General Comments 3/17/10

Perhaps I should start a blog about all my misfortunes: first there was the incident outside Verizon Center, then pipes in my house burst in multiple places, taking me all weekend to help fix. Next thing was this nasty computer virus that took me these past few days to eradicate. But, here I am now, and boy, has there been a lot going on in the golfing world since then.

Ernie Els got his biggest win since the British Open in 2002 with a WGC victory at Doral. The Big Easy is officially back. His confidence is not quite at the level it was before his knee injury in 2005, but the smooth South African is now as dangerous as ever. He will definitely be a factor at the majors this year.

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Tiger Woods has announced that his return to golf will occur at this year's Masters. Good for him. It only makes sense to come back there, as the tournament has the tightest control of the media out of all the tournaments in the year. And I'm quite sure his game will be in tip top shape. What will be most interesting to observe however, is the change in his demeanor (if there is any) and the way he will deal with the crowd who will most certainly boo him and otherwise give him a hard time. Tiger is not out of the woods yet, in fact he's only beginning to get a sense of direction of where to proceed.

Perhaps a major win will help calm the masses and the media, and who knows? Tiger may come back better than than ever. He has show great resiliance in times of hardship, especially after the death of his father. I don't think anyone will view Tiger as the perfect role model they used to, but with time and the magnificent golf he will surely be producing, this incident will soon be an afterthought.

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The Transitions Championship is set to begin tomorrow, and fields an impressive roster of players despite it being a smaller event. Steve Stricker and Paddy Harrington look for more tune ups for Augusta, and Charles Howell III, who has had success at Innisbrook before, looks to get his golfing career back on track.

The Blue Monster and the Big Easy: Ernie Eviscerates Doral En Route to Grabbing Second Round Lead

The wet and windy second round of the CA Championship is completed, and despite these tough conditions, there were many good scores out on the course today.

Ernie Els has the lead at ten under after shooting a flawless 66 today. His round was solid in every aspect, carding 27 putts, 71% driving accuracy, and 78% GIR. It is quite evident that the hard work he has put into the changes in his game have paid off this season, as he is making a resurgence on tour.

Robert Allenby is right behind at nine under after a 67 today, but his two rounds so far have lacked consistency. After coming into the clubhouse yesterday four over on the last four holes, he cards an eagle, an ace, six birdies, three bogeys, and a double today. Exciting rounds for the crowd to say the least, but Allenby must certainly feel he has left alot of strokes out on the course.

Paddy Harrington is one sneaky little player. He quietly tip-toes up the leaderboard, no one really paying him much attention, and then bam! He goes into beast-mode and smashes the competition on the weekend. Every single one of his three majors have been won in this fashion, and don't look now; after shooting a four under 68 today, the Irishman is only four shots off the pace.

This tournament's field is probably one of the best all year, not including the majors, but the top of the leaderboard isn't really filled with marquee players. Vijay and Mike Weir sit at five under, while Camilo and Phil are withing striking distance (four under) if they can put together a solid weekend.

Here are the second round highlights, courtesy of PGATour.com:

First Round Comments: CA Championship

We all knew Doral was tough, but man did the course eat up the players today. Charl Schwartzel leads at five under after an extremely well played round which included no bogeys. Nearly half of the field was over par on day one, and the wind played a huge factor.

Many players succumbed to the closing stretch of holes, especially 18. Vijay Singh double bogeyed the final hole to fall from the lead back to four under. Ernie Els also sits at four under and also struggled with the 18th, bogeying the treacherous par four. However, both of these big names are sitting in a very good position after the first round. Its rather hard to believe that it was only a few years ago that those two belonged in the heralded "Big Five" atop the world rankings. It looked back then as if those five players (Woods, Mickelson, Singh, Goosen, Els) were on another stratosphere on the PGA Tour. Alas, no longer.

Robert Allenby could have had a mind boggling round today as he was eight under through 12. However, he stumbled and staggered home like Anthony Kim coming back from a late night exursion, bogeying his last four holes. However, he still sits at four under. (I kid, of course. AK is the man.)

Speaking of the young American, Kim had his usual up and down round: four birdies to go along with three bogeys. As great of a talent he is, he really needs to achieve some sort of consistency if he truly wants to be one of the best on tour.

Phil Mickelson also carded a one under 71, but has yet again confounded me with the clubs in his bag. Mickelson carried two drivers today, for whatever reason he claims, yet only hit three fairways the entire day. I know it was a tough driving day with the wind, but is it really necessary to carry two drivers? Of course, I wouldn't have a problem if he justified it with his play, but three fairways is unacceptable for a ball striker of his caliber.

This reminds me of the 2008 U.S. Open when he carried five wedges in the third round, yet was not able to advance the ball from 50 yards in over the false front on the par five 13th at Torrey Pines. Phil attempted the same spinning lob wedge three times, failing to reach the green all three times, and ended up making a 9. I'm not sure what to make of these situations (and they've happened quite often) when Phil makes a very questionable decision that probably results from his stubborness. You would think he would learn from his mistakes, but here we are again, with Phil having another one of his "Phil" momements. To be fair however, for every head scratching decision he's made, he's pulled off an inconceivably amazing shot no one would ever think of (look at the 18th hole of the 2009 Northern Trust Open).

Again, with the devilish nature of this course, the leaderboard can flutuate dramatically with many possible errors and mistakes lurking out there.

Here are first round highlights courtesy of PGATour.com:

Final Comments: Honda Classic

This tournament was no contest at the get go of the final round. Camilo had extended his three shot lead early in his round and only Anthony Kim made a charge, getting to within three strokes before falling back. Villegas closed out last week with a five stroke victory.

Now, as Camilo's stellar 2010 campaign continues, one wonders if he can keep this up. After all, someone has to grab the opportunity left by Tiger's absence, and so far no one has stepped up to the plate except for the young Columbian.

Vijay Singh stumbled in his final round, but overall it was a very solid week for him, who is just trying to get back on track. Anthony Kim also has shown improvement in his game.

