Of the three big stories this week, one did not take place on the golf course yet it was the biggest – that of Tiger’s return to competition.
Much discussion has centered around whether this is the right venue for his return. The Accenture Match Play championship is over five days and the final is over 36 holes which at first glance might seem an unnecessary test for Tiger’s knee but all reports and his own words suggest that the knee is better than ever.
Winning the US Open on one leg and kicking the competiton’s butts with the other is all we need to know if Tiger’s knee is in fact as good as he says. Therefore, look out PGA Tour!
Match play is perfect for Tiger. One of the great advantages of this format is that you can win shooting over par (and also lose shooting under par) but that is why Tiger can ease his way back into the fray. His first match is against the 64th ranked player in the world – much less daunting than lining up against 155 players all at once.
I do take issue with some of the hype, however, that his return is the most anticipated return in golf history. I wasn’t around in 1950 at Riviera but from all accounts, Ben Hogan’s return to competition (after an accident that almost killed him and left him with his left leg shorter than his right), attracted huge crowds and was so significant it led to a Hollywood movie. As George Harrison once said to Bono (U2's lead singer) - You think U2 is big?. We were big....
Coincidentally, Riviera was the venue for Phil’s return. As defending champion he looked like he’d walk away with it after day one. After day two he kept us in suspence but then day three his play was again astounding to take a four shot lead into Sunday.
In typical Phil fashion, he labored with the lead and lost it soon after. The town favorite Fred Couples had a shot and Steve Stricker had one hand on the trophy but last-gasp, Phil the Thrill made a wonderful birdie at 16 followed by an excellent two-putt birdie at 17. Stricker’s bogey at the last allowed Phil the luxury of a par at 18 (some luxury) and he gave us a few palpitations with his final putt.
The two putts for birdies on the previous two holes must have given him lots of confidence because the par putt never looked like missing.
Story three was also a coincidence when you consider that Phil’s first win on the PGA Tour was as an amateur and so is Danny Lee’s.
Lee has had a fabulous amateur career and plans to turn pro after taking up his invitation to play in the 09 Masters. This youngster is very exciting as we saw at Pinehurst No 2 in last year’s US Amateur. His play before and after that win against the pros should have signalled his chances in the Johnnie Walker in Perth, Australia – a feature tournament on the European Tour.
After a three-putt lip-out bogey at 12, Lee stormed home to birdie four of the final six holes and and almost eagled the 18th. It was a splendid performance. He admitted that making the cut was his goal for the week and maybe a top twenty finish.
With a three year exemption for the European Tour and likely invitations to many of the PGA Tour events, Lee will not lack opportunities. His coolness, great calm and maturity beyond his years should ensure his future. Rory will not have things all his own way.
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Even Pebble Beach failed to bring out the stars
It’s not the golf course, of course – maybe it’s the format. Being spread over three courses there should be room for a huge participation but the entry total equalled 60 players per course (180 or just 24 more than the tour maximum when played on one course).
Pebble Beach’s influence was evident on day three when just four players broke 70 so from that standpoint it is a shame that the fourth day did not eventuate. We might have had an interesting finish.
The winner went low twice and that is what he had to do. Mike Weir and Retief Goosen were close enough to be dangerous and would certainly have put some pressure on Johnson – but we will never know. His win will always be remembered as a rain-shortened one.
Mickelson did not make any impression where he would have been expected to, given the quality of the field and a large question mark hangs over him despite heading to Riviera as defending champion.
The other star was Vijay and after knee surgery he could be forgiven for a below average performance. His spirit is possibly stronger than Phil’s so a bounce back is on the cards.
It was nice to see Calc thereabouts and the most consistent player on any tour right now would have to be Kenny Perry. He’s a factor every time he tees it up.
Further down the leader board, Charlie Hoffman remains steady although his third round 74 saw him drop 11 spots after round two while the previous week’s victor, Nick Watney started very slowly but finished strongly.
Among the cut-makers but also-rans it seems that Davis Love III is serious about trying to recapture his best form and Jim Furyk was unspectacular but steady and won’t be long in contending.
The last event (at Riviera) of the West Coast segment looks to have drawn the best field so far and it's about time too!
Pebble Beach’s influence was evident on day three when just four players broke 70 so from that standpoint it is a shame that the fourth day did not eventuate. We might have had an interesting finish.
The winner went low twice and that is what he had to do. Mike Weir and Retief Goosen were close enough to be dangerous and would certainly have put some pressure on Johnson – but we will never know. His win will always be remembered as a rain-shortened one.
