OK so I have been on a bit of a hiatus but the action has not taken a break. I figured no one really pays attention to golf until the Masters and I am really too lazy, I mean busy, to consistently get stuff in here but now Tiger is back and all of a sudden the office, coffee shop and even the grocery store was a buzz with Tiger talk so I thought I would wait till after the 1st round to post some quick comments about the match play and recap the year so far.
Ogilvy smoked the field at the Mercedes, it wasn’t even close, four rounds in the 60’s and top 10 in putting, driving accuracy and greens in regulation. At the Sony Zach Johnson decided to show up and also post four straight rounds in the 60’s and top 15 in putting, driving accuracy and greens in regulation.
The next week Pat Perez bettered them both by having 5 rounds in the 60’s and navigated his way through tornado like winds in the final round as well as four days playing with rich hack amateurs to take down the Hope, there was some serious golf being played by the pros over the course of 5 days. The field averaged a half a stroke under 69 and most guys lit it up, everyone except Steve Stricker on the final day. Stricker took the lead into the final round after posting 62 and 63 in the 3rd and 4th rounds then proceeded to throw up a 77 on day 5. Dude choked harder than a porn star at the million man march, it was really depressing to watch. Perez, more known for his temper and party mentality took a break from the whiskey and club breaking to play some great golf and in the end finished like a champion. Side note, George Lopez who had hosted the Hope the last 3-5 years was kicked out of the host seat in favor of Arnie Palmer in the end its sad that even in today’s progressive society minorities still get ousted for the old white guard. Sad but true. Lopez still played showing he is just as classy as ever. This PSA was brought to you by Dockers, if you're not wearing Dockers....
Kenny Perry managed to keep the crowds at bay at the FBR to win. The FBR is a crazy place its like golf on acid. If you ever get the chance to go to Phoenix and watch, take the opportunity. The drunken co-eds from ASU walking around half dressed is reason enough but the sheer pandemonium of the event is also worth the plane ticket, lodging expense and 6 dollar beers.
Nick Watney took down the Buick, Dustin Johnson won at Pebble and Phil finally broke through in the Tiger-less knee surgery era for back to back Nissan opens. Once again Stricker has the lead, this time at the Nissan, all he needs to do is par the last and wait in the lavish Riviera clubhouse, but noooo he bogeys the last and Phil birdies two out of three to take it down. Phil really never grabbed the opportunity to shine while Tiger was gone and he will go down as being the rival that never was.
Now that leads us into the match play. Tiger is back and I admit I don’t think he could have picked a better event to make his return. Match play is such a unique format, it is much more forgiving than the traditional stroke play event. Tiger will be able to have some if not a lot of rust show and it may not hurt him. He will have Tim Clark for his 2nd round opponent, he may best Clark but he will not get by the winner of Mahan/Mcllroy match. I may end up eating crow by week’s end but I think Tiger just will not have enough to win 5 straight matches, two on Saturday, but I applaud his decision to return this week.
If you were like me and filled out a bracket or have in the past you know that this is some of the toughest shit to predict, if you thought handicapping hockey games was difficult then predicting match play golf is like describing what a derivative is and how it lead to the fall of the US economy. Yeah that tough. So for every easy pick like Kim, Villegas and Poulter there were just as many head scratchers Schwartzel, Goggin and Peter Hanson, who, no shit who. Listen this event produces upset after upset and close match after close match if you filled out the bracket and its all chalk well you my friend have no idea what you are doing. There are four rounds left, two matches to win on Saturday and a lot of big names still in the field. Look for guys that have been there before like Ogilvy, guys that are running hot like Kim or Villeges but also look at guys that could just keep surprising people like Weekley or Perez. My pick is Ogilvy, he always plays well in this event and his game fits this format and whenever Geoff wins he is the guy that no one is talking about, ding ding, no one is talking about him book it.
Since you don’t care I will not even mention the Mayacoba golf classic played opposite this tournament in Mexico. Just know that the winner takes home 63 billion pesos and a 1989 Nova.
Ogilvy smoked the field at the Mercedes, it wasn’t even close, four rounds in the 60’s and top 10 in putting, driving accuracy and greens in regulation. At the Sony Zach Johnson decided to show up and also post four straight rounds in the 60’s and top 15 in putting, driving accuracy and greens in regulation.
