Furyk defends at Transitions
BY Bruce Young | US PGA Tour | 2011 Transitions Championship | Preview | 16 Mar 2011
The PGA Tour’s Florida swing continues this week when the Transitions Championship is played at the Innisbrook Resort in Palm Harbor on the Central West Coast of Florida.
The tournament is being played at the host venue since its debut as the Tampa Bay Classic in 2000, the Larry Packard designed Copperhead Course layout.
In 2010 Jim Furyk won his first PGA Tour event in nearly three years when he edged ahead of a determined K.J Choi who was seeking his third victory in the event. Furyk all but shanked his approach to the final hole but Choi was unable to capitalise and finished one behind. Bubba Watson finished 3rd and last week’s WGC Cadillac Champion Nick Watney finished 4th.
The World number one Martin Kaymer remains in the US as he prepares for the Masters in three weeks time and despite having finished no better than 24th in his last three stroke-play events he will likely start as the favourite because of who he is.
Nick Watney is not only in great form at present but he has made all fives cuts in this event and has gotten better each time. Watney finished 4th in this tournament last year and while backing up such a significant win last week will be difficult he seems sure to be in the mix.
K.J. Choi won this event in 2002 and 2006 and finished runner-up last year. He is playing well enough at present to continue his great run in this event.
Vijay Singh is also a previous winner and been runner-up on one occasion and although there has been a little inconsistency of late, when he has played well he has done very well. I think his chances are good.
Retief Goosen is a two time winner of the tournament and has been solid enough in 2011 to be a genuine chance once again. He also finished 5th in the event last year.
Padraig Harrington put together a good tournament when 10th last week and finished 8th in this event last year when on debut. He led into the weekend last year before finishing 8th.
Paul Casey has been very solid this season and although he has played this event on only one occasion he played well enough then to be a consideration this week.
The Australians in the field are headed in terms of world ranking by Geoff Ogilvy but Queenslander John Senden has a great record over the Copperhead Layout finishing runner-up on two occasions. Senden has been only average this season but this is obviously a golf course he has a real comfort zone on.
Jason Day, Steven Bowditch, Marc Leishman, Jarrod Lyle, Matt Jones, Geoff Ogilvy, Nathan Green, Greg Chalmers, Stuart Appleby and Nick O’Hern make up the balance of the Australians.