On a side note, Fred Couples has won yet another Champions Tour event in the Toshiba Classic. In three starts this year on the senior circuit, his finishes are: 2nd, 1st, 1st. Pretty darned good, I would say.

Congratulations to Camilo and Fred for their victories, and we look ahead to the CA Championship this week!

Thoughts on the Third Round: Honda Classic

I wasn't able to post yesterday because I went to a Washington Wizards game...and nearly stumbled into the middle of a gang fight afterwards. Interesting night to say the least. Anyway, here's a look into what the Honda Classic looks like going into the final round:

-Camilo has seized control, holding a three shot lead after a 67 in tought conditions today. He's probably the hottest player on tour right now, and has a great opportunity to add to his career resume tomorrow.

-Vijay Singh cannot be counted out yet. The 47 year old Fijian carded a one under 69 today, recovering from a double bogey early in his round. Nathan Green is tied with Singh at -8.

-Anthony Kim's struggles on the weekends continue, shooting three over and falling out of contention after being tied for the lead at the midway point. A similarly disastrous third round did him in last week in Phoenix as well.

-PGA National is a beast, and many players will be hard pressed to go low. If Villegas can put together a mistake free round of one or two under, it will be very hard for the other players to catch him.

Here are the third round highlights from PGATour.com:

Thoughts on the First Round: Honda Classic

After one round at the Honda Classic played on PGA National, we have Nathan Green and Michael Connell tied for the lead at five under.

Camilo Villegas is continuing his hot play after a four under 66. He has already carded two top tens in as many starts on tour so far this year, and he seems well on his way this week as well.

Vijay Singh makes his first appearance near the top of the leaderboard in a long time with a three under 67 today. 2009 seemed like the year that Vijay's age caught up to him, but he will try to turn back the clock this week.

Lee Westwood (-1) is lurking, as well as Anthony Kim (-2). Westwood is making his 2010 stroke play debut on American soil this week, and it will be interesting to see if he can bring his recaptured form back to the states.

I'm surprised to see Paul Casey (+3) and Sergio Garcia (+4) struggling after very high finishes at the Accenture Match Play. However, this course is a tough one, and players will be having some difficulty. Y.E. Yang (+9) nevertheless has no excuse, especially coming off his third place finish
last week.

First Round Highlights courtesy of PGATour.com:

Results: Waste Management Phoenix Open

Riding on the wake of two strong weekend rounds of 65, Hunter Mahan surged to his second career victory with this win at the Waste Management Phoenix Open. Y.E. Yang took control of this tournament early in the back nine, leading at -15. A shot dumped in the water on 17 led to a bogey and eventual third place. Hunter gained big momentum with an eagle on 13, and poured in two more birdies to come in at -16. Ricky Fowler, the runner-up in this tournament, sat at -15, one shot off the pace when he came to the par five 15. Despite being in the fairway, he chose to lay up, failed to make birdie, and missed three makeably birdie putts coming into the clubhouse. However, this is a spectacular finish for the young rookie who has already carded two second place finishes on tour. The future looks bright for the former Oklahoma State player.

Congratulations to Hunter for his win at the Waste Management Phoenix Open!

Final Round highlights courtesy of PGATour.com:

Third Round: Waste Management Phoenix Open

Brandt Snedeker has seized the lead going into the final round at the Waste Management Phoenix Open. On a day when scoring became tougher, Snedeker dropped a five under 66 to put him at -14. Camilo held at -11 while Ricky Fowler shot a two under 69 to move to -12. Anthony Kim shot an awful round of 76 which included a triple bogey. Shows how hit-and-miss his game is; with his aggressive strategy of attacking nearly every pin, his rounds can become disasterous if he misplays a few shots. The leaderboard is very tight with 14 players within four strokes of the lead. Should be a fun day of golf to watch tomorrow.

Here are third round highlights, courtesy of PGATour.com:

Second Round: Waste Management Phoenix Open

Play has been suspended due to darkness, leaving a few players to finish their second round tomorrow. Most of everyone on the top of the leaderboard are finished. And boy, is the leaderboard a packed one. The cut is coming at -3 which is only 8 shots off the pace, showing how tight the players are.

Anthony Kim was hot early in his round, grabbing the lead and making the turn at a scorching -6. However he cooled down on his second and came in with a 65 today, good for tied for second.

Camilo, on the other hand, got off to a cold start, making the turn at one over. An eagle jump-started his round on 13, and he turned in a two under 69. He is currently tied for the lead (-11) with Mark Wilson who has turned in two very solid rounds of 65 and 66.

Rickey Fowler had a rollercoaster round, including a four putt and an eagle on a par four. He sits at -10, tied with Kim and Ryan Moore.

Tom Lehman has turned back the clock, as the 51 year old sits at -9 after two. He is tied with five others that are only two shots back.

Here are the second round highlights, courtesy of PGATour.com:

First Round: Waste Management Phoenix Open

Camilo Villegas leads after one round at the magnificent TPC Scottsdale with a nine under 62. The course was in pristine shape, allowing for some low scores.

Matt Every charged up the leaderboard as well, carding an eight under 63 that included six straight birdies. The former Big Break contestant has shown flashes of very solid play, so its no surprise that he's in this position.

Many big players are lurking, with Zach Johnson and Geoff Ogilvy at -5, Freddie Couples, Anthony Kim and the bomber Alvaro Quiros at -4.

I thought Phil Mickelson had something big in store today after he birdied his first two holes. Instead, he dropped one on the very next hole and was very inconsistent en route to a 68.

Here are first round highlights courtesy of PGATour.com:

Results: Accenture Match Play Championship

Ian Poulter cemented his first win on the PGA Tour ever with his victory over Paul Casey at the Accenture Match Play Championship. In my opinion, this was a long time coming. Poulter has shown the us repeatedly that he can perform on the world's biggest stages, such as the majors and Ryder Cup, and has a stellar resume on the European Tour. He has not enjoyed as great as success on the American tour, until now.

