Several players in need of good finish at Funai

BY Bruce Young | US PGA Tour | 2005 Funai Classic | Preview | 19 Oct 2005

As the USPGA Tour of 2005 winds down in its last few events, much is at stake for not only those vying for the right to play the tour in 2006 but those seeking a highly prized place in the Tour Championship in two weeks time.

For those in the former race, this week at Disney World, next week at the Chrysler Championship and the delayed Southern Farm Bureau Classic will provide the last few chances to move inside the top 125.

The Funai Classic is again played over the Palms and Magnolia courses at the Disney World Resort, as it has since its inaugural staging back in 1971, although in its very first year just the Magnolia course was used while the Palms course was being completed. For sixteen of those years a third course was added when the adjacent Buena Vista layout was also included but since 1998 just the two courses have been included in the rota.

The winner back in 1971 was Jack Nicklaus, in fact he would win the event in each of its first three years. Nicklaus has been the most dominant player in the event with no other player having won it more than twice. After three years as an invitational event the tournament became a two man Teams Championship in 1974 and was played as that for the next eight years. Since 1982 the tournament has reverted to a 72 hole strokeplay event and is now played over the two courses on the opening two days with the host course, Magnolia, the focus of attention over the weekend.

Both courses were designed by Joe Lee although both have undergone revamps in recent years.

The local hero and golf’s greatest drawcard, Tiger Woods, is here despite some rumblings about a continuation of his rib injuries. He has played regularly during his break at Ilesworth and according to someone who saw Woods during that time said there appeared to be little concern regarding his ribs.

Woods has won the event twice and will look to join Nicklaus as the only three time winner here. His win in 1996 over Payne Stewart was his second of now 48 PGA Tour career victories and he added another in 1999 when he edged out Ernie Els. He comes off a typically tough and gritty win at the American Express and has the luxury of sleeping in his own bed this week. He did not play last year but in each of his starts here since his last win six years ago, Woods has contended, finishing third in 2002 and runner up to Vijay Singh in 2003. What all that is telling us is that he will once again be the man to beat but there are no prizes for that assumption.

As you would expect with the number two player in the world, Vijay Singh also possesses a fine record here. Four top tens in six starts including a win in 2003 and a runner up placing in 2004. In his last ten starts this season he has been no worse than 13th. This could well develop into a classic duel between the number one and two golfers in the world.

Retief Goosen, after withdrawing from the American Express recently with a groin injury, lines up under a cloud of sorts. He has played this event just the once when 18th two years ago but if he has fully recovered from his injury there is enough good close up form to see him in with some sort of chance.

Scott Verplank has a good record at this layout and, after a run of form below his normal standard in recent weeks, he played well enough last week in Vegas to be a chance this week.

Chris DiMarco is one of the leading world ranked players this week and as such deserves some consideration. Three years ago he was runner up to Bob Burns but that aside there have also been other solid weeks at this tournament. Florida has not always been good to him but his form in recent weeks has been solid enough for him to be a possible factor.

Tim Clark is an even more accomplished and experienced player than he was when he had good finishes here in recent years. He was 6th two starts ago in Greensboro and did well enough at the American Express to be a possibility this week.

Charles Howell has turned around some rather indifferent mid season form in recent weeks and has put together several reasonable rounds, if not tournaments, here in the past.

Geoff Ogilvy seems to thrive in Florida like conditions and could very easily be the best of the Australians at week’s end. He has played well the last two years with top tens each time. His elevation in status this year via his win in Tucson and his top tens at the Open Championship and PGA Championship stand him in good stead for his best ever finish at this event.

Stuart Appleby is ’playing at home’ this week given that he lives at Ilesworth. He is another Australian with success in Florida but his form has been a little hard to follow of late. He has put together some good rounds here in the past however.

The best way for Jerry Kelly to do well is for me not to mention him so I won’t.

Tim Herron is a Florida specialist with two of his three PGA Tour wins in the US. He really has found some form of late and it would not surprise me to see that continuing this week. He missed the cut last year but was fourth in 2002 behind Burns, DiMarco and Woods.

Bart Bryant is a much better golfer than he was when finishing 16th twelve months ago, having won the Memorial this year and he has played solidly of late.

The Australasians, apart from those mentioned above, include Peter Lonard who will also be playing close to home and is trying to maintain his position inside the top thirty on the money list so he will get to play at the Tour Championship in two weeks time. Lonard is currently 28th and needs a good week or two.

Stephen Leaney, John Senden, Steve Allan, Gavin Coles, Paul Gow, Scott Hend, Brendan Jones and Craig Perks will all be here with several needing something special in the next three starts of they are to be PGA Tour players in 2006.

Jones, Allan, Coles, Gow and Hend all need something special in their last few events of the season. They have this event, Tampa next week and the delayed Southern Farm Bureau event to make significant moves on the money list otherwise it will be back to Q School. Perks has the luxury of another two year’s exemption via his 2002 Players Championship shock.

The tournament has prizemoney of $US4.4 million.