Mickelson did not make any impression where he would have been expected to, given the quality of the field and a large question mark hangs over him despite heading to Riviera as defending champion.
The other star was Vijay and after knee surgery he could be forgiven for a below average performance. His spirit is possibly stronger than Phil’s so a bounce back is on the cards.
It was nice to see Calc thereabouts and the most consistent player on any tour right now would have to be Kenny Perry. He’s a factor every time he tees it up.
Further down the leader board, Charlie Hoffman remains steady although his third round 74 saw him drop 11 spots after round two while the previous week’s victor, Nick Watney started very slowly but finished strongly.
Among the cut-makers but also-rans it seems that Davis Love III is serious about trying to recapture his best form and Jim Furyk was unspectacular but steady and won’t be long in contending.
The last event (at Riviera) of the West Coast segment looks to have drawn the best field so far and it's about time too!
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
And the winner is.......not who you thought it would be
Before the tournament even started it was Phil. After round one it was Villegas, then after round three it was Rollins.
So much for predictions.
During round four Lucas Glover made a run. Was he the winner?
Luke Donald with front-nine back-to-back birdies was only two back. Was he the winner.
Villegas was still there too. Was he the winner?
Rollins was still in the lead. Was he the winner?
The answer to all the above is “no”.
No, the quiet, relatively unknown Nick Watney came from 5 back with a very tidy 68 to prevail. He never held the lead until the very last hole, the last green and the last putt.
In true Yogi Berra fashion – it ain’t over ‘til it’s over.
Among the “names”, Mickelson did not look trim and fit. He’s not there yet and neither is his putting. It will be a surprise if he’s ready by Pebble Beach-time. Harrington probably needs another start or two to show his best. On a positive note, the cut did not include any stars.
Close up behind the leaders, Luke Donald is threatening. He was close prior to Torrey Pines and had a peek at winning so his chances must be improving. By the time the Honda comes around he should be cherry ripe.
Baddeley and Hoffman (following on from his play-off loss) were very steady while Villegas bounced back from an ugly FBR miss-cut.
Rollins is looking fit and ready. Only a miracle winding putt by Watney at 16 caused Rollins’ defeat, not bad play.
So much for predictions.
During round four Lucas Glover made a run. Was he the winner?
Luke Donald with front-nine back-to-back birdies was only two back. Was he the winner.
Villegas was still there too. Was he the winner?
Rollins was still in the lead. Was he the winner?
The answer to all the above is “no”.
No, the quiet, relatively unknown Nick Watney came from 5 back with a very tidy 68 to prevail. He never held the lead until the very last hole, the last green and the last putt.
In true Yogi Berra fashion – it ain’t over ‘til it’s over.
Among the “names”, Mickelson did not look trim and fit. He’s not there yet and neither is his putting. It will be a surprise if he’s ready by Pebble Beach-time. Harrington probably needs another start or two to show his best. On a positive note, the cut did not include any stars.
Close up behind the leaders, Luke Donald is threatening. He was close prior to Torrey Pines and had a peek at winning so his chances must be improving. By the time the Honda comes around he should be cherry ripe.
Baddeley and Hoffman (following on from his play-off loss) were very steady while Villegas bounced back from an ugly FBR miss-cut.
Rollins is looking fit and ready. Only a miracle winding putt by Watney at 16 caused Rollins’ defeat, not bad play.
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Super Stars Bowled Over
In contrast to the Dubai Desert Classic, the top twenty at the FBR Open in the ‘other’ desert, looked drab and unexciting. Only the winner Kenny Perry, David Toms, Zach Johnson and Geoff Ogilvy had star power.
As big a story as the winning effort by Perry was that Mickelson, Kim, Villegas, Leonard, Holmes , Weir and Cink – were all missing from the weekend. The big guns shot blanks. For Mickelson, being his first outing since the HSBC Champions in November, could be forgiven and is likely to be somewhere in the mix at Torrey Pines.
It says a lot that a 48 year-old can out-play, out-putt and often out-drive the young guns on the PGA Tour. We know that Vijay out-works his opponents but Perry is no fitness guru who wears out driving ranges. Bernhard Langer has two years to make another fortune out on the Champions Tour because as soon as Perry joins the ‘round bellies’ Langer will be playing for second.
The up-and-comers provided quite a lot of interest. Piercy’s lack of experience showed while Nitties cracked under the pressure. Both will benefit from their brush with victory. Ryan Moore had a look and sooner or later he must break through.
