. . . The one real complaint, and it is a major one - was with the broadcast announcers. Have they EVER considered letting the action speak for itself? Do they not realize that when a player is putting there is a GRAPHIC on the screen saying he is putting for a birdie on hole #10? They do NOT have to say it every time too! . . . And, finally, enough with the instant swing analysis after every poor shot. As a 40 year PGA of America member - with my HD-DVR I can do frame by frame analysis - Byrum and Nobilo are literally never correct in their diagnosis. . . If the TV audience wants swing analysis - have Jim McLean or another top Tour player instructor do it.

[LiveReportHater]

My only grievance after reading this note is that it doesn't go far enough... not nearly far enough. PGAtour.com's "Live Report" is its worst content. It reads like the "honey-do-laundry-list" I'm given every Friday and struggle to complete before Sunday Night Football. It is void of insight and evokes almost as much excitement as Jim Gray interviewing Ryo Ishikawa. It can at least boast that it's the only "Live" blog devoted to covering every PGA Tour event, right? Not even close. On nearly every occasion I've followed the "Live" blog, it will retroactively post news to cover its bases. The funny thing is, the time stamp at the beginning of each post will show that it was posted sometimes 30 minutes prior to it ever going up on the site!!! This is especially annoying when the posts only come every 30 minutes... on a Sunday afternoon.