Ian took control of the match on the first 18, pushing the lead to as much as four holes. He stumbled near the end however, and ended taking only a two up lead into the clubhouse. But any doubts about the result of this match were silenced after Poulter came roaring out the gates with a pair of birdies to go to four up again. Casey closed to within two on the back nine, but two more consecutive birdies on the 33rd and 34th hole ended it. Ian Poulter wins, four up with two to play.

Congratulations to Ian's first ever PGA Tour victory!

Championship match highlights, courtesy of PGATour.com:

Final Match: Accenture Match Play Championship

After a morning finish to the Casey vs. Villegas match (Paul wins after 24 holes), we have Ian Poulter and Paul Casey in the Championship match. They are nearly at the halfway point, with Poulter up three on Casey after 17 holes.

Fourth Round: Accenture Match Play Championship

After the wave of morning matches, we are down to our final four: Ian Poulter, Camilo Villegas, Sergio Garcia, and Paul Casey. All players are very prominent in the golfing world, but Paul still has the best chance to win as he steamrolled through his match again.

Ian Poulter vs. Thongchai Jaidee
This was the closest match of the morning, and Thongchai actually led more holes than Ian did, with the pair going back and forth from one up (advantage Thongchai) and all square throughout majority of the match. However, after a birdie by Poulter on the 15th to bring the match back to all square, he grabbed a birdie on the par five 17th to obtain the lead for the first time in the match. Jaidee failed to answer on the 18th and Ian Poulter wins, one up.

Camilo Villegas vs. Retief Goosen
Camilo controlled this match from the start, jumping to the lead on the very first hole and leading four up after nine holes. Once in that position, Villegas simply had to hold his ground, and he comes out on top, four up with three to play.

Sergio Garcia vs. Oliver Wilson
Sergio had the early lead as well, up by as much as three through the first six holes. Oliver, however cut into the lead and Sergio was only leading one up when they made the turn. On the back nine however, Garcia kept the heat coming, birdieing 10 and stringing up birdies on 13 and 14. Garcia wins, four and three.

Paul Casey vs. Stewart Cink
Paul Casey's romp continues as he puts together his fourth straight five and four victory. Casey was one up through five holes before he blitzed Cink with three straight birdies. Paul gave one back with a bogey on 11, but was never in any danger as he paired up birdies on the next two holes. Again, Casey is the one to watch for as he has easily been the best player thus far in the tournament.

The afternoon matches will be: Paul Casey vs. Camilo Villegas and Ian Poulter vs. Sergio Garcia. It's going to be exciting to say the least.

Third Round: Accenture Match Play Championship

Now only eight remain in the Accenture Match Play Championship. The biggest surprise is Thongchai Jaidee, who is not only the lowest seed in the final eight, but has destroyed his opposition so far in the tournament (he won his matches 5&4, 4&3, and 5&4 again today). Again, if there is a favorite, it has to be Paul Casey, who has ended each of his matches on the 14th hole.

Luke Donald vs. Oliver Wilson
This was a very tight match, with Luke birdieing the 17th hole to pull even. Luke then hung his approach shot out some 50 feet away from the pin, while Oliver stuck his to two feet. Having a tough putt over a mound and with Wilson in close, this seemed like the end for Luke Donald. Not so fast. He rams his 50 footer into the cup, and they were going into extra holes. After halving the first playoff hole, Oliver Wilson poured in a lengthy eagle putt of his own on the second playoff hole to end it.

Sergio Garcia vs. Tim Clark
This was back and forth all day. It looked like Sergio was going to take control various times througout the round, only to have Clark roaring back. Sergio was two up through ten and was met by consecutive birdies by Clark to pull all square. However, Garcia grabbed two birdies, one on 14 and 17 to win the match two and one.

Retief Goosen vs. Nick Watney
The Goose struck the ball terribly all day, but made up for it with some magnificent short game. Watney, on the other hand, was accurate but made a few very untimely errors, including an overzealous putt on fourteen that rolled off the green. The match alternated between Retief being one up and all square for the last seven holes, but Watney's final mistake on the 18th did him in. Retief Goosen wins, one up.

Here are third round highlights courtesy of PGATour.com:

Tiger Woods' Statement: Reaching Out to Everyone

Tiger Woods, for the first time in nearly two months, has finally spoken. With this short statement issued with a small audience, he is taking one step out of many to get his personal life back on track. His comments today showed real sincerity, and it is good to know his is going through the necessary actions to repair his public image.

Tiger messed up. Big time. However, his apology was not only frank, but also showed how much he understood the implications of his actions. And not only is he issuing this genuine and emotional apology, but he is also taking necessary actions for forgiveness. Although for the most of the speech he looked like his usual controlled self, his wavering voice and solemn looks show how deeply he regrets his actions. Tiger is doing all he can to repair his image and his standing, but most importantly, he "wants to ask for your help" and to "find room in your heart to one day believe in [him] again". I think that this profound statement is more than we could ask for from Tiger, given his situation. But, with these kind of predicaments, only time will tell if he can return to grace in the eyes of everyone.


Amidst the expected apologies, some people thought Tiger would be announcing a time frame pertaining to his return to golf. Instead, he produced a vague statement that will continue to keep the golfing world guessing. What we know for sure is that he will be making a return, eventually, and that a return this year is still not ruled out. The soonest he might possible return would be at the Masters, where the media is tightly controlled so there will be less of a fuss. But it is entirely possible he might not be back until the start of next season. I don't think anyone, including Tiger himself, knows when he will make a return to golf.

Here is the full video of Tiger's statement:

Upset Central (part deux): Accenture Match Play Championship

Well, this tournament has gotten a lot more interesting, with yet another slew of upsets occurring today. Not a single number one seed remains and only three players seeded higher than five remain. This tournament is wide open now, as anyone can take home the title. Out of the remaining players, Paul Casey is the highest seed. He's in a groove right now and was runner up at this event last year so watch out for him on the weekend. Here's a breakdown of notable matches today.

Ernie Els vs. Retief Goosen
What a classic match, pitting two of the best South Africans to ever play the game against each other. As expected, it was tight throughout the whole round with neither player getting more than one hole up on the other. The match went extra holes, and on the second playoff hole, Goose stuck his second shot to about three feet while Ernie found the greenside bunker. The match was conceded and Retief took the win.

