Wachovia Championship attracts world's best
IN: News | US PGA | Wachovia Championship (2005) | Preview | by Bruce Young | 04 May 2005
When Wachovia decided several years ago that they wanted to get into PGA Tour event sponsorship, they set about doing it in such a way that their event would quickly become one of the favourites on the PGA Tour. While the event attracted a reasonable field in 2003, the leading players were missing but word quickly spread that the tournament organisation and golf course was such that the event was a "must play" and so they came. It was very much a case of build it and they will come.
Last year Tiger Woods appeared for the first time as did Phil Mickelson and now this year they have a field that consists of eight of the top ten in the world.
The venue is the Quail Hollow Golf Club in Charlotte, North Carolina, which was the home of the Kemper Open until in 1980, pressure from the players saw the event moved to the Congressional Course in Maryland before it then moved down the road to the TPC at Avenel and then back to Congressional this year.
The course, originally designed by George Cobb in 1961, underwent some changes by Arnold Palmer in the mid-80's and then a major redesign under North Carolina resident Tom Fazio in the late nineties followed by further minor changes over the past two years.
The greens are G2 Bent Grass with the fairways, tees and rough all 419 Bermuda/Ryegrass. The course measures 7440 yards with a par of 72.
The participation by such a good field reflects a golf course that has met with the approval of the players on tour. The bush telegraph works overtime when it comes to word getting around as to the relative merits of a course as a venue especially, for all intents and purposes, a new one.
Charlotte in North Carolina is the home base for Wachovia's financial services operation and so it is appropriate that it is here at Quail Hollow where they should enter the list of sponsors on the PGA Tour. They will be absolutely delighted with the turnout this year especially having Woods, Singh and Mickelson to go at it again.
Woods was third here last year in his first start since Augusta and again this year he tees it up for the first time competitively since Augusta although this time he is coming off a win there. He finished only one back of the Joey Sindelar/Aaron Oberholser playoff last year and that with a very ordinary, by his standards, third round of 75. He and DiMarco were so superior at Augusta it is hard not to see Woods being in the mix again.
Mickelson was only two behind the playoff last year and he will no doubt be back following a three week break with batteries recharged after a reasonable if not great Masters. With three wins and a second in his last sevens starts this season there is every reason to believe he can go close again.
Vijay Singh seemed to get lost on Sunday last week with a horror finish to his third round when he bogeyed and double bogeyed to finish, then proceeded to just tread water in the final round. He was second on debut here in 2003 and 10th last year - not too bad for the number two player in the world - and he should be back in the thick of things again on Sunday.
Adam Scott is now the 6th best player in the world, at least statistically, so he should be considered. His win in Beijing was impressive against such a strong field assembled there. He is playing here for the first time but the type of course Quail Hollow presents, may well suit the long, high ball hitting Australian.
Padraig Harrington did okay last week in New Orleans when 9th, but there is the lingering cloud of his father's illness hanging over him. If focused, then he is playing well enough to win here but unlike many others he is playing here for the first time.
Chris DiMarco has done everything but win in recent weeks and has played here twice now finishing 18th in 2003 and making the cut but hardly flattering last year. He has no reason to question himself with his recent near misses and provided he looks at his two playoff losses at the Masters and last week in New Orleans as half full glasses rather then half empty, then he can be expected to figure again.
Jim Furyk missed the cut here in his only start in 2003 at a time when he was playing well on either side of the event. He is clearly getting close to yet another win on tour with some fine form of late, but it may pay to wait until another week to Texas to see that happen.
David Toms despite being a winner here seems to be struggling in recent weeks and I can't back him despite his amazing win here in 2003 when he struggled up the last hole to win by two.
Davis Love III has had reasonable weeks here in his two starts and does not seem too far away from winning form. He closed to within two of Lonard at the Heritage but that was perhaps as much the leaders coming back to him as he advancing but he was right there at the end of 72 holes. I'm not sure I like his winning chances in this red hot field but I think he can go close.
A couple for longer odds may well be Kirk Triplett and Jeff Maggert. Triplett has good form here including a first round 64 last year when 15th and was 5th in 2003. He has been playing well enough of late that a really good week here would not shock. Jeff Maggert was 5th here last year and I thought he looked to be swinging the club as well as ever in Houston when 7th. I reckon there will be good value for either of these two and they may well be good longer priced each way bets.
Peter Lonard finally got across the line at Hilton Head and although he has hardly set the world on fire here in his two times to Charlotte, he will be buoyed by his win. He has had two weeks off to unwind and while he might not be quite ready to perform at his peak again there is no telling what the win has done for him.
The other Australasians include Stuart Appleby, Rod Pampling, Robert Allenby, Geoff Ogilvy, Aaron Baddeley, Mark Hensby, Stephen Leaney, John Senden, Steve Allan, Craig Perks, Andre Stolz, Scott Hend and Simon Nash.
The event has prizemoney of US$6 million.
