Woods returns early for Buick Open
IN: News | US PGA | Buick Open (2002) | Preview | by Bruce Young | 04 Aug 2002
Grand Blanc Michigan sees the return to tournament golf of Tiger Woods following a two week break since the British Open. This is somewhat of a departure from the norm for Woods as playing the week before a major (USPGA) has not, in recent times at least, been part of his preparation.
His problem is however, that other than events such as a hit and giggle affair in Ireland just prior to the British Open and the "Battle' of Big Horn last week, he has not played a lot of competitive golf of late. He had the five weeks off between his comprehensive win at Bethpage and Muirfield, missing the week of the Western Open due to illness, so he is short of tournament golf and will be looking to get some in before the PGA at Hazeltine. I suppose his sponsorship by, and endorsement of Buick is another attraction to the event for Tiger.
The Warwick Hills course has been the venue for the modern version of the Buick Open since Australian Jack Newton won right back in 1978. Kenny Perry is the defending champion having won last year over Chris DiMarco and Jim Furyk
As this goes to print Woods, Mickelson, Singh, Toms, Goosen, Mattiace, Kelly, Furyk and Olazabal, amongst the leading players, are entered. Australians Senden, Allenby, Appleby, Chalmers, Gow, Parry, Pampling and Ogilvy are definitely in the field with Hughes, Goggin and Grady waiting, as alternates, to get a start. New Zealanders Nobilo, Perks, Waite and Long will also line up.
