The 2016 season produced 4 multiple winners and saw Chris Moawad named Player of the Year for the 3rd time in the past 5 years. But it was Armen Grigorian who, in only 5 tournament starts, won 3 times. He ended the year with wins in the Tour Championship and Tournament of Champions to confirm what he knows, and what the Tour knows: he is the best golfer on the MGM Tour.
January…
Counting back to his 2 wins to close out 2015, Ed Quiroz became just the 2nd golfer in Tour history to notch 3 wins in a row after winning the season opening Manhattan Beach Championship. Quiroz prevailed over John Frost in the first sudden death playoff in tournament history. Armen Grigorian made his first appearance on Tour in 10 months.
1. Quiroz
2. Frost
3. Moawad
“Arnold?”
-Chris Moawad upon seeing Armen Grigorian, who was making his first start on Tour in 10 months.
“What a perfect day to get back into the Tour.”
-Armen Grigorian after hearing the field for the season opener would be comprised of just 7 golfers
“Oh, me and Walter were just 2 that one year [for the Players Championship].”
-Chris Moawad after first asking if the field of 7 was the lowest in Tour history.
“This first swing is gonna hurt.”
-Armen Grigorian on the first tee. His appearance was his first start in 10 months.
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“I beat Moawad, so as far as I’m concerned it was a good day.”
-John Frost after losing in a playoff to Ed Quiroz and finishing 2nd.
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“Well actually I didn’t score 13, I only scored an 8 because there WAS a cap. I didn’t invent that, he didn’t invent that, that was [the rules]. If somebody on the course can’t play by the rules, especially Moawad, wow, I have so much respect for him but maybe that’s 1 strike [against him]. I hope he changes his piss poor attitude because that’s just not healthy for the [Tour].”
-John Frost’s response to an irate Chris Moawad who contended that Frost should not have been in the playoff because he benefited from capped holes. Frost’s 13 on the 10th hole was reduced to an 8.
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“I feel there shouldn’t be any caps on a par-3 course when we already have handicaps, so yea, it didn’t sit well with me. I usually don’t give any guff about handicaps but the capping of holes is something that needs to go away.”
-Chris Moawad explaining why he was upset with John Frost making the playoff for the win.
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2.12.16
10 years ago today, in need of 2 more golfers to complete a numbers-specific field for the 2006 season opener, Armen Grigorian hesitantly suggests the Vargas brothers. Their inclusion is made, although Walter Vargas is unavailable, prompting a call to Chris Moawad. Fate has its way, and the rest as they say, is history.
Doug Vargas: Glad those spots were available.
Walter Vargas: One of Grigore’s biggest regrets in life. Took the luster off his Tour domination of his chump peers.
February…
After missing the season opener with a shoulder injury, 2015 Player of the Year Martin Witt opened his 2016 season with the 10th win of his career, becoming the 5th golfer to reach double digits in wins. Witt defeated Ed Quiroz in a playoff at the Charly Classic, denying Quiroz an unprecedented 4th win in a row.
1. Witt
2. Quiroz
3. Frost
“I have this beautiful trophy. I put my trophies on the mantle,
unlike these guys who put them in the garage.”
-Defending champion P-Jay Fidler reflecting on last year’s win.
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“I don’t remember, probably like 7 years ago.”
-Ed Quiroz, making his Charly Classic debut when asked the last time he played miniature golf.
“I was thinking about just going home. It’s really devastating. I heard [Bird, who’s not here] was sick. I’m sick now [because of this news].”
-Gerry Vaughan on finding out the Whitsett diner no longer served pork roll
“They’re gonna need their strokes.”
-Ed Quiroz, making his Charly Classic debut, when told golfers could earn up to an additional 3 handicap strokes from miniature golf. Quiroz would shoot the day’s best gross at Whitsett before losing a playoff tie-break.
“Moawad’s been collapsing since mini-golf.”
-Gerry Vaughan after John Frost commented that Moawad’s game began collapsing after the 6th hole
“Ed’s crazy good and I’ve played a lot of rounds with him, like 2 in a row last year. Next time be careful bringing in these new guys. They’re good, and they’re freakin’ young.”
-Martin Witt after defeating Ed Quiroz in a playoff for the win.
“I think what happened was [Willy J] didn’t get into their heads in their first tournament [by] calling them out on the tee box. I think that’s what needs to happen because that sticks with you.”
-P-Jay Fidler on young golfers Nik Freitas and Ed Quiroz making immediate impacts on the Tour.
“I was gonna bring that up. Next time I think [Willy J] should start taking these guys out for a little test run of golf before he brings them on and f**ks it all up for the rest of us.”
-Marty Witt on how good the Tour’s newcomers, Ed Quiroz and Nik Freitas, are.
March…
13 years after they were last paired together, Armen Grigorian and Patrick Bird were re-teamed for this year’s Hooters. Not only did the duo deny defending champions Frost/Moawad a 2nd win in a row, they set a new points record in the process. The win was Bird’s 3rd at the Hooters and 10 years after his first. Grigorian won his 4th, placing him in a 3-way tie for #1 on the all-time Hooters wins list.
