Chris Kirk wins the McGladrey Classic
Posted on November 10, 2013 Leave a Comment
Chris Kirk (Courtesy: Zimbio.com)
Chris Kirk won the 2013 McGladrey Classic on Sunday, fighting off Briny Baird and Tim Clark to claim his second career PGA Tour win.
What Happened
Baird and Kirk went into the final round tied for the lead at 10-under par and the two traded positions on the leaderboard for the entire day. Tim Clark, playing a few groups in front of them, had a tremendous final round, firing a 62 and getting into the clubhouse at 13-under par, forcing Baird and Kirk to post a good number. His approach on 18 was the best shot of the day on Sunday.
The action really picked up on the par-5 15th. After Kirk made a bogey on the 14th, Baird had a chance to go three up with three to play. He got on the 15th in two shots, but then proceeded to three putt, missing the last one from about three feet out. The lead was only one as the players moved to 16, and after a birdie by Kirk on 17, the players were tied headed to the closing hole.
Kirk found the middle of the fairway, while Baird yanked his ball left into a very steep bunker. From about 175 yards out, Baird took out a 4-iron and topped his ball into the water hazard, pretty much assuring Kirk of the victory. After a safe play into the green and two putts, Kirk was able to secure his second career PGA Tour win, and first since the 2011 Viking Classic.
Final Leaderboard
- 1. Chris Kirk -14
- T2. Briny Baird -13
- T2. Tim Clark -13
- T4. John Senden -12
- T4. Scott Brown -12
- T4. Brian Gay -12
What The Win Means For Kirk
Of the two players with a real chance on 18, Baird had the most to gain here, but this means a ton to Kirk as well. Being from Sea Island, this tournament likely means a little more to Kirk then it does to other players, and based on his talent level, you’d think that he’d have more than one PGA Tour win at this point in his career. He’s a big hitter with a good wedge game, and he managed to put it all together here this week, getting him into the WGC events for next season, and for the first time ever, he’ll be able to play the Masters. The value of that to any golfer, especially a Georgia native, is pretty much immeasurable. I also like a player that shows some emotion out there, like Kirk did after driving his ball into a hazard and chipping onto the green.
Outside of that, he’ll take home $990,000 and 500 FedEx Cup points for the win, and he’ll jump 37 spots in the Official World Golf Rankings, from 93rd to 56th.
What The Loss Means For Baird
Man, that was tough to watch. Baird, known mostly throughout his career for a weird putting stance and panama hats, has actually won the most money of any player on the PGA Tour without a victory, which isn’t something that you want to be known for, but it also means he’s had a fair bit of success. This week was his 365th start on the PGA Tour, and as Curt Byrum mentioned on the broadcast, despite what Tiger Woods does every year, it’s really difficult to win on the PGA Tour. Fortunately for Baird, there is a massive positive that he can take from this loss.
Last September, Baird had surgery on both of his shoulders and is currently playing on a major medical extension that gave him 14 starts to earn $493,399. This runner-up finish gets him to within about $10,000 of that number, and with 12 starts remaining on that extension, you’d think that he’d be able to make enough money here to retain his card for the 2014 season. For guys like him, that’s what matters most.
Other Notes
- Notable finishes: Webb Simpson and Matt Kuchar (T7), Zach Johnson (T16), Trevor Immelman (T20), Boo Weekley (T22), Harris English, David Toms and Charles Howell III (T27).
- Notables to miss the cut: Kevin Na, Luke Guthrie, Freddie Jacobson and Vijay Singh.
- Kris Blanks withdrew from the event in the second round citing a shoulder injury. It’s unclear what shoulder he was struggling with, but it’s worth noting that he had surgery in February on his left, which caused him to miss a good chunk of time.
- Jason Kokrak made an ace on the 409-yard par-4 5th hole in Wednesday’s pro-am, which seems a little ridiculous when you consider that there were only nine drives on the PGA Tour during the 2013 season were longer than 409. Five of those came at Kapalua, where long drives are the norm, so Kokrak mashed that ball. Unfortunately, no video of the shot exists.
- The runner-up finish for Clark was the first top-10 result he’s had since the Crowne Plaza back in May.
- Worth noting the finish of the Australian PGA Championship as well. Masters winner and native Aussie Adam Scott was able to hold off Rickie Fowler to win by four shots.
Victor Dubuisson wins the Turkish Airlines Open
Posted on November 10, 2013 3 Comments
Victor Dubuisson (Courtesy: Zimbio.com)
Victor Dubuisson was able to hang on to a five-shot lead on Sunday, winning the inaugural Turkish Airlines Open by two shots over Jamie Donaldson.