Tim Clark vs. Martin Kaymer
Clark has continued his success against number one seeds; he ousted Tiger last year at this same event. He grabbed the lead on the very first hole and never relinquished it after the fourth. A birdie on 15 essentially sealed the deal for Clark.

Geoff Ogilvy vs. Camilo Villegas
This match was in a dead heat; the match was all square throughout almost all of the match, and was at that same score heading into 15. Camilo then blitzed with consecutive birdies, and with Ogilvy failing to answer on 17, the match was over, two up with one hole to play.


Final Thoughts

This exciting tournament may have gotten even better, as with the elimination of nearly all of the top seeds, there is not a single clear-cut favorite. Tomorrow is also significant for another reason; Tiger will be making his first statement since December regarding his hiatus. It will be a big day for golf tomorrow.

Upset Central: Accenture Match Play Championship First Round

Wow, the first round of the Accenture Match Play Championship ended with a slew of surpising results, including overall top seed Steve Stricker going down. Let's break down the first day of action as well as make a few predictions.

Steve Stricker vs. Ross McGowan: This match was tight, but Steve Stricker held the lead for much of the round until a birdie-birdie sequence by McGowan on 13 and 14 put him 1-up. Stricker quickly answered with a birdie of his own, and then they went extra holes. Steve bogeyed the first playoff hole while Ross parred, and the biggest upset of the tournament was sealed.

Vijay Singh (eight seed), Padraig Harrington (two seed), Lucas Glover (five seed), Anthony Kim (seven seed), and Kenny Perry (three seed) were the other big names falling in the first round.

Geoff Ogilvy handed Alexander Noren the most lopsided loss of the day at 7-up, five holes to play. They were all square through six holes until Noren fell apart with six bogeys in a row. Ogilvy birdied 13 to put it away.

Predictions

In the Bobby Jones bracket, I have Ryo Ishikawa meeting Ian Poulter in the final. This bracket is wide open with four upsets today, so anyone could emerge from this bracket. Ryo is a (really) young player who can get hot in a hurry, and Ian Poulter is coming off one of the best seasons of his career.

For the Ben Hogan bracket, I'll take Martin Kaymer and Luke Donald for the finals matchup. Kaymer is the best player in his twenties no one knows about (he won twice last year on the European Tour and recently topped Ian Poulter in the Abi Dubai Golf Championship in January), and Luke Donald's impressive play recently is hard to ignore.

Geoff Ogilvy and whoever wins the South African duel of Retief and Ernie tomorrow are my picks to emerge from the Gary Player bracket. Ogilvy is two time defending champ looking for three in a row, while the two South Africans both have their games rounding back into their previous form.

Jim Furyk and Paul Casey will be the finalists of the Sam Snead bracket. Furyk's consistent game is well suited for match play while Casey has shown he has a knack for match play as he ended as runner-up last year.

Now, these picks are totally based off my opinion and have a good chance of not being true, due to the fickle nature of the game and due to the fact that these players' skill levels are not as far apart as their seeding indicates. Regardless, it is fun to try to predict what the outcome will be at this tournament, which is one of my favorites out of the whole season. I think the tour should conduct more match play tournaments as they are by far the most entertaining.

Fred Couples: The Tiger Woods of the Champions Tour?

And no, I am not referring to Tiger Woods' recent drama about marital infidelity. With Fred Couples transition to the Champions Tour (he says he will be full time on the over-50 circuit next year), he quite possibly could be the player that makes the tour significant again in terms of popularity.

Freddie has always had a large following on tour, even in recent years when his play has fallen off slightly. With his good looks, laid back personality, and a super smooth swing, Couples is probably one of the most popular players on tour, only behind players like Phil and Tiger. He is able to command a large crowd regardless of where he plays. I have seen that from personal experience.

I went to first round action at the 2008 AT&T National on site with a friend and checked out the driving range where the players were warming up. Now, I saw players that were very highly recognized at the time: Trevor Immelman, who was the recent Masters champion, and Rocco Mediate, who pushed Tiger Woods to 91 holes in that year's U.S. Open.

Neither player had that many people observing. My friend and I were able to find a spot directly behind Trevor's spot to see his swing up close, and we were even able to have an actual (albeit short) conversation with Rocco. Actually the driving range was fairly empty.

But then Freddie arrived. A slew of people rushed onto the driving range, and me and my friend were very nearly run over as we wanted to take a look at Freddie as well. The crowd around Freddie was easily four or five people deep, gargantuan in comparison to the other players on the range.

And once he left to tee off, the crowd went off following with many spectators screaming for an autograph. He was the only player that I saw who needed security to be escorted to the first tee. The whole scene was quite incredible (now granted, I haven't had the chance to see a Tiger or Phil crowd, but Fred's following was huge). That's the kind of buzz Couples can generate.

Now, although the Champions Tour has a very solid following and quality players, its popularity is not nearly as great as the PGA Tour's, due to obvious reasons. But in recent years, I feel that the Champions Tour has fallen a bit more into obscurity, due to the fact that the marquee players that people want to see are not winning many tournaments (the exception being Tom Watson).

But with Freddie, they now have their "new" star, judging by his play so far in the events. Couples has already posted a win and a second place finish in his two events out on the tour this season, and certainly will draw more people who are looking for a big name to follow.

If Fred Couples continues this success, he will provide just that. People love seeing players dominate, which is a big reason why Tiger is so popular; and if Freddie keeps this kind of play coming, he will cause a resurgence in the Champions Tour that will make it relevant in the golfing world.

Final Round: AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-AM

It was a very tight tournament, but Dustin Johnson won the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am by one shot with a birdie on 18. The wind made the course extremely difficult today, with only seven players breaking 70. Paul Goydos actually was in control of the tournament until a quadruple bogey on 14 sunk his chances. Others had a legitimate shot to win the tournament, but came up a little short. Congratulations to Dustin for back-to-back wins at this event!

