Wyndham a chance for top 125
BY Bruce Young | US PGA Tour | 2009 Wyndham Championship | Preview | 20 Aug 2009
For those players wishing to earn a start next week at the first of four FedEx Cup series events, The Barclays, and not already assured of a start, this week’s Wyndham Championship in Greensboro, North Carolina, could play a key role in their chances.
The leading 125 players on the FedEx Cup table at the end of this week’s event at the original Donald Ross designed Sedgefield Country Club layout will earn the right to play next week’s event in New Jersey and begin the chase for a potential US$10,000,000 bonus to the winner.
For those unable to play their way inside the top 125, the event also offers a chance to at least make some further progress on the money list prior to the all important Fall Series, which get under way at the completion of the FedEx Cup Series.
Sedgefield Country Club, one of the original hosts for this event when first played in 1938, was re-designed in 2007 by Kris Spence and was last year brought back into commission for this event for the first time in 32 years. Carl Pettersson is the defending champion, having defeated Scott McCarron with a score of 21 under par.
Sergio Garcia is one of the late entries in the event ensuring some superstar status. Mind you US Open champion, Lucas Glover, who finished a very impressive 5th last week has become one of the game’s most successful players in 2009 and, while perhaps lacking the star power of Garcia, is sure to be a major attraction.
At some stage Tim Clark must win on the PGA Tour. In the 189 starts he has had in his eight year career at this level he has been runner up seven times. Surely his turn must come and his 16th place finish last week at Hazeltine was impressive enough. He finished 6th in this event last year so his credentials are good for the long awaited and much anticipated break through.
Martin Laird produced weekend rounds of 64 and 63 at this event last year to finish 4th and after a shocking start to his second PGA Tour season in 2009, he has begun to play well again. He finished runner up to John Rollins in Reno and had a solid week at the Canadian Open. This could be a good week for him.
Brandt Snedeker won this event two years ago, albeit at another layout. Snedeker’s form of late has been a roller coaster with several near misses followed by missed cuts. If he puts it together it is not hard to see him winning this week.
Jonathan Byrd has played consistently over recent weeks and although he has not played at this venue he does have a good record in this event. I think he could do well this week.
Vaughn Taylor is another who has found some form in recent starts and did play this event well last year. At longer odds he stands a chance of adding to his two Reno Tahoe Open victories
The Australians in the field are John Senden, Stuart Appleby, Rod Pampling, Peter Lonard, Adam Scott, Marc Leishman, Greg Chalmers, James Nitties, Steve Elkington, Nick O’Hern, Aron Price and Steve Allan.
New Zealander Danny Lee is playing what will likely be his last event in the US this season, unless he can produce something spectacular as he is running out of invites and because he needs to fulfil commitments to the European Tour in order to retain status there. In his very first PGA Tour event as an amateur last year Lee finished a very respectable 20th and of course has developed considerably as a player since then.