What Happened
It wasn’t supposed to end this way, I can tell you that much. With names like Tiger Woods, Henrik Stenson, Justin Rose, Lee Westwood and Ian Poulter in the field, a big name winner was expected, but it was 23-year old Victor Dubuisson of France who carried a five-shot lead over Poulter heading into Sunday. With the course softened by rain all week, the players were going very low, with scores of 62, 63 and 64 seemingly common.
Being a front runner isn’t the easiest thing to do, especially when you’re a guy like Dubuisson, who was fighting off some of the best in the world in search for his first professional victory. He did what he needed to do as well, playing a steady round of golf and not putting himself in too much trouble. He made the turn after nine pars on the front, and the lead did shrink, with Rose making a charge after a front nine 29. In his own group, Poulter cut the lead to two shots after a front nine 33 and while Dubuisson never lost the lead, he did fall into a tie for it at a few points.
A bogey on the par-3 14th opened the door a little bit, especially after Donaldson birdied the 15th and then aced the par-3 16th to get to 21-under par. Dubuisson hit a long birdie putt on the 17th to take a one-shot lead over Donaldson, who got into the clubhouse at 22-under par. Taking driver out at the last, Dubuisson found the rough, but was able to hit a 2-iron just short of the green and after a solid chip onto the green, he was able to make his birdie and win the Turkish Airlines Open.
Punch Shots: Vijay’s lawsuit, Snedeker vs. a Segway and more
Posted on November 6, 2013 4 Comments
Vijay Singh (Photo credit: James Marvin Phelps)
Punch Shots will run whenever there are enough stories that I didn’t get around to earlier, or didn’t fit into another article. I’ll give a link to a larger story, and have some quick thoughts below.
The above link actually needs a bit of an update, as we heard this week that Phil has committed to playing in Abu Dhabi to start his season, meaning he won’t be playing in the three course shootout formerly known as the Bob Hope, the Humana Challenge. It’s the first time in a few years that he won’t be appearing at the Humana, and it should be noted that it’s a near certainty that Phil got a heft appearance fee to go to Abu Dhabi, which organizers were more than happy to hand out after Tiger decided not to show up this year. Phil joins a strong field that already has commitments from Rory McIlroy, Luke Donald and Justin Rose.
The more interesting thing to me though is his decision to cut his schedule by roughly 25% next year in an attempt to focus on the majors. Historically, Phil has played more events than the other big stars, and if he thinks that this helps him at age 43 to stay fresh in the big tournaments, then this is what he needs to do. His focus next year is definitely going to be on Pinehurst and the U.S. Open, the site of his first of a record six runner-ups at the U.S. Open. Oh, and it happens to be the 15th anniversary of that runner-up to Payne Stewart. If you think the media coverage of Phil at the U.S. Open was overdone this year, just wait a few months.
The lawsuit isn’t exactly new, but Vijay’s lawyer Peter Ginsburg dropped a pretty big allegation on the PGA Tour this week, suggesting that they have looked the other way in the past when it comes to violators of the drug program:
“[O]ne of the elements of bad faith that we are prepared to show in this case, is that the PGA (Tour) has made exception after exception after exception, both with regard to whom it was administering this drug policy, and against whom it was disciplining, violators of the drug policy.”
Hoo boy.
At the moment, only Ginsburg and Vijay have any idea what they’re referring to, but you can imagine the kind of scandal this could create, depending on who they are referring to. For his part, Tiger Woods said in Turkey this morning that this is the first he’s heard of such allegations.
And now, there’s more. From Alex Miceli’s latest piece for Golfweek:
“Vijay Singh last week was literally walking onto the golf course. Someone from the PGA (Tour) came to him and gave him yet another adhesion contract where, not only did the PGA (Tour) try to force Mr. Singh to waive the very rights that we are seeking redress in this court, but more,” Ginsberg said. “The PGA (Tour) now wants Mr. Singh to waive his right to any medical privacy that he might have.”
Those are pretty serious accusations, and you can be sure that this is far from over.
McGladrey Classic Betting Preview
Posted on November 5, 2013 1 Comment
Tommy Gainey, the 2012 McGladrey’s winner. (Courtesy: Zimbio.com)
One of the best PGA Tour courses on the schedule plays host this week, as the Seaside Course at Sea Island welcomes players for the fifth of six events before their end of season break at the McGladrey Classic.