Notables

On a day in which the wind was brutal, David Duval managed to scrap together a round of 69, one of the only sub-par 70 rounds of the day. He missed an opportunity for a playoff when he failed to birdie the par-5 18th, but this second place finish must certainly be encouraging for the former world number one who is trying rediscover his game.

J.B. Holmes also fought through the wind today to shoot 71, good for second place. He, like Duval, missed a final chance to force a playoff on the 18th, but he is showing how his game has improved with two consecutive top fives this year.

Here are the final round highlights, courtesy of PGATour.com:

Third Round: AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am

Dustin Johnson and Paul Goydos have bolted ahead of the rest of the field, as they both hold the lead at -18, four shots ahead of the nearest players. Dustin looked like he was going to run away with the tournament early in his round, playing his first seven holes at -6. But Goydos shot a scorching 31 on his second nine, and both ended the day with 64s. For the most part, this tournament seems like a two man race, but you never know who will make a charge on Sunday.

Notables

J.B. Holmes shot a solid 68 today, putting him at -14, but failed to get any closer to the lead on a day in which nearly everyone lost ground on the leaders.

Phil Mickelson has fallen a full eight shots behind despite a third round 69. He needs to go really low to have a chance tomorrow.

Trunk Slammin'

Retief Goosen shot three rounds in the 70s, not nearly enough to keep pace with the low scores. He struggled with his putter this week, as he had 35 putts today and averaged 32 for the week.

John Daly was erratic, matching 13 birdies and an eagle with 13 bogeys on the week. His game needs to become more consistent if he wants to regain his old form.

Here are third round highlights from PGATour.com:

Second Round: AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am

Wow, what a leaderboard at the halfway point; we have six players tied for the lead at -10: Dustin Johnson, Paul Goydos, J.B. Holmes, Matt Jones, Bryce Molder, and Alex Cejka. It's going to be a wild finish to say the least.

Star Watch

Phil Mickelson gained some ground today, shooting a 67 to put him at -7. Vijay Singh at -6 and Padraig Harrington at -8 are also in the hunt. Sergio Garcia and Reteif Goosen have fallen a bit behind the pace, as they are at -3 and -2, respectively.

Notables

David Duval is lurking, only one shot behind after another solid round today. His game really seems to coming along and don't be surprised if you see him near the top of the leaderboards again this year. He still is in very good position to win this tournament.

Don't sleep on Luke Donald, who was runner-up last week, or Steve Marino, who I've touched on a bit in one of my previous blog entries. Both are at -7, three shots off the pace.

Here are second round highlights from PGATour.com:

First Round: AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am

Dustin Johnson leads after day one for a second straight week, carding a -8 64 on Pebble. We have a leaderboard filled with familar faces that have seen major success in the past, but have been struggling recently.

Highlight Rounds

K.J. Choi is sitting in second place after a blemish-free 65 that contained five birdies and an eagle. After successful seasons in 2007 and 2008, last year was a letdown for K.J. He has started this year fairly strong however, and is continuing his good play.

Boy, David Duval's name is appearing more and more frequently at the top of the leaderboard. Sitting at -5, he looks to climb out of the depths of his slump (which he is already beginning to do) and regain the form he had in the late 90s when he was the best golfer in the world.

Heading the Wrong Direction

Adam Scott is looking to recover from a disastrous 2009 campaign where he missed 9 out of 19 cuts. He missed the cut yet again last week and is in danger to do so this week as well, as he currently sits at +1.

Jamie Lovemark, yet another talented young gun, is sitting at the bottom of the leaderboard at +3. He may not have the same amount of hype Ricky Fowler has garnered, but Lovemark's play at last year's Fry's.com Open showed real potention.

Looking Ahead

Many of the PGA Tour's best sit fairly close to lead, with Vijay at -5, Furyk at -4, and Harrington at -3. They, among others will try to make a move. Look for the leaderboard to fluctuate with many players bunched up near the top.

Preview: AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am

Another week, another great PGA Tour Event lined up. Played on the magnificent Pebble Beach, Poppy Hill and Spyglass Hill, the tournament has a reputation of fielding quality fields. This year is no different, especially with players coming for a U.S. Open tune-up (this year's Open will be played on Pebble Beach Golf Links). Here is a breakdown of the field:

The Favorite

Well, I've picked Phil Mickelson to win the past two events, and he has played anything but solidly. Perhaps third time's the charm? Regardless, his track record on this course is difficult to ignore, with his most recent success at this event being wins in 2007 and 2005.

The Contenders

Dustin Johnson, the defending champ, has been playing very well of late. Grabbing two 16th place finishes in Hawaii this year, he was in contention last week before settling for third.

Retief Goosen is looking like he is rounding back into his previous form, as he got his first win since 2005 last year. So far in 2010 he has continued his resurgent play, carding a sixth place finish at the SBS Championship and a fourth place finish at the Sony Open. He very nearly won this event last year, so he's another player to watch for.

The Dark Horse

Sean O'Hair makes his 2010 debut in the lower 48 states; he first played the two events in Hawaii. O'Hair had a scorching-hot season last year on tour, where he had a win, about $4 million in earnings and came in 5th place for the FedEx Cup.

The Best of the Rest

Brian Gay is coming off the best year of his career, winning twice in 2009. He has been solid so far in '10, though not spectacular, with three top 25s in as many starts. It'll be interesting to see how he fares as he doesn't have much of a track record at Pebble (his last start at this event came in 2001).

Under the Radar: Steve Marino

Occasionally I will be highlighting some players who I feel have played very solidly but do not get much attention in the golfing world. This week: Steve Marino.


Background
Born in Atlus, Oklahoma, Steve and his family moved to Virginia, which is where his golf game really began to develop. He won a Virginia High School Championship and received a scholarship to the University of Virginia. During his freshman year there in 1999, he won the Virginia State Amateur. He graduated in 2002 first team all-ACC, and set his sights on the pro tours. He was a member of the Nationwide Tour in 2006 and earned his PGA Tour card through Q-school, and has since kept his card. Although nearly 30, Marino is an up and coming player who is improving.