Hoffman is a previous tour winner and won’t have to improve much to win again. Kevin Na’s performance suggests that he too is likely to succeed when the big guns are vacationing or simply not performing.
In closing: CBS called Kenny Perry’s second to the par 5 fifteenth the Shot of the Day. It was a good shot but not as close as David Toms who knocked it stiff with his second and made eagle whereas Perry two-putted for birdie.
As big a story as the winning effort by Perry was that Mickelson, Kim, Villegas, Leonard, Holmes , Weir and Cink – were all missing from the weekend. The big guns shot blanks. For Mickelson, being his first outing since the HSBC Champions in November, could be forgiven and is likely to be somewhere in the mix at Torrey Pines.
It says a lot that a 48 year-old can out-play, out-putt and often out-drive the young guns on the PGA Tour. We know that Vijay out-works his opponents but Perry is no fitness guru who wears out driving ranges. Bernhard Langer has two years to make another fortune out on the Champions Tour because as soon as Perry joins the ‘round bellies’ Langer will be playing for second.
The up-and-comers provided quite a lot of interest. Piercy’s lack of experience showed while Nitties cracked under the pressure. Both will benefit from their brush with victory. Ryan Moore had a look and sooner or later he must break through.
Hoffman is a previous tour winner and won’t have to improve much to win again. Kevin Na’s performance suggests that he too is likely to succeed when the big guns are vacationing or simply not performing.
In closing: CBS called Kenny Perry’s second to the par 5 fifteenth the Shot of the Day. It was a good shot but not as close as David Toms who knocked it stiff with his second and made eagle whereas Perry two-putted for birdie.
European Tour Strenghtens Grip
Despite having lost the Ryder Cup last year, the strength in World Golf is currently firmly planted among those playing the European Tour.
Even though the world is going through tough economic times, the best players appear to be more interested in playing against each other rather than simply for money. Soon, they may have no choice!
For the second consecutive week the European Tour event provided greater drama than that on offer in the ‘other’ desert. The whopping lead built up by eventual winner Rory McIlroy was not immune to final nine pressure as applied by Justin Rose, whose never-give-up attitude did not go unnoticed.
Are big leads desirous? As Sam Snead would have said: “You dance with who brung ya” and McIlroy’s game did change when seemingly totally in charge. The combination of his bogeys and Rose’s birdies meant that the final hole was a nail-biter.
The winner’s brilliant yet delicate bunker shot was not to be denied so he didn’t exactly fall in to win – he pulled off a winner’s shot.
McIlroy’s talent is undoubted. He could easily have won twice before Dubai but now that he has broken through, look out, he might barn storm his way to a major this year. If he has a weakness it’s with the flat stick but he’s not alone.
Rose will only have to play half as good to win somewhere in the US this year.
Among the also-rans was terrific line up including Stenson, Casey (winner two weeks back), Karlsson, Kaymer, Jiminez and Oosthuizen (overdue). Sergio was on their heels while last week’s winner Alvaro Quiros closed with a 64 signifying he’s no fluke.
One pattern continued - Ernie is struggling. The torch is passing........
Even though the world is going through tough economic times, the best players appear to be more interested in playing against each other rather than simply for money. Soon, they may have no choice!
For the second consecutive week the European Tour event provided greater drama than that on offer in the ‘other’ desert. The whopping lead built up by eventual winner Rory McIlroy was not immune to final nine pressure as applied by Justin Rose, whose never-give-up attitude did not go unnoticed.
Are big leads desirous? As Sam Snead would have said: “You dance with who brung ya” and McIlroy’s game did change when seemingly totally in charge. The combination of his bogeys and Rose’s birdies meant that the final hole was a nail-biter.
The winner’s brilliant yet delicate bunker shot was not to be denied so he didn’t exactly fall in to win – he pulled off a winner’s shot.
McIlroy’s talent is undoubted. He could easily have won twice before Dubai but now that he has broken through, look out, he might barn storm his way to a major this year. If he has a weakness it’s with the flat stick but he’s not alone.
Rose will only have to play half as good to win somewhere in the US this year.
Among the also-rans was terrific line up including Stenson, Casey (winner two weeks back), Karlsson, Kaymer, Jiminez and Oosthuizen (overdue). Sergio was on their heels while last week’s winner Alvaro Quiros closed with a 64 signifying he’s no fluke.
One pattern continued - Ernie is struggling. The torch is passing........
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