Great intrigue at WGC Cadillac

BY Bruce Young | US PGA Tour | 2011 WGC Cadillac Championship | Preview | 08 Mar 2011

The second World Golf Championship of 2011 is played this week at the TPC Blue Monster at Doral where 69 of the leading golfers in the world (60 of them from the world top 65) pit their skills against not only a great field but a tough and demanding layout.

Situated amongst the Doral Golf Resort and Spa north and west of Miami, the layout has come under the umbrella of the TPC courses since 2010 although it has played host to this event or its predecessor since 1962.

The World Golf Championship-CA event was first brought to Doral in 2007 when won by Tiger Woods but since then Geoff Ogilvy, Phil Mickelson and Ernie Els have captured the title. This year a new title sponsor is involved with Cadillac rejoining PGA Tour sponsorship in a multi-year deal.

The Blue Monster layout was originally opened in 1962 when designed by Dick Wilson and Robert Von Hagge but redesigned in 2000 by Jim McLean. It is not desperately long by modern day standards but a tough finishing stretch and the ever present Florida winds have created a demanding layout both in perception and reality.

Ernie Els won the first of two consecutive PGA Tour events with a comfortable four shot victory over fellow countryman Charl Schwartzel twelve months ago although his game is not at the level it was then. Els made it to the second round at the Accenture and then made the cut but finished well back at the Honda.

A European has not won at Doral in 16 years but surely they must stand a chance of breaking the voodoo this year. The recently crowned world number one Martin Kaymer finished third last year and with his recent run of form he must be a great chance to continue on with it this week.

Lee Westwood appears to have gone off the boil at present and does not enjoy a great record at this golf course.

Luke Donald on the other hand has been outside the top ten in only one of his last eight starts worldwide and had done well enough over this layout to be a factor this week. He stands a very good chance of making it successive World Golf Championship victories following his win at the Accenture two weeks ago.

Graeme McDowell is another to give Europe great hopes of victory as he has stepped up several gears in the last twelve months after his 6th place finish here in 2010. Nine top tens in his last twelve starts worldwide tell the story of a golfer near the top of his game and he could well add his first World Golf Championship to the first major championship victory he recorded at Pebble Beach.

That brings us to golf’s current enigma, Tiger Woods. There is no doubting Woods capacity to manhandle this golf course. A three time winner and once runner-up over the Blue Monster layout, Woods would start favourite in better times but despite his own protestations he appears far from his best. The golfing world would love to see him back contending this week but it that might be hoping against hope at this stage.

Phil Mickelson has played well enough this season without setting the world on fire. He has won around The Blue Monster and finished second to Woods on one occasion so must be a consideration.

Matt Kuchar finished 3rd behind Els last year and has since gone on to become one of the top ten golfers in the world. He has put together several very good weeks of late and his chances of another big week are very good.

Nick Watney is playing some great golf at present and did finish runner-up to Mickelson in this event two years ago. His consistency will take him a long way this week.

Y.E. Yang has not had good finishes in this event but he recorded a brilliant final round of 65 last year and given his current form, which included a runner-up finish last week at the Honda and a quarterfinal loss at the Accenture, then he is a good chance at longer odds.

If you were looking for further value this week then Alvaro Quiros might just provide it. The Spaniard has been 13th and 6th in his two visits to this event and is playing very well in 2011. He played beautifully in the Middle East against strong fields, winning in Dubai a week after finishing second in Qatar. If he could beat the Dubai field then he also stands a chance this week.

The course has been very good to Australians over the years with Greg Norman winning here on three occasions, Steve Elkington twice, Craig Parry once and Geoff Ogilvy the most recent when successful in 2008.

Aaron Baddeley has an interesting record at Doral. He finished 6th and 15th in his two starts in 2007 and 2008 before being disqualified in 2009 for moving a stone in a hazard. Baddeley has played well of late including when winning at Riviera three weeks ago.

Ogilvy has made a solid start to the year after his injury prior to the Tournament of Champions in January. Clearly this is a golf course he can handle and he might do well.

Robert Allenby has played this golf course very well in recent years including when third behind Woods in 2007. His 4th place finish at Riviera a few weeks back suggest his game is in good enough shape to potentially be the leading Australian.

Jason Day is playing this event and the Blue Monster layout for the first time in tournament golf. He has played sparingly this season but when he has played he has done reasonably well. This is a young man who will likely win World Golf Championship events in the years ahead but this may be a little early.

Adam Scott played well in this event in 2008 but that aside there has been little to get excited about for the Queenslander in this event. He appears to be a long way from where he needs to be in order for him to contend in an event of this quality.

Marcus Fraser earns a start as a result of his exploits in Asia in 2010 highlighted by his win at the Ballantines event in Korea. It will be his first start in the event and at the Blue Monster so he appears up against it.

Peter Senior is in the field courtesy of his money list position on the 2010 Australasian Tour which was an achievement in itself. He has played a couple of Champions Tour events to date in 2011 finishing inside the top 20 in both. He might be outpaced against this field but just being in the field is pretty special for him.

The tournament is shaping as something very special with the leading Europeans up against the likes of Mickelson, Woods and perhaps Nick Watney with a few from other parts possible spoilers.