His Game
Marino's swing is silky smooth, and has a very consistent game. None of his individual stats stand out, but he is decent in GIR (which he was 21st last year) and total driving (30th in 2009). However, something that is outstanding is that he owned the ninth best scoring average on the tour last year at 69.9, indicating his solid play. He can be a bit inaccurate with the driver and his putter seemed a little balky under pressure situations last year, but nevertheless, he is a great all around player.

A quick look at his swing (from the 2009 Crowne Plaza Invitational):



Career Highlights
Since his rookie season on the PGA Tour in 2007, Steve has been very consistent, earning about $5.5 million so far in his career. He came very close to a win last year at the Crowne Plaza Invitational, losing in a playoff. Marino also was the leader of the 2009 British Open after two rounds before a disastrous third round put him out of contention. His most recent success came last week at the Northern Trust Open, where he tied for fifth place.

Results: Northern Trust Open

Steve Stricker takes the Northern Trust Open by two strokes over Luke Donald. With the victory, he moves to the top of the FedEx Cup point standings as well as to the second best golfer in the world golf rankings. He started the day with a six stroke lead, but quickly saw it dwindle to two shots. With a pair of birdies on 8 and 9, he regained control of the tournament. Donald closed to within two shots again with a birdie on the 17th, but with Stricker hitting the 18th green in regulation, he sealed the victory.

Other Notable Rounds

Anthony Kim let his final round get out of control early with two double bogeys, and stumbled to a final round 78. Phil Mickelson also struggled, carding a final round 73.

Luke Donald produced magnificent play on the weekend, shooting a pair of two 66's. Though it wasn't quite enough for the win, it was another solid tournament for Donald. Fully healed from his wrist injury last year, expect more play like this from him with the way he strikes the ball.

Final Round: Northern Trust Open

Again, internet issues prevented me from finishing my third round entry. It is however, fixed now so no more interruptions.

2:20 pm- The final round of the Northern Trust Open has begun, and this tournament is Steve Stricker's to lose, as he currently holds a three shot lead. Luke Donald and Andres Romero hold second place at -11 and Kevin Stadler at -10. A slew of players at -9 are also within striking distance.

Phil Mickelson cooled off in his third round and is essentially out of the tournament, with the way Stricker is playing. Anthony Kim also shot himself out of contention with a pair of double bogeys (ouch) on 3 and 5.

The players chasing Steve Stricker will need to catch him, as he is not the type of player that will back up.

3:10 pm- Steve Stricker is now facing a bit of pressure, with Luke Donald only two shots behind and four others four shots off the pace. He doesn't seem too fazed however, as he sticks his second shot to about five feet on 7.

3:57 pm- Dustin Johnson has now surged up the leaderboard with four birdies in his last five holes. He's now only three shots behind Stricker, who is at -16.

4:07 pm- So Luke Donald dumps his third shot on the par-5 11th into a greenside bunker, short-siding himself. No problem. He dunks his bunker shot in, and now Stricker has two players 3 strokes behind him. I've always admired Donald's game, with his smooth swing, impeccable ball striking and great short game. He was one of the best putters last year and had the best sand save percentage. I'm surprised he hasn't won more tournaments.

4:10 pm- Boy, Stricker just keeps it coming. Following Luke Donald's hole out, he pours in a birdie putt of his own, pushing him to -17 and a four shot cushion over Donald and Dustin.

4:24 pm- Well, just when you think Stricker is pulling away a bit from the field again, he goes and hits his second shot way left on 12.

4:31 pm- Stricker maintains his four shot lead despite a bogey as Donald cards a bogey as well on 12.

4:42 pm- Paul Goydos chips in on the final hole, good for a 65 and fifth place in the tournament.

4:53 pm- With J.B. Holmes and Luke Donald both finding the left bunker on 13, Stricker is not taking any chances, playing for the center of the green.

Classy is a word to describe Phil Mickelson. With a final round 73, he could have done what many players would have done and stomped off the course. However, he was signing autographs after his round, all smiles. What a great person.

5:19 pm- Yet another great up and down for Steve Stricker. He now has a three shot lead with only three holes to play.

5:21 pm- Donald knows he's running out of holes, so he's aiming at every pin. With his tee shot on the par 3 16th snuggled up within five feet and the accessible par 5 17th coming up, he is not completely out of the race yet.

5:28 pm- Luke misses his point blank birdie and Stricker two-putts for par. If Stricker can grab a birdie at the 17th (which is playing on average half a stroke under par today), I'd say the tournament is his.

5:46 pm- Well, Luke gains another stroke on Stricker going into the final hole, and nothing is guaranteed on the difficult 18th. We'll see how it plays out.

Third Round Comments:Northern Trust Open

Sorry for not posting updates for the second round; the internet has been giving me problems.

Commentary During Play

6:13 pm- Both Phil Mickelson and Anthony Kim had second round surges despite the wet conditions, and they both continue to chase Steve Stricker. Anthony Kim currently sits at -8 while Phil Mickelson is at -6. Stricker continues to hold the lead at -12.

Dustin Johnson has struggled at the beginning his third round, going double bogey-bogey on 3 and 4. He's now fallen 3 shots off the pace.

6:56 pm- George McNeill holes out from 189 yards on the 12th hole for eagle to jump to -8.

Steve Marino makes the turn at three under 32. He's now joined a large group at -8, along with McNeill, Kim, Andres Romero, Luke Donald and Dustin Johnson.

Steve Stricker now has a five shot cushion thanks to a birdie on eight and Dustin Johnson's bogey on nine.

7:41 pm- Luke Donald and Anthony Kim have both grabbed second place at -9. Stricker
continues to put on the pressure with yet another birdie on ten, good for an overall -14.

Phil has gotten a bit quiet with a bogey and no birdies so far on his back nine.

First Round Notes: Northern Trust Open

The first round of the 2010 Northern Trust Open is in the books, and Dustin Johnson finds himself in the lead at -7. There are some intriguing names near the top of the leaderboard, but many of the tour's big names were struggling today.

Highlight Rounds

- Ricky Barnes, who is best known for his performance at last year's U.S. Open, shot 66 and is two shots out of the pace.

