Reno Tahoe Open offers opportunity
BY Bruce Young | US PGA Tour | 2009 Reno-Tahoe Open | Preview | 04 Aug 2009
With the world’s leading players in Ohio this week, those players at the other end of the PGA Tour scale get their chance in Nevada to advance their own cause in the Legends Reno Tahoe Open at the Jack Nicklaus designed Montreux Golf and Country Club in Reno.
The tournament has been played at this venue since its debut on the PGA Tour in 1999 and although regularly run opposite the Bridgestone this event has provided some fine young talents their chance to improve their status in world golf.
Last year, Parker McLachlin won by a massive seven shots over Brian Davis and John Rollins and in 2009 several outstanding players who have just missed out on a berth at Bridgestone Invitational are in Reno.
Vaughn Taylor gave an indication last week that he getting back somewhere near to his best and given that he has won this event on two previous occasions he has a great opportunity to continue that record and his recent improvement this week. The two wins he has had in this event have been at his only two starts so he is attempting to maintain that 100% record.
John Mallinger is getting closer to his first PGA Tour victory. He was runner up two starts ago in Milwaukee but it was his third place finish at the Players Championship that made many realise that this was a player more than capable of winning on the PGA Tour. His chances are very good of breaking through this week.
Martin Laird finished 4th in this event last year and at the recent Canadian Open put together three very good rounds. His week there was spoilt by a third round 78 but he has the credentials and ability to improve on his only start to date in the event.
Kevin Na finished 11th in this event last year and one look at his results to date this season suggests that a victory this week is certainly not beyond him. Na has won more than US$2 million in 2009 and as such he would not be out of place at Firestone. Like several others this is a great opportunity for him to win his maiden PGA Tour title.
John Rollins gave an indication last week that he is approaching his best form when he finished 8th at the Buick Open. Rollins finished runner up to McLachlin last year in this event but has had several other good tournaments in Reno also.
Greg Chalmers did everything but win the Buick Open and this week’s field is missing the only man to beat him last week, Tiger Woods. Chalmers now has the luxury of knowing that his immediate future on the PGA Tour is secure and while his record in Reno is ordinary at best he could continue the improvement he has shown of late.
Rod Pampling has been a little inconsistent of late but there have been enough good signs to suggest that in this weaker field he could improve significantly this week. Pampling would normally be playing in Ohio this week but his lack of recent form has not allowed that to be the case. Earlier in his career he did play well in the few times he played this tournament.
Other Australians looking to take advantage of what this week offers are Steve Elkington, Aaron Baddeley, Greg Chalmers, Mark Hensby, Matt Jones, Marc Leishman, Peter Lonard, James Nitties and Aron Price.
