Woods returns to earth at Quail Hollow
BY Bruce Young | US PGA Tour | 2010 Quail Hollow Championship | Preview | 28 Apr 2010
This week sees the return to what could be termed as regular tournament golf by Tiger Woods when he tees it up at the Quail Hollow Championship at the Quail Hollow Club in Charlotte in North Carolina. While a considerable amount of ice was broken with his appearance in the controlled environment of Augusta National, there will be a lot of interest in how this free-for-all environment changes all that.
In theory, much of the heat, the fascination and intrigue of the Tiger Woods scandal was diluted by his appearance at Augusta National but just how this week pans out may well be an indicator to just where the story goes from here. It might die a natural death or could be rekindled.
Originally built in 1961 and redesigned by Arnold Palmer in 1986 and later by Tom Fazio, the layout is considered one of the best on the PGA Tour. The support the event receives by the elite of the game is not only due to its place in the schedule the week prior to the Players Championship but because of the quality of the layout. The two closing holes, the par three 17th and the par four 18th provide one of the most demanding finishes on the PGA Tour.
While the tournament is effectively the previous Wachovia Championship, the company that took over Wachovia, Wells Fargo, prefers not to have its name associated with the event but will support it at least until the original contract runs out in 2014.
Five of the world’s top ten (Woods, Mickelson, Furyk, Westwood and Kim are in the field) and they are included with winners of 12 events on the 2010 PGA Tour.
Woods has played the event in four of its seven stagings, winning once in 2007 and recording two other top tens. When he opened with a round of 65 last year it appeared as if it would be another win for him. Sean O’Hair however would reverse the loss he experienced at the hands of Woods a few weeks earlier at Bay Hill and won by two over Lucas Glover and Bubba Watson with Woods a shot further back.
Woods’ fourth place finish at the Masters was as much a result of his natural competitive instincts as it was any quality play and if he has been able to sharpen things at all in the interim then he deserves to start as the favourite.
The tournament may also provide an insight into whether the much anticipated duel between Woods and Mickelson in 2010 will eventuate. Mickelson has played this golf course well despite not winning in six attempts. He has, however, been inside the top ten on four of those six occasions and coming off the back of his marvellous victory at Augusta National, he shapes as a great chance.
Jim Furyk two weeks ago won the Verizon Heritage and his record at Quail Hollow is first class. He was runner up in 2005, won in 2006 and has continued to play well in the event since. His performance at Augusta National was a horror but he recovered quickly to win a few days later and on this golf course he could win again.
Anthony Kim won this event two years ago and is playing beautifully at present. He was off the boil a little last week in Korea but to some extent that could be expected. He was at the top of his game in the weeks prior and with a good record on the golf course, including his five shot victory in 2008 when winning his first PGA Tour event, he should be right in the thick of this.
This is the type of golf course that should suit Lee Westwood but his results in two visits to date certainly don’t back that up. He is now a very much different player to his last at Quail Hollow in 2007. His form in the past eighteen months is as good as anybody’s and therefore his chances this week are good.
Away from those players inside the top ten in world rankings Nick Watney stands out as a great chance. His record in the event is solid rather than spectacular but he is in fine form at present. He is developing into one of the fine young players on the PGA Tour and a win here would confirm the belief that most have in him as a future star.
Nineteen Australasians are in the field. Jason Day, David Lutterus, Michael Sim, James Nitties, Aaron Baddeley, Adam Scott, Matt Jones, Geoff Ogilvy, Nathan Green, Mathew Goggin, Cameron Percy, Greg Chalmers, Robert Allenby, Nick O’Hern, Stuart Appleby, John Senden, Rod Pampling and Aron Price and New Zealander Tim Wilkinson make a strong challenge numerically.
Stuart Appleby’s recent and noticeable improvement has been observed and his continuing progress will be watched with interest. His play in recent weeks represents a strong turnaround from the slippery slide he was on and this week offers another opportunity. He has not played this event well but his confidence is clearly on the rise.
Adam Scott has the best record in this event amongst the Australians. He finished third in 2006 and 8th in 2008. Geoff Ogilvy has made all seven cuts here and has been twice 10th.
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