- David Duval, also in contention during the final round duel at the 2009 U.S. Open, is looking to regain the form that made him a major winner and the #1 golfer in the world. Despite some hiccups on his second nine, Duval came in with a 68, putting him in the top ten.

- The stylish Swede Jesper Parnevik is also in the top ten at -3. Although his play has fallen off a bit in the past years as he's gotten older, Parnevik is a seasoned veteran who still has the ability to produce solid play.

Heading the Wrong Direction

- Both Phil Mickelson and Padraig Harrington stumbled to one over 72s today. Phil had particular trouble coming into the clubhouse, bogeying three of his last four holes.

- Anthony Kim started strong with an eagle on the first hole but faltered for the rest of the round, ending at an even par 71.

- Jim Furyk also is at even par, with a double bogey on the second hole the major blemish on his scorecard.

What to Watch for

Many of the tour's best left much to be desired in their first round scores, so watch for comeback second rounds. The weather will also play a factor, with rain being in the forecast for both Friday and Saturday.

Preview: Northern Trust Open

Sorry for the late posting; my internet has been down.

The Northern Trust Open is set to kick off tomorrow, and it will be quite an exciting tournament. The renowned Riviera Country Club is hosting the event, with the course playing at 7,298 yards, par 71. Here are some players to watch for:

The Favorite

Now, who doesn’t think Phil is the favorite at this tournament? He’s won this event the past two years and is probably rearing to go after a disappointing final round at Torrey Pines. Regardless of the whole wedge situation, which seems to have died down (for now), Lefty has the best chance of taking the crown.

The Contenders

There are so many to choose from, as this is one of the strongest fields so far this young season. One contender for sure is Steve Stricker, who has already racked up two top tens this year and has finished well at Riviera the past two seasons (second and tie for eleventh).

Another contender is Anthony Kim (although he is more of a personable choice). From his comments in the press interviews, he sounds like he has a chip on his shoulder, ready to go for this 2010 season. Kim has already proven how much talent he has out on tour, and with his injuries finally behind him, watch out; he has a game that has been proven to tear up the toughest of courses, with wins at Congressional and Quail Hollow.

Dark Horse

I remember when Charles Howell III was touted as the best upcoming American star on tour; recent struggles in the past few years have pushed him a bit into obscurity. He has started the year, however, with a tie for fifth at the Sony Open and a tie for ninth last week. He has already won at Riviera in 2007, so he definitely is comfortable on the course.

Best of the Rest

Ah, now who doesn’t feel sorry for Tim Clark? Although he has made over $14 million dollars in his career along with eight second place finishes, he has zero wins on tour. Could this be the week for the South African? You never know, but with his consistency and his solid play thus far this year, this could be as good a chance as any for a W.

Additional Note

Thank you everyone who has had the kindness to stop by and read my blog! I’ve been working hard on the site and any comments and suggestions are much appreciated.

Driver Overload? Taylormade Set to Release New Drivers...Again

Well, another golf season, another group of Taylormade drivers ready to release: the R9 Supertri and Burner Superfast. These newest drivers are equipped with the latest technology to make them the longest and most customizable yet.

Wait...Haven't we heard this before?

I'm pretty sure Taylormade said the same thing about the Burner '08 drivers, and the R9, and the R7 Limited, and the Tour Burner...you get the idea. By my count, Taylormade has released a whopping twenty drivers (including the Supertri and Superfast) and their respective counterparts since 2007. Twenty. By comparison, Titleist has released five drivers in that same time period.

Now, I'm not knocking the quality of Taylormade drivers at all (I play a '07 Burner TP myself), but I do think all these new models are marketing ploys that aren't that much different than the previous ones. I've been in search of a new driver lately, not so much that the Burner is causing any problems (it's been great, though it does launch a tad high), but to see whether all these new technologies would really help my game. But when I looked at the new R9's and the R7 Limited, I could hardly discern any difference between them and my "old" Burner.

I was fitted on a launch monitor, and the R9 460 actually launched higher than my Burner, with about the same distance. And only with a custom shaft (which would have cost me an extra $100) on the R9 TP could I find any difference at all with my current driver. That difference was marginal at best; I don't think its worth shelling out $500 for a 3 yard increase in driving distance, do you? With the R7 Limited, which I took out on the course, I found that it was actually shorter than my '07 Burner TP.

Now I know I did not try all of what Taylormade has had to offer, but my point is this: If a 3 year old driver can match or even exceed the performance of the latest technology, why even bother with spending the extra money? I don't know, maybe Taylormade found something really good with the '07 Burner TP, since their new drivers have failed to impress me.

Now the plus side with the plethora of drivers that Taylormade has released for us consumers is that the previous models reduce ridiculously fast. For example, I bought my driver in the fall of 2008, barely a year after it came out for $200, half of its original price. You browse around eBay, and you'll find Taylormade drivers that touted $500 price tags 6 months before going for obscenely low prices.

Again, there is nothing wrong with the Taylormade drivers themselves; in my opinion, they are the best drivers out on the market (only the G10 and 909 could even come close to the Taylormade drivers I've tried in terms of distance and forgiveness). But they seriously need to reconsider the frequency of their releases, as they lose the anticipation factor other companys have when new products are released. Everyone was abuzz when the new Titleist 909 line came out, but Taylormade's R9?

"Again? They're releasing another driver? Ha, pretty soon we'll be at R15 before you can blink."

Final Notes: Farmers Insurance Open

The final round of the Farmers Insurance Open began with many players within striking distance, but Ben Crane was able to separate from the pack with 40 ft bombs for birdie on 3 and 11, enough for a 3-shot lead that he held for good.

Congratulations to Ben for his first win in five years!

Final round highlights from PGATour.com:



A few things to note:

- Phil Mickelson got off to the wrong kind of start, bogeying the first 3 holes en route to a 73. Perhaps the groove rule turned fiasco distracted him. He certainly does not seem happy.

