Southern Farm Bureau last chance for many
BY Bruce Young | US PGA Tour | 2005 Southern Farm Bureau Classic | Preview | 03 Nov 2005
Delayed a month from its original starting date of October 6th, the Southern Farm Bureau Classic finally gets under way on Thursday with many players hoping for not only a good finish to the PGA Tour season, but in the case of some, the chance to play on the US PGA Tour again in 2006.
The tournament was delayed due to the impact that Hurricane Katrina had on the region despite the fact the venue is some 200 kilometres inland from New Orleans. The course has recovered from what was a battering thanks to an amazing effort by not only the course and tournament staff, but by volunteers also.
The Annandale Golf Club was built in 1981 under the design of Jack Nicklaus and redesigned seventeen years later by Nicklaus again. Much of the redesign involved the reshaping of the bunkering and the stripping and replacing of the original Penncross grasses with the current G2 Bent.
The course now measures 7200 yards and has a par of 72.
In 2004 Fred Funk became the tournament’s all time money leader with his winning purse taking his overall earnings to $US1.028 million. It was his second win in the event and he was also third in 2001. In eleven appearances at the tournament he has been inside the top ten on six occasions. He finished a shot ahead of Ryan Palmer last year only three weeks before Palmer’s breakthrough win in Orlando. Funk is of course in Atlanta this week given that he has had such a good year.
Shigeki Maruyama is likely to be the favourite here given that he seems to be on his way back to form and that he was third here in his only start at the venue two years ago. Bogies at each of the last two holes last Sunday cost him a place at the Tour Championship and he will be determined to make amends.
Steve Lowery played well last week blowing a good chance to win the event through the front nine holes on Sunday. He has won here previously and although he has missed the cut in each of his last two times here, his good week in Tampa will have him ready to go.
Jerry Kelly has played well here in the few times he has played the event. He has often been elsewhere (American Express) when this event has been played and although he is a bit of a teaser he might be good enough to figure against this field. As he so often has this year he faded near the finish of last week’s Chrysler Championship dropping three shots in the last four holes.
Carl Pettersen played well here last year when 10th just as he had done at last week’s venue in 2004. It might be a bit much to expect him to win again but he will be chock full of self belief following his breakthrough win last week.
Ryan Palmer is going well enough to improve on his runner up placing to Fred Funk last year. He missed the cut last week but his two starts prior included a third placing when defending in Orlando which suggest he plays well on courses he has played well on previously.
Others with chances include Jonathan Byrd, Chris Smith.
Of the Australasians there are several who need somewhat of a miracle this week if they are to have status on the USPGA Tour in 2006 without having to return to Tour School.
Robert Allenby, Stephen Leaney, Aaron Baddeley and Craig Perks have no concerns in that regard but the likes of Brendan Jones, Paul Gow, Steve Allan, Gavin Coles, Scott Hend, Bradley Hughes and Michael Long certainly do. This is their last chance to do something about their perhaps disappointing seasons. Jones needs a top four, Allan, Coles, Gow and Hend need first or second, and Hughes and Long need to win.
So while this event may be the poorer cousin of the Tour Championship this week, if any of these players were to achieve their goal it might just feel like winning a major.