2013 McGladrey Classic Fact Sheet
- Course: Seaside Course at Sea Island Golf Club
- Location: Sea Island, Georgia
- Yardage: 7,055 yards, par 70
- Defending Champion: Tommy Gainey
- Five Consensus Favourites: Webb Simpson, Matt Kuchar, Zach Johnson, Harris English and Charles Howell III
TV Schedule
- Thursday – 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM ET (Golf Channel)
- Friday – 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM ET (Golf Channel)
- Saturday – 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM ET (Golf Channel)
- Sunday – 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM ET (Golf Channel)
Key Storyline This Week
The key storyline this week actually has little to do with this event itself, as the Turkish Airlines Open on the European Tour has grabbed a much better field coming off of last week’s WGC-HSBC Champions event in Shanghai. To be fair, names like Simpson, Kuchar and Johnson appearing is good for the event, but outside of those guys, the big names are few and far between. Combine that with the fact that the Australian PGA took Adam Scott, Rickie Fowler and Brandt Snedeker (before he withdrew), and there isn’t a whole ton of name brand talent in the field this week.
This is what happens at these smaller events on the PGA Tour, and it’s unfortunate that a quality venue won’t have the best selection of players, but that’s just the way it is.
Sea Island
Seaside is the pinnacle of links golf. Situated at the southern tip of St. Simons Island at The Lodge at Sea Island Golf Club, this oceanside course places a premium on careful shot selection, recovery, and putting. Offering Sea Island’s most demanding layout, Seaside is the host venue for the PGA TOUR’s McGladrey Classic. Seaside has also hosted multiple USGA events, challenging golf’s best amateur players.
Originally designed in 1929 by famed architects Harry S. Colt and Charles Alison, the Seaside Course was updated in 1999 by Tom Fazio – earning it a prominent place on Golf Digest’s list of “Top 100 Courses in the United States.” Tidal creeks, dunes, salt marshes and the St. Simons Sound frame the course, which plays fast, firm, and fun in the tradition of legendary Scottish links.
In the three years that the course has hosted the tournament, we’ve seen winning scores of -14, -15 and -16, with no real statistical pattern on how the winners (Heath Slocum, Ben Crane and Tommy Gainey) got the job done. Sea Island is considered more of a thinking man’s course, with playing for position being the most important thing on a layout that is just over 7,000 yards, way below current PGA Tour standards.
Thoughts On The Favourites
- Webb Simpson: Backed up his T4 at the Tour Championship by winning a few weeks ago at the Shriners, his first victory since the U.S. Open nearly 18 months prior. He didn’t play here last year, but did finish as the runner-up to Crane back in 2011. As mentioned above, he stands out with the lack of talent at the tournament this week, but winning in back-to-back starts doesn’t happen very often.
- Matt Kuchar: The human ATM machine hasn’t finished outside of the top-27 since playing in the French Open in July, so you know that he’ll probably be around the lead at some point during the week. He hasn’t played since the Presidents Cup, so he should be rested, but his stroke average is actually higher when he’s taken this much time off as compared to when he plays in back-to-back weeks.
- Zach Johnson: Johnson hasn’t had the best time at Sea Island, which kinda goes against the thinking man’s theory, but in ten rounds at the course, only one of them have been over par. His struggle really has just been in the fact that he hasn’t gone super low yet, so he could be an intriguing play. Finished tied for 40th in his last start at the Shriners.
- Harris English: Finished tied for 7th at the CIMB at the end of October, and finished tied for 15th in his lone appearance here last year. Like most young players, he seems to struggle with his consistency, but his ball striking is usually top notch.
- Charles Howell III: Much like Ryan Moore, Howell’s a guy who should have more wins in his career, but he’s still a dangerous player, especially with this quality of field. Back-to-back top-10 finishes, plus he’s been inside the top-7 at Sea Island in two of the three times he’s teed it up.
Suggested Plays
Charles Howell III (Best Odds 31-1 at bet365)
He’s on a good run as mentioned above, and combined with the course history, I’ll take him at this kind of price. Very few in the field this week that have as much pure talent as him.
David Toms (Best Odds 58-1 at BETDAQ)
Toms last played at the Shriners, and while the T36 finish wasn’t great, he didn’t have a round above 70 either. This is mostly based on his course history though. He’s never been above 71 here, including a T3 in 2010 and a runner-up to Gainey last year.
Freddie Jacobson (Best Odds 67-1 at Betfred)
Purely based on current form here, as the Junk Man missed the cut in his only appearance at Sea Island. Last played at the Shriners, where he got into the top-10 after a smoking 64 in Sunday’s final round.
John Senden (Best Odds 101-1 at Paddy Power)
Senden’s one of the best ball strikers on the PGA Tour, but that hasn’t translated to much success, especially recently. His last quality finish came at the U.S. Open, but he did finish tied for 9th here in his only appearance back in 2010. I’ll always take talent at this kind of price.
Kevin Stadler (Best Odds 101-1 at Boylesports)
Got into the top-20 in his last start overseas, and even though he hasn’t played well here in the past, his game of accuracy and ball striking should allow him to succeed. He’s starting to get more consistency into his game too, as the 2013 season was by far his best as a professional.