1. Grigorian/Bird
2. Frost/Moawad
3. Crump/Freitas
“Not much. You still have to get up early, you still have to prepare yourself for a day of work when it’s supposed to be a day of rest, a day dedicated to Christ our lord.”
-Gerry Vaughan, when asked how much living close to the course made up for the early tee time.
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“They’re all threats.”
-Defending champion Chris Moawad when asked which team he thought posed the biggest threat to his and John Frost’s title defense.
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“I’ve had that same injury, and I’ve played through it. I’m just tougher than he is.”
-Doug Vargas on brother Walter’s elbow ailment that has kept him from playing this season.
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“I remember that. I was wearing my caterpillar boots.”
-Patrick Bird when reminded he won his first Hooters 10 years ago on the same course Arroyo Seco.
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“It doesn’t change the way I feel about the start time. I coulda won a couple hours later and it would have been just the same.”
-Patrick Bird, when asked what was going through his mind having won despite complaining about the early tee time.
“He rubbed me in some special places <pause> in my soul.”
-Armen Grigorian when asked about his partner Patrick Bird following their win.
“I’ve always had a special spot in my stomach for this tournament, and to win it here with Armen, who probably I’ve been to Hooters with more than anybody else in my life, it’s just a very special moment for me.”
-Patrick Bird
April…
In a showdown of the Tour’s young guns, and with a 2nd win in a major on the line, Ed Quiroz defeated defending champion Nik Freitas to win this year’s Match Play title, their match coming to a thrilling conclusion on the final hole. It was Quiroz’s 4th win in the last 6 tournaments dating back to 2015, marking the most dominant run in Tour history over such a period. Despite a reminder sent by tournament officials Patrick Bird pulled “a Crump” and still made his way to the wrong golf course.
1. Quiroz
2. Freitas
T3. Moawad, Frost
“ <long pause> No. All that happened last year is out the window.”
-Nik Freitas when asked if his experience last year will serve him well this year in his title defense.
“I was a different person then. One child less, so I was able to focus, put all my energy into those rounds. I don’t know if that’s gonna happen today.”
-Defending champion Nik Freitas recalling last year’s victory
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“It just lets me know that Gerry is an easy golfer [to beat]. It’s mine to be taken.”
-John Frost when asked what his win over Gerry Vaughan in 2015 does for his confidence going into his rematch with Vaughan in this year’s tournament. Frost would defeat Vaughan 1-Up.
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“Patrick’s all talk, all text, all email. I’m gonna whoop him so bad that he can’t even cheat to beat me.”
-Ed Quiroz on his first round opponent Patrick Bird.
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“F’in trees crush your dreams, like this town.”
-Nik Freitas on the 3rd tee.
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“It’s always fun watching all these guys go home early.”
-Ed Quiroz on his match play experience.
June...
“AWESOME pic!!! Too bad the two pansies of the Tour are in it!”
-Walter Vargas
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Breaking 50 for the first time at Roosevelt, carding a 48, Patrick Bird claimed his first Astronomer’s Monument trophy in the 10th edition of the Griffith Observatory Championship. With his Hooters win, Bird posted his 2nd win in his last 3 tournaments. Chris Moawad set a new tournament record for pars with 5. Tim Joe not only missed the tournament for the first time in his career, his Tour record for consecutive starts ended at 57.
1. Bird
2. Moawad
3. Witt
Is it just me? or is the SHORT CHIPS report this week just telling us how bad we all suck at this particular tournament.
Should have called it PARADE OF LOSERS…
word count:
not / never / failed = 5
worst = 2
Thanks for the pep talk TIM !!!
-Moawad
“<15 seconds of silence>”
-defending champion Martin Witt when asked to complete the sentence: You will be the first Griffith champion to successfully defend your title because…
“That’s a handsome trophy. Gonna have to clean Witt’s poop off it.”
-John Mann
“Well it’s probably no surprise that I hate this course.”
-Clint Crump, on making his first Griffith start in 3 years. In his last appearance (2013) Crump was the winner.
“He’s not going to be able to avoid the collapse the [6th and 8th] holes is gonna bring everyone. Advice? None. Just don’t f**k it up.”
-Doug Vargas on the affect the Griffith might have on current #1 Ed Quiroz. In past seasons in which Vargas held the #1 spot, the Griffith proved to be his undoing, playing some role in his inability to finish the year #1. Quiroz would finish 7th out of a 9-man field and carded a quadruple bogey on the 8th hole.
“Makes the day that much worse.”
-A struggling John Frost when told Patrick Bird was contending for the win.
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“What a picture! I love this hole, but I hate it.”
-Doug Vargas as he walked up to the 8th tee
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“We debated on whether or not to leave and catch the first half of Finding Dory.”
-John Mann on the long wait for the final groups to finish
“I was just lucky the atrocious play of [Doug] Vargas and Frost didn’t bring me down out there on the course today.”
-Patrick Bird
“I never knew I was a masochist until I played this course.”
-Martin Witt
“Even if it’s close, usually the person who’s playing their best game that day is the one getting the benefit of the win.”
-Patrick Bird, normally a complainer and critic of handicaps, on his victory.
“I have a bayou amount of swamp ass.”
-Martin Witt
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The first half of the 2016 season concludes…