The next week Pat Perez bettered them both by having 5 rounds in the 60’s and navigated his way through tornado like winds in the final round as well as four days playing with rich hack amateurs to take down the Hope, there was some serious golf being played by the pros over the course of 5 days. The field averaged a half a stroke under 69 and most guys lit it up, everyone except Steve Stricker on the final day. Stricker took the lead into the final round after posting 62 and 63 in the 3rd and 4th rounds then proceeded to throw up a 77 on day 5. Dude choked harder than a porn star at the million man march, it was really depressing to watch. Perez, more known for his temper and party mentality took a break from the whiskey and club breaking to play some great golf and in the end finished like a champion. Side note, George Lopez who had hosted the Hope the last 3-5 years was kicked out of the host seat in favor of Arnie Palmer in the end its sad that even in today’s progressive society minorities still get ousted for the old white guard. Sad but true. Lopez still played showing he is just as classy as ever. This PSA was brought to you by Dockers, if you're not wearing Dockers....
Kenny Perry managed to keep the crowds at bay at the FBR to win. The FBR is a crazy place its like golf on acid. If you ever get the chance to go to Phoenix and watch, take the opportunity. The drunken co-eds from ASU walking around half dressed is reason enough but the sheer pandemonium of the event is also worth the plane ticket, lodging expense and 6 dollar beers.
Nick Watney took down the Buick, Dustin Johnson won at Pebble and Phil finally broke through in the Tiger-less knee surgery era for back to back Nissan opens. Once again Stricker has the lead, this time at the Nissan, all he needs to do is par the last and wait in the lavish Riviera clubhouse, but noooo he bogeys the last and Phil birdies two out of three to take it down. Phil really never grabbed the opportunity to shine while Tiger was gone and he will go down as being the rival that never was.
Now that leads us into the match play. Tiger is back and I admit I don’t think he could have picked a better event to make his return. Match play is such a unique format, it is much more forgiving than the traditional stroke play event. Tiger will be able to have some if not a lot of rust show and it may not hurt him. He will have Tim Clark for his 2nd round opponent, he may best Clark but he will not get by the winner of Mahan/Mcllroy match. I may end up eating crow by week’s end but I think Tiger just will not have enough to win 5 straight matches, two on Saturday, but I applaud his decision to return this week.
If you were like me and filled out a bracket or have in the past you know that this is some of the toughest shit to predict, if you thought handicapping hockey games was difficult then predicting match play golf is like describing what a derivative is and how it lead to the fall of the US economy. Yeah that tough. So for every easy pick like Kim, Villegas and Poulter there were just as many head scratchers Schwartzel, Goggin and Peter Hanson, who, no shit who. Listen this event produces upset after upset and close match after close match if you filled out the bracket and its all chalk well you my friend have no idea what you are doing. There are four rounds left, two matches to win on Saturday and a lot of big names still in the field. Look for guys that have been there before like Ogilvy, guys that are running hot like Kim or Villeges but also look at guys that could just keep surprising people like Weekley or Perez. My pick is Ogilvy, he always plays well in this event and his game fits this format and whenever Geoff wins he is the guy that no one is talking about, ding ding, no one is talking about him book it.
Since you don’t care I will not even mention the Mayacoba golf classic played opposite this tournament in Mexico. Just know that the winner takes home 63 billion pesos and a 1989 Nova.
News and Notes
Michelle Wie choked away her first chance at a win as a full member of the LPGA tour. Something called Ryo Ishikawa made his tour debut, this guy is supposed to be the next great thing except for the fact that he is from Japan, if he ends up better than Shigeki Maruyama he will be the most prolific golfer ever from Japan. Doesn't seem like a reach but Japs don't seem to make it on the PGA Tour. Reigning US AM champ Danny Lee won a pro event as an Amateur and did it impressively by making birdies on 3 of his last 4, like I mentioned last year when he won the AM this kid is for real. This was a Euro event but they had big names in the field, Anthony Kim being one of the biggest, Lee bested them all.
Faldo
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3 comments:
I'm heading down to Playa del Carmen tomrrow and will be just blocks from the Mayakoba. Doubt I'll make it over there and even more doubt I'll write about it on here, but thought that was kind of cool. Maybe even see some nobody PGA players outside of the world's top 64 at our resort. Good thing Trevor Immelman is at the match play because snacks' wife is in love with the guy and I might get left if he was.
Welcome back, Faldo. I always enjoy the match play, but pay just as much attention to the Mayakoba due to fantasy golf.
Expect Kevin Na to take the Mayakoba, Geoff Ogilvy to take the Match Play, and Tim Clark to take down Tiger this afternoon.
1 for 1, jerks. Unstoppable.
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