Tim Clark (Best Odds 124-1 at Betfair)
I know he hasn’t cracked the top-10 since the Crowne Plaza in May, but I still can’t understand why he’s available at this kind of price on a course that is this short and rewards accuracy. With his form though, I won’t be surprised if he misses the cut.
VIDEO: Tiger Woods hits ball from Europe to Asia
Posted on November 5, 2013 Leave a Comment
Tiger Woods on the Bosphorous Bridge (Courtesy: Chubby Chandler)
Tiger Woods is set to tee off on Thursday in Turkey for the Turkish Airlines Open, but he made a stop along the way first.
The world number one stood on the Bosphorous Bridge this afternoon in Istanbul and teed one up, hitting over the Bosphorous Strait, which connects Europe and Asia. According to the Telegraph, people were not happy:
The Bosphorus Bridge was closed during one of the busiest times of the day for traffic, prompting outrage from local residents, as thousands of people lined up to watch Woods hit the ball over the bridge from Europe into Asia.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Z8IK8oF24M
Considering Tiger’s right rough tendency stats in 2013 placed him 142nd on the PGA Tour, I probably would have tried to avoid the other side of the bridge too.
Turkish Airlines Open Betting Preview
Posted on November 4, 2013 Leave a Comment
Tiger Woods plays in the World Golf Final in 2012. (Courtesy: Zimbio.com)
Tiger Woods is in the field this week for his first full stroke play tournament since the Tour Championship, as a star studded field is in Turkey for the 2013 Turkish Airlines Open.
2013 Turkish Airlines Open Fact Sheet
- Course: The Montgomerie Maxx Royal
- Location: Antalya, Turkey
- Yardage: 7,100 yards, par 72
- Defending Champion: N/A, first year for the tournament
- Five Consensus Favourites: Tiger Woods, Justin Rose, Martin Kaymer, Ian Poulter and Henrik Stenson
TV Schedule
- Thursday – 4:00 AM to 9:00 AM ET (Golf Channel)
- Friday – 4:00 AM to 9:00 AM ET (Golf Channel)
- Saturday – 4:00 AM to 9:00 AM ET (Golf Channel)
- Sunday – 4:00 AM to 9:00 AM ET (Golf Channel)
Key Storyline This Week
Tiger teeing it up is always the focus and that won’t change this week in Turkey. The last time we saw him, he was participating in his hit and giggle with Rory at Mission Hills, and he played well in the loss despite not having picked up a club since the Presidents Cup two weeks prior. And since it seems to be part of everyone’s story this week, we might as well mention that Tiger likely received his reported $3 million appearance fee to show up. Not a bad payday.
Outside of that, this is the last chance for players to crack the top 60 in the Race to Dubai, which grants entry into next week’s DP World Tour Championship, the season finale on the European Tour.
Montgomerie Maxx Royal
Designed by Colin Montgomerie, the Maxx Royal course is one that has drawn some pretty favourable reviews in the short time that it’s been around. Unless I’m wrong, and feel free to correct me in the comments, none of the 78 players in the field this week have ever played the course, which makes it way more difficult to handicap and preview. From the official course website:
Set within 104 hectares of picturesque, mixed pine forest and sandy ridges, the feel of the natural environment has been maintained, thereby enhancing the particular characteristics of the golf course.
The Montgomerie Course is in excess of 6486 m and plays to a par of 72.
It’s supposed to be a gorgeous course, and with all of the hazards in play, it will likely provide a stiff challenge to the players this week. I’m definitely looking forward to seeing how it looks and plays.
Thoughts On The Favourites
- Tiger Woods: He’s the heavy favourite coming in here even though he hasn’t played in a real tournament in about six weeks, and there’s another thing to consider here too: Tiger’s a creature of habit, and in recent years, he hasn’t fared overly well on courses he hasn’t seen before. With a very high quality field, he won’t be beating a bunch of nobodies if he can come away with a win. At roughly 5-1, there isn’t much value here, but you should always expect that he’ll be in contention.
- Justin Rose: Rose was one of eight players who played in the World Golf Final in Turkey last year, and he won that high money shootout against Tiger, Rory, Lee Westwood and others. Outside of that, he hasn’t played in Turkey before, but he’s coming off of a good performance in China last week where he ended up in solo fifth.
- Martin Kaymer: Is it possible that Kaymer is getting the form back that made him the world’s number one player? Four straight finishes inside the top-13, including a T8 last week at the HSBC that included a third round 62.
