New name but same great event in Phoenix
BY Bruce Young | US PGA Tour | 2004 FBR Open | Preview | 28 Jan 2004
It might be going by a new name this year (it was previously known as the Phoenix Open) but you can book it that the FBR Open will be the same madhouse come Sunday when 100,000 people will cram the TPC of Scottsdale in Arizona.
The course was designed by the highly regarded team of Weiskopf and Morrish and, opened in 1986, was one of their first collaborations. When teamed together during the eighties and nineties they produced a series of high quality courses throughout the world including the nearby Troon North and also Loch Lomond in Scotland.
Vijay Singh will be defending one of the four USPGA titles he won in 2003 and with a runner up placing at the Mercedes and a 10th place at the Sony he is expected to do well again. He won this event on the same course in 1995. Other recent winners have included Chris Di Marco, three time winner Mark Calcavecchia, Tom Lehman, Rocco Mediate and Jesper Parnevik who appears to be finding form again after some time in the wilderness.
Last week’s winner Phil Mickelson is here as is Retief Goosen, Mike Weir, Kenny Perry, regular placegetter here, Rocco Mediate, Chris Di Marco and Sergio Garcia. While Garcia has not played all that well here, he is back close to his best.
The Australasian contingent consists of (in tee off order) Rod Pampling, Geoff Ogilvy, Robert Allenby, Stephen Leaney, Aaron Baddeley, John Senden, Steve Elkington, Craig Perks and Steve Allan.