- It's nice to see Brandt Snedeker in the top 5 with a 2nd place finish this week. His play has been very erratic ever since his disastrous final round at the 2008 Masters (5 top tens yet 17 MCs since that event), though you can't really blame him. He's been rising up the ranks on tour for a while now, and is a genuinely affable guy. I can see him having a big season this year on tour with his heartbreak at Augusta far enough in the past.

Looking Ahead

- The Northern Trust Open is next week, with quite a strong field. Let's see if Phil can play through all the debate and hoop-la to defend his title. Anthony Kim, Jim Furyk, and Adam Scott are all set to make their 2010 PGA Tour debuts at this event.

Under Fire: The 2010 Groove Rule

Uh-oh. Just what the PGA Tour needs, more controversy.

In the wake of the Tiger scandal, numerous players have been using non-conforming Ping Eye 2 wedges that have been allowed because of a legal loop-hole, most notably Phil Mickelson. Of course, many of the other tour players have not been happy. Scott McCarron goes as far as accusing the players of cheating. And with Mickelson being more than miffed by the attack, the PGA Tour has yet another mess on their hands regarding these new wedge rules.

For those who aren't aware of the complete situation, the PGA Tour had decided to roll back the wedge groove technology for the 2010 season from U-grooves to V-grooves, with the new grooves producing less spin than the older ones. This will cause a number of things: an increased premium on accuracy of tee shots, and the more widespread use of even softer balls. The use of softer balls is an important factor in this change, as softer balls don't go as far, reducing the need for clubs to alter and extend the length of the courses.

This change, I believe, makes a lot of sense for the tour because of the reasons mentioned above. However, the new rule has hit an unexpected snag with the Ping Eye 2 Wedges (equipped with U-grooves) being legal because of a lawsuit Ping filed against the USGA. John Daly, Hunter Mahan, and Phil Mickelson all have now put these new wedges into their bag, causing much debate.

Personally? I don't think using those old wedges would give any significant advantage over the modern, V-groove wedges (The Eye 2's are 20 years old, after all). And I don't think implementing them would be by any definition "cheating". The clubs are legal under USGA rules, so they can be played by anyone. What I do think is that this situation is hurting the PGA Tour. You have tour players openly attacking other players in front of the media, stirring the pot that is already churning because of Tiger. The PGA Tour needs to provide a definitive verdict on the whole situation (They did issue a statement today, but it does not give a clear solution to the problem). With commissioner Tim Finchem addressing the problem in detail at a meeting scheduled next week, hopefully all the debate and grumblings will die down.

Because heaven knows, the tour already has enough of that going on already.

Friday Notes: Farmers Insurance Open

A few notes from the Farmers Insurance Open at the halfway point:

Star Watch

- Phil Mickelson moved into the top ten with a 2nd round 65 on the easier north course. Along with him at -7 is the much-publicized rookie Ricky Fowler. Watch for both of them to make a move on the weekend.

- The Big Easy finds himself at -5 after two days with a 2nd round 69. Els drove the ball wildly today with a 29% driving accuracy, but made up for it by being deadly on approach shots (94% GIR). He needs to putt better if he wants a chance on the weekend, as he had 33 putts today.

Notables

- Biggest surprise on the leaderboard is Matt Every, who is in a tie for third at -9. He is probably most well known for competing on Big Break: Mesquite, which seems to have been by far the best Big Break in terms of success of the competitors on professional tours. Another notable contestant from the show is James Nitties, who made nearly $1 million on the PGA Tour last year as a rookie (although he missed the cut this week).

Trunk Slammin'

- Bubba Watson never got it going, shooting 70 and 74 to miss the cut after a promising 2nd place finish last week at the Bob Hope Classic. Watson is well known for his gargantuan drives and imaginative play, but he has failed to produce wins even with all his talent. The 2nd place finish last week was encouraging, so we'll see how he does throughout the course of the year.

- John Daly has missed yet another cut, with a 1st round 79 doing him in. I really hope he can get his life (and game) back on track; the tour needs his unique personality and exceptional talent. The past years have been hard on him but he has begun to turn it around since last year. I'll be rooting for his comeback.

The Year of the Mickelson

On the eve of Phil Mickelson's 2010 debut on the PGA Tour at the Farmers Insurance Open, I thought it would be appropriate to talk about the aspirations Phil Mickelson almost assuredly has for this year. With the shocking saga of Tiger Woods unfolding in these past few months, the golfing world has been abuzz. Everyone is speculating when -or even if- Tiger will be back playing golf and how the PGA Tour will manage to fill the gargantuan hole Tiger has left. But I think Phil Mickelson wouldn't be bothered by these turn of events at all; in fact, he might be quite pleased.

Now I'm not suggesting that Phil is happy about the fall from grace Tiger has endured. Rather, I think Phil would be excited at this opportunity to go and seize control as the top dog in golf with everything from the 4 majors to the #1 ranking in the world up for grabs...this is his chance to be The Man.

But why Mickelson? Because Mickelson's skill compares to almost no one else on tour sans Tiger. He bombs the ball, has arguably the best short game, and is clutch. The '06 U.S. Open was an anomaly, and Phil has proven before and after that event that he's still one of the best in the world while operating under pressure. And with the additional work Phil has put into his putting with David Stockton, his game doesn't have any holes.

We have already witnessed what Phil can do with his improved putting, shown by his win at the 2009 HSBC Champions over a killer field as well as a resounding three-stroke victory at last year's Tour Championship over -who else?- Tiger Woods. Yet another disappointment we can draw from Tiger's saga is that we, as fans, may have been robbed of what could have been one of the most exciting seasons ever with the clash between Tiger and a now-surging Phil Mickelson. That would have been a sight to see. Nevertheless, this is the time for Phil Mickelson to fully establish himself as the top golfer on the PGA Tour.

2010 will be the year of Phil Mickelson, and it's all his for the taking.
(At least until Tiger comes back.)

Welcome!

Hey and welcome to The Birdie Barrage! Golf is my passion, and I'll be dedicating my time on the blog talking about the greatest sport in the world. I will post often commenting on what is happening on professional tours, hot topics (ahem, Tiger maybe?) or anything golf related I want to share. Thanks for reading, and I hope you'll enjoy The Birdie Barrage!