- Ian Poulter: Poulter’s runner-up finish at the HSBC last week evoked memories of his Ryder Cup run at Medinah, where everything was dropping and Poulter looked unbeatable. He’s a very streaky player who has played well in his last two tournaments, and is in the middle of tournaments in four consecutive weeks.
- Henrik Stenson: Stenson has put up some low numbers in his last two tournaments, but he’s also had some ugly rounds too, leading me to believe that his wrist isn’t fully healed. Until we see him get back into the top-25 again, I’d lay off.
Suggested Plays
When it comes to a course that no one has seen, anything can happen here so I’m going to play it a little safe with the selections here. The other thing that you want to look for are players who have very adaptable games, where their skill sets are usually applicable regardless of where they are.
Martin Kaymer (Best Odds 17-1 at bet365)
I mentioned my reasons above. Kaymer looks really solid right now, and it’s about time he picked up another win, plus there’s a good chance that he’s on the outside looking in right now for the European Ryder Cup team, and a win here would go a long way to securing that spot.
Ian Poulter (Best Odds 18-1 at BETDAQ)
This is based purely on form here, as Poulter looked really good last week and will likely keep that up based on his streaky nature. The putter, which is usually his best friend but wasn’t for most of 2013, has been really on point in the last two weeks.
Charl Schwartzel (Best Odds 21-1 at Ladbrokes)
I have a rule when it comes to Schwartzel that says if he’s available at 20-1 or higher, he needs to be taken unless he’s had a terrible time at that course for the week. It just so happens that he’s coming off of a win in his last start at the China Masters, so he’s in good form. He’s probably the best lock for a top-10 finish this week, with the chance for much more if he’s on point.
Louis Oosthuizen (Best Odds 44-1 at Betfair)
I’ve been on the record in the past as a big Oosthuizen fan, and he had a rough year with some injuries and inconsistent play. Last week in Shanghai, he cracked the top-20 for the first time since the Greenbrier in July, which tells me that he could finally be starting to feel better. The best swing in the game right now ranked second last week in GIR percentage, hitting 81.9% of the greens at Sheshan.
Matteo Manassero (Best Odds 87-1 at BETDAQ)
Manassero is one of the best putters and short game players in the world, but he hasn’t had the best time since winning the BMW PGA at Wentworth at the end of May. He likely won’t put himself in too much trouble from the tee, and his T-21 last week was his best finish since the first week of June.
Miguel Angel Jimenez (Best Odds 109-1 at BETDAQ)
Everyone’s favourite golfer is very much like Manassero in that he’s a good putter who usually puts the ball in the middle. Hasn’t done much since his runner-up finish at the KLM Open in September, but the price is right here, especially on an each-way finish.
Dustin Johnson wins in Shanghai
Posted on November 3, 2013 2 Comments
Dustin Johnson (Courtesy: Zimbio.com)
Dustin Johnson was able to close out the 54-hole lead in Shanghai with a final round 66, winning the WGC-HSBC Champions by three shots over Ian Poulter at Sheshan Golf Club.
What Happened
It wasn’t the best of starts for Johnson, who entered the day with a three shot lead over Poulter, but opened with a bogey on the first, and after three birdies on the first five holes, Poulter was alone in first place. Graeme McDowell was the third member of the final group, and got into a tie for the lead as well on the front nine, but Johnson was able to come back with birdies on the 8th and 9th. Poulter and McDowell slowed slightly on the back nine, while Johnson got hot, playing the 13th through 17th in five under par, basically sealing the tournament with a chip-in eagle on the drivable par-4 16th.
Johnson would finish with another birdie on the 17th, and ended with a par on the closing hole to win by three shots over Poulter at 24-under par.
Final Leaderboard
- 1. Dustin Johnson -24
- 2. Ian Poulter -21
- 3. Graeme McDowell -20
- 4. Sergio Garcia -18
- 5. Justin Rose -16
What The Win Means For Johnson
Nobody has ever doubted Johnson’s ability on the golf course. He hits the ball a ton and his short game is pretty smooth, but despite the fact that this is his ninth win as a professional at just 29 years old, there’s some thought that he’s underachieved to this point in his career. Yes, we remember the 2010 U.S. Open at Pebble where he blew a lead early, and the rules “violation” at the 2010 PGA that allowed Martin Kaymer to win his first major, denying Johnson that same honour, but the fact is that there are very few players who have ever had this much success at this age on the PGA Tour. He had a rough 2013 season after winning the opening event at Kapalua, leading many in the golf media to wonder what was wrong with him, but to be honest, this is who Dustin Johnson is: A wildly inconsistent player who when he’s on, is probably the most dangerous man in the field that week. Think early Phil Mickelson, Davis Love, or even John Daly.
