“Yea, because they win.”
–Clint Crump when reminded his was a rather lukewarm reception to the newcomers on Tour in 2006.
The 2015 season will mark the 10th year on Tour for the game-changing rookie class of 2006, a group that essentially ushered in the MGM Tour’s “modern era”. Joining the Tour that year were P-Jay Fidler, John Mann, Doug and Walter Vargas, and Chris Moawad. The group’s addition, however, wasn’t exactly welcomed by some charter members. The incoming Vargas brothers believed they had been purposely kept at bay by Armen Grigorian who had long perceived them as a threat to his supremacy and lack of accountability on Tour. Others saw the newcomers upsetting the competitive balance. Patrick Bird accused the Tour commissioner of trying to weed out the weaker players, while in 2012 Clint Crump offered the following:
“I was talking with Bird about this. Back when it was the old days, any one of us had a chance [to win] on any given day. And now it’s more like if you wanna win you have to, like, practice and stuff, which is a really odd thing to have to deal with. Now we’re kinda happy in our land of mediocrity in the middle of the Player of the Year points every year. We’re just looking for ways to get back on top.”
A year after his 2-win rookie season, a season in which he was openly critical of the Tour commissioner, Walter Vargas explained:
“What I’m trying to do is open the eyes of the other players. They’ve been sitting here for years allowing the Commissioners to give away wins and I won’t stand for it. I take my play very seriously and for others to just sit back and watch the Player of the Year Award get handed to PATRICK BIRD every year is ludicrous. Let’s make people earn their victories (like I did last year). I don’t know how Patrick Bird can sleep at night… I just don’t know how he does it.”
Chris Moawad
15 wins, 7 majors
Doug Vargas
14 wins, 4 majors
Walter Vargas
12 wins, 2 majors
Whether the “old guard” like it or not, the 2006 rookie class has and continues to leave an impression. Led by Chris Moawad this group has accounted for half the wins on offer since 2006, including 16 of the 27 Majors, has won 5 Player of the Year awards and placed at least 1 golfer in the top-3 of the season ending rankings for the past 8 years (3 times they have claimed the top-3).
P-Jay Fidler
3 wins, 1 major
John Mann
2 wins, 2 majors
The Season Ahead
2014 Player of the Year Travois Gordón enters the season as defending champion in 3 tournaments (2 of them Majors)… Armen Grigorian, who could be making his 100th career Tour start this season, needs the Manhattan Beach Championship and Survivor Challenge to complete the career slam… 3-time Player of the Year Chris Moawad also needs 2 wins to complete the career slam (Manhattan Beach and Griffith)… With a year under his belt Ed Quiroz is poised for a breakout year while Nik Freitas, embarking on his first full season, has shown – based on his 2 starts last year – that he could be a top contender.
June Drama
Travois Gordón’s Masters win and Martin Witt’s Tour Championship victory qualify them for this year’s Masters leaving just 3 spots for 9 Masters hopefuls.