A mouth watering prospect at Torrey Pines
IN: News | US PGA | Buick Invitational (2005) | Preview | by Bruce Young | 18 Jan 2005
It may be that the Buick Invitational is being played earlier than its normal time slot this week, but the confrontation between four of the top five golfers in the world can't came soon enough for most golf fans. Retief Goosen may not be here, but Singh, Woods, Els and Mickelson are and the first shots are about to be fired in a battle between these four that is sure to last long after the smoke has settled on Sunday at Torrey Pines.
Mickelson returns to competitive golf for the first time since his historic 59 during the Grand Slam of Golf in Hawaii in late November, but history shows that he certainly plays well fresh. Who will ever forget the first up win at the Bob Hope event in 2002 after a break of nearly five months and he won first up in 2004 also after a much shorter break but after having given his rivals a start that season. Apart from that simply brilliant effort at the Grand Slam, his form late in 2004 was a little ordinary, in fact very ordinary, and there will be many keen to see if he has been able to fully adjust himself to his new equipment that he adopted just prior to the Ryder Cup.
Woods, Singh and Els have all made great starts to their seasons. Woods went close without perhaps threatening at the Mercedes, Els was close at both events and Singh well he did what he does best right now by winning at the Sony Open.
Woods' record here is quite outstanding as is the case with Mickeslon. Woods is a two time winner here and Mickelson three times. Woods has never been outside the top ten in seven starts over the Torrey Pines layout, not to mention the success he had here as a junior in the World Junior Championships. Mickelson has had two wins and two fourth placings in his last four starts here in what must rank as one of his favourite venues.
Singh has played here just the three times for a best of 11th in 2002. Not a good record, but he had not played all that well at last week's venue in Honolulu until last Sunday. Els has not been here before but the way he plays and is playing right now that is not likely to bother him unduly. Garcia is another in that same category with no appearances here, but with a solid 10th place at the Mercedes he will look to add another Buick title to his trophy cabinet having won the Buick Classic on two occasions.
The event is played over both the North and South courses at Torrey Pines with the desperately long South Course the host course with three of the four rounds played over the 7600 yard layout. The course was redeveloped in 2001 by Rees Jones from an original (1957) William F. Bell design and has been chosen as the venue for the 2008 US Open.
Kikuya grass fairways surround Pencross Bent greens. The tournament record here since the remodelling is the 16 under Woods shot in 2003. The defending champion is John Daly, who won his first USPGA Tour event in nearly nine years when he beat Luke Donald and Chris Riley in a playoff last year. They finished one shot ahead of six players including Mickelson with Woods just one shot further back, but in 10th place.
Luke Donald has a good record here finishing 2nd, 7th and 18th in his three starts and with a very solid finish last week could be considered a very good chance at longer odds. Shigeki Maruyama is also one who played so well last week and who has a good record here. Runner up in 2000 and 4th last year suggests that another week like last week is not out of the question.
Of the Australasians there are again many looking to get things moving in their 2005 season. Robert Allenby, Aaron Baddeley, Gavin Coles, Paul Gow, Mark Hensby, Bradley Hughes, Brendan Jones, Peter Lonard, Michael Long, Craig Perks, Andre Stolz and Euan Walters all tee it up with Scott Hend waiting on the reserve bench for a game.
A purse of US$4.5 million with US$810,000 to the winner.