In the short term for Johnson, he’ll take away $1.4 million for winning here, and if he so chooses, he can take up European Tour membership because of this win until 2016. That won’t happen, but hey, it’s a nice thing to fall back on should something happen here in North America. He’ll also move into 12th place in the Official World Golf Rankings, and likely put himself in a much better position to play on Tom Watson’s Ryder Cup team. After the sting of not playing well enough to get in on merit or via captain’s selection at the Presidents Cup, I’m sure Johnson desperately wants to represent the United States at Gleneagles in September.
Tiger’s Non-Appearance
At this point, we should be used to the fact that Tiger Woods can be a story even when he doesn’t play in an event, but in case we forgot, this week was a good reminder. Tiger was in China this week for his one-on-one with Rory McIlroy, but opted to skip this event afterwards and play next week in Turkey instead. It’s worth noting that Tiger will receive his appearance fee for going to Turkey, but would not have picked it up here. Giles Morgan, global head of sponsorship and events for HSBC, wasn’t overly thrilled with the situation as he told Doug Ferguson of the AP:
“I’m not here to knock Tiger at all, because I feel that he’s been absolutely instrumental in the growth. But we’ve reached a point where it’s not about individuals. It’s about growing the game of golf globally. I really hope that Tiger will want to come back in following years,” he said. “China is a vast country, so him playing a meaningless match yesterday doesn’t really affect us. But yeah, we’re disappointed.”
I understand that he’s upset that Tiger has decided not to show up this week, but realistically, he can’t play every week, and if you’re going to offer someone a ton of money to show up and play, like he’s getting next week, you have to understand the situation. Look, I’m all for the best possible fields here, but it’s not like this tournament struggled for marquee names. Morgan again:
“What I can’t do is pay him,” Morgan said. “And I feel enormously strong about that. This is a World Golf Championship. This is the flagship event of Asia. This is going to be the beacon to carry the game into this continent for many years to come. We could do the wrong thing by golf and drop the prize money right down and just pay one or two players huge fees. From a publicity standpoint, that would give us a certain amount of kudos because we’d get the top player in the world. And I’m absolutely not going down that route.”
You may not like it, but that’s the way the game has gone at this point. Unless it’s a major championship, Tiger isn’t skipping out on an appearance fee, and I can’t say I blame him. Whether we like it or not, golf has become a year-round sport, with no actual off-season, so there are going to be times when the players just say no to an event.
Thanks to Geoff Shackelford for the link.
Other Notes
- No cut with the short field again this week. Other notable finishes: Rory McIlroy and Graham DeLaet (T6), Bubba Watson and Martin Kaymer (T8), Ernie Els, Keegan Bradley and Boo Weekley (T11), Phil Mickelson (14th), Louis Oosthuizen (T15), Jordan Spieth (17th), Matteo Manassero (T21), Nick Watney, Luke Donald and Henrik Stenson (T31), Jason Dufner (T34), Rickie Fowler, Lee Westwood, Brandt Snedeker and Peter Uihlein (T55).
- There were points this week when Ian Poulter looked unstoppable, very much like what we saw at Medinah last year at the Ryder Cup. It doesn’t come along very often with him, but when it does, he’s incredible to watch.
- I said this on Twitter late last night while watching the coverage, but this is another really positive step for Rory. While I don’t profess to being overly knowledgeable about the golf swing, Rory’s just looks so much better right now than it did a few months ago. Everything seems to be in rhythm, and like I’ve said for months, he’s simply too good to not bounce back. Expecting big things over the next few months.
- On the opposite side of things, a couple of Rory’s Ryder Cup teammates don’t look so hot right now. Lee Westwood is all over the place, and Luke Donald has been struggling for pretty much the entire 2013 calendar. One prominent European golf writer even suggested that Donald wouldn’t be a part of the 2014 Ryder Cup side, which would be a shock to just about everyone who follows the game seriously. For his part, Donald says he seems to be getting close again:
Of course, all golfers say that when they’re struggling, so who knows if we can actually believe him at this point.
- You think DJ has struggled this year? That T8 finish for Bubba was his third of the 2013 calendar year, and first since the Travelers back in June.
WGC-HSBC Champions Betting Preview
Posted on October 29, 2013 Leave a Comment
Ian Poulter and Terry Mundy (Courtesy: Zimbio.com)
The last World Golf Championship event of 2013 happens this week in China, as the PGA Tour heads to the fantastic Sheshan Golf Club in Shanghai for the WGC-HSBC Champions.
2013 WGC-HSBC Champions Fact Sheet
- Course: Sheshan Golf Club
- Location: Shanghai, China
- Yardage: 7,301 yards, par 72
- Defending Champion: Ian Poulter
- Five Consensus Favourites: Rory McIlroy, Henrik Stenson, Phil Mickelson, Justin Rose and Martin Kaymer
TV Schedule
- Wednesday – 11:00 PM to 4:00 AM ET (Golf Channel)
- Thursday – 11:00 PM to 4:00 AM ET (Golf Channel)
- Friday – 11:00 PM to 4:00 AM ET (Golf Channel)
- Saturday – 11:00 PM to 4:00 AM ET (Golf Channel)
Key Storyline This Week
Even though the top two players in the world, Tiger Woods and Adam Scott have opted to skip this week’s event, this is still a very high quality field, with 15 of the top 25 players in the world rankings making an appearance. This event will count for full FedEx Cup points, and will also go towards the European Tour’s Final Series. This year marks the return of the event to Sheshan after a year away from the course, which saw Ian Poulter come away with the win at Mission Hills. With only 77 players in the field this week, there will be no cut.
Sheshan Golf Club
Tiger once called Sheshan the “crowning jewel of Asian golf”, and it’s very easy to see why. It’s an absolutely gorgeous course that has drawn rave reviews from just about everyone who has played there. From Sheshan’s official site:
The 18-hole, par-72 golf course was designed by internationally renowned golf course designers, Nelson & Haworth. Sheshan International Golf Club features beautiful tree-lined fairways and gentle rolling hills around 1000 year old Gingko trees, calm waterways, and a spectacular natural quarry. Set in the shadow of the Basilica of our Lady of Sheshan Cathedral and surrounded by beautiful Italian Tuscan inspired villas, Sheshan provides a truly unique experience to it’s members and their guests. Although located in the city of Shanghai, the serene surroundings suggest a genuine feeling of seclusion and nature.
Featuring well-placed bunkers throughout the golf course along with, deep collection areas, beautiful water features, and undulating greens, Sheshan provides a beautiful and challenging golf course for all, including the best Tour Professionals in the world.
Phil Mickelson said once that he thought the greens were very true, and almost Augusta like, while Poulter had tons of praise for the greens as well. The stats back it up too, as the players have had a relatively easy time on the greens here over the years. However, the course is difficult if you put yourself in bad positions, and the greens aren’t overly big, so ball striking into greens is going to be very paramount again this week, much like we saw with Ryan Moore winning the CIMB Classic last week.
Thoughts On The Favourites
- Rory McIlroy: So, it wasn’t a “real” event, but Rory did beat Tiger at Mission Hills on Monday by firing a 67. His swing looked good, as it did last week at the BMW Masters and in Korea the week prior to that, so it seems like he could be coming out of this season long funk. In three previous trips to Sheshan, McIlroy has one round above par, and that was in his first round on the course. Those rounds have led to three top-5 finishes.
- Henrik Stenson: Stenson has an up-and-down record at Sheshan, which shouldn’t surprise you considering the roller coaster ride his career has taken, but I’m not sure why he’s listed as the second favourite here. Yes, he did have a final round 65 at the BMW Masters, but he’s still not fully healthy with his wrist problem, as evidenced by his first three rounds of 72-74-79.
- Phil Mickelson: Even though he finished tied for 19th last week at the CIMB, Mickelson said that he had no idea where the ball was going and that he was striking it as terrible as he has in his career. Even though I know he’s exaggerating and even though he’s won on this course twice in the last six years, I can’t trust anyone who says that kind of stuff about his game.
- Justin Rose: Rose will be well rested, as this is the first time he’s teed it up since the Tour Championship back in late September, but that’s not always a good thing, so it’ll be interesting to see how he responds after so much time off. In his only appearance at Sheshan back in 2011, he finished tied for 7th.
- Martin Kaymer: The last time Kaymer played Sheshan in 2011, he was phenomenal on Sunday with a 63 to win his second event of the 2011 season. Since then, Kaymer has only won once on any tour worldwide, and that came on the South African Sunshine Tour in late 2012. He’s played pretty well in his last few starts though, with nothing worse than a T-13 in each of his last three appearances.
Suggested Plays
Rory McIlroy (Best Odds 14-1 at Stan James)
If you’ve read my previews in the past, I rarely take favourites, especially ones that haven’t won sanctioned events in nearly a year, but I like what I’m seeing out of Rory right now. Everything looks to be slowly coming together, and if you listened to the audio of him and Tiger at Mission Hills, he really believes that to be true as well. It’s rare that you can get a favourite at this kind of price too, and with his track record at Sheshan, I like his chances.
Keegan Bradley (Best Odds 25-1 at Coral)
There are few players that can match Bradley’s ball striking, and he’s coming in playing some quality golf. Four consecutive finishes inside the top-16, including last week where he finished in solo tenth at the CIMB, where he had the 36-hole lead. He blew up a little bit on the weekend with rounds of 76 and 72, but he should be feeling good about his chances. T16 in his last event here back in 2011, which included an opening round 65.
Paul Casey (Best Odds 30-1 at bet365)
Since Casey won the Irish Open in late June, he hasn’t really done much, but he did get into the top-10 last week at the BMW Masters with four under par rounds. That’s enough form for me to like a guy who has finished no worse than a tie for 11th in six visits to Sheshan.
Francesco Molinari (Best Odds 37-1 at BETDAQ)
Finished as the runner-up last week to Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano at the BMW Masters after a final round 64. He’s always been a good ball striker that seems to struggle a little on the greens, but he was rolling it pretty well last week. Prior form at the course is good too, finishing no worse than a tie for 23rd, including a win back in 2010.
Peter Hanson (Best Odds 50-1 at Sportingbet)
Hanson fought back nicely at the BMW after a dreadful opening round 79, and managed to sneak back into the top-10. His final round 63 was the best score of the week, and as usual, the putter was what got him back in it. Much like Ryan Moore, it surprises me that Hanson hasn’t won more tournaments. Six wins on the European Tour is a lot, but his game says that he should have a lot more, and we could be getting him on the upswing here. Two top ten finishes in six trips to Sheshan bode well.
Brian Gay (Best Odds 398-1 at Betfair)
Gay’s one of the best putters in the world, and you should never see him at this kind of price. That’s all I got.
Electronic Arts and Tiger Woods end relationship
Posted on October 28, 2013 1 Comment
Tiger Woods PGA Tour 13 (Courtesy: Zimbio.com)
According to Eric Fisher of the Sports Business Journal, Tiger Woods and Electronic Arts, one of Tiger’s biggest sponsors, have decided to part ways.
As Fisher notes, EA was one of the few companies that stuck by Tiger after his personal life was exposed a few years ago, and up until this point, they had been paying him a substantial amount of money. Reports had the most recent deal, which Tiger signed in 2007, listed as being worth around $80 million. Tiger, for his part, isn’t struggling for money, so I’m sure that this arrangement ending isn’t going to affect his bottom line very much, but the timing is interesting on the part of EA.
Since their arrangement began in 1998, the game has usually been a critical hit, and has sold well commercially, with sales across all platforms and years exceeding 30 million units worldwide. In recent years though, Tiger hasn’t been at the forefront of the game, as his last solo appearance on the game’s box art was for Tiger Woods PGA Tour 10. In the years since, he’s shared the cover with Rory McIlroy, Rickie Fowler, Arnold Palmer and Seve Ballesteros, along with being left off the cover completely for Tiger Woods PGA Tour 12 when EA was able to grab the official rights to use Augusta National in the game.
So, maybe we shouldn’t be surprised that this happened and apparently the split is a mutual one, but the timing is still interesting. Obviously EA felt that the amount of money they were paying Tiger was too much in comparison to what they were getting out of him, but there’s no other current golfer on the planet that will bring in the kind of sales as Tiger does just by having his likeness on the cover. Sure, EA could put Augusta on the cover again, or they could go with legendary figures like Jack Nicklaus or Tom Watson, but I find it hard to believe that they’ll have anywhere near the kind of draw that way.
There’s another thing to consider here too: with Tiger no longer lending his name to the game, we can assume that he won’t be a playable character either, which is going to take the enjoyment out of it for a lot of potential buyers as well. Tiger’s involvement in the game has often been thought of as a blocker for other players to become playable, such as Phil Mickelson, who has never made an appearance in the annual title, theoretically because the two have never gotten along. Without Tiger though, I’ve got serious doubts that EA makes anywhere near the amount of money that they’ve been making in recent years.
The plan is still to produce the game, so it’s going to be interesting to see what direction EA decides to go here, but my bet is on a retro choice.
Rory defeats Tiger in ‘The Match at Mission Hills’
Posted on October 28, 2013 1 Comment
Tiger/Rory (Courtesy: Back9Network.com)
With a round of 6-under par 67, Rory McIlroy was able to defeat Tiger Woods by one shot in their head-to-head rematch in China at Mission Hills on Monday. Both players ended up walking away with a substantial appearance fee for the exhibition, and you can check out the full video below. Fast forward to about the two and a half hour mark to see the start of the action. Now, this was blacked out in the United States because of some weird PGA Tour sanctions, so hopefully this works for the American audience.
The golf itself was of a pretty high quality, but the best part of the video by far is getting to listen in to Rory and Tiger talk on the course, as they had live mics on the entire time. Unsurprisingly, Tiger swears quite a bit on the course.
AdamSarson.com 