Torrey Pines awaits another Tiger onslaught
IN: News | US PGA | Buick Invitational (2006) | Preview | by Bruce Young | 25 Jan 2006
The return of Tiger Woods dominates discussion at this week's Buick Invitational at Torrey Pines, especially given that it is a tournament he has already won three times and that it will be his first tournament of 2006. Not that being his first event should necessarily stop him from winning. Three years ago he played here for his first event of the 2003 season (three weeks later than this year's date) after his recovery from knee surgery and won by four shots so the prospect of him being a little rusty may not enter in to the equation.
Woods has an incredible record at Torrey Pines, not only in his professional career, but in his amateur days also. In eight starts as a professional he has not been outside the top ten in fact on only one occasion has he been outside the top five and it is hard to imagine this being any different. As an amateur also, Woods won World Junior titles here. Clearly the two courses at Torrey Pines feel like home to him.
This week he faces a field that includes yet another Torrey Pines specialist in Phil Mickelson who has won here on three occasions and who showed in his first event of the year last week at the Bob Hope that winning form is not far away. He shared fifth there and is clearly over his few weeks off.
Defending is Woods who last year won by three over Charles Howell, Luke Donald and Tom Lehman.
The event is played over both the North and South municipal courses at Torrey Pines with the desperately long South Course the host course with three of the four rounds played over the 7600 yard layout. The course was redeveloped in 2001 by Rees Jones from an original (1957) William F. Bell design and has been chosen as the venue for the 2008 US Open. Several holes abut the adjacent Pacific Ocean.
Kikuya grass fairways surround Pencross Bent greens. The tournament record here since the remodelling is the 16 under Woods shot in 2003 and again last year.
The two players mentioned above will be the standout favourites but there are many others with excellent chances. Luke Donald has a brilliant record here and as a player on the verge of greatness he must be favoured to do well also. He has been runner up in each of his last two starts here and his win at the Target Challenge in December suggests he is not too far away from the sort of winning form required. He has had a five week break but provided he can adjust quickly back to tournament golf then he should go well.
Sergio Garcia is lines up after a good week in Abu Dhabi when 3rd and three weeks after his 7th place at the Mercedes Championship. He has played just the twice here without any real success but he is in good form and might do better third time around.
Chad Campbell is on such a roll at present that his momentum might take him a long way. He has not played well the two times he has been to Torrey Pines but when right he is capable of beating any player in this field. He is right at present but he has been in or near the lead for his last eight rounds and that must soon take its toll.
Stuart Appleby is back after a week off last week but he too has had little luck at this layout missing three of four cuts. He was in fine form in Hawaii but he might struggle to recapture that form this week.
Tim Clark had an ordinary week last week at the Bob Hope but he showed late last year that he is closing in on his best ever form including a fight to the death at the South African Open. He played well in 2004 when 12th.
Davis Love III missed the cut last week at the Bob Hope but that was his first start for a while and prior to that he had played well. We shall allow him that run to get sharpened and it may be that he improves markedly this week on a course that he clearly enjoys. He has a good record with a win, a runner up and a third placing in his last six starts.
Charles Howell appears to have some affinity with this event having finished runner up last year and 7th in 2003. He has been solid if unspectacular in recent starts and return to golfing facility where he knows he can play well might take things to a new level.
Shigeki Maruyama returned with an ordinary week in Hawaii but he has form at Torrey Pines including a second on debut in 2000 and a fourth placed finish in 2004. He played well towards the end of season 2005 and another good week would not surprise.
Ben Crane has not played the Buick for two years but played well when he did. He is a much more established and credentialed player now and following a solid week last week when 30th he might just improve his already reasonable record at Torrey Pines.
Aaron Oberholser returned after a break to finish 24th last week in Hawaii which was not a bad result. In three tries here he has been 6th and 4th so with the first up run in Hawaii behind him he might be one for longer odds.
There is little doubt that Jesper Parnevik is making his way back to where he once was in the game and has good form at Torrey Pines when he was playing well several seasons ago. His runner up placing last week at the Bob Hope indicates the improvement he has made of late and a better finish than his runner up place in 1997 and his fourth place in 2004 would not be the shock it would have been a week or so ago.
John Daly won here two years ago but has not been playing well of late and it is hard to get excited about his prospects. He played in Abu Dhabi last week and missed the cut so would need a major turnaround to be in it this week it would seem. Mind you he has been known to do just that.
Brandt Jobe has often played well at Torrey Pines and had a nice week last week at the Bob Hope when 16th. That was good enough to suggest he might do alright here.
Of the Australasians, other than Appleby, there is a strong line-up including last week's fifth placed John Senden. He has only played twice here has Senden but he has made the cut on both occasions including a very solid 13th in 2002 in one of his very first events on the USPGA Tour. He continues to get closer to his first win anywhere since 1998.
Geoff Ogilvy played well at the Mercedes Championship three weeks ago and although he has done nothing special in two attempts here he is such an improved player then a much better showing could be expected.
Mark Hensby returns to tournament golf for the first time since a controversial and disappointing return to Australia. He was arguably the standout Australian in 2005 and it would be good to see him get back on track. His record at Torrey Pines hardly suggests he will but he is capable of upsets - on and off the golf course.
Aaron Baddeley, Rod Pampling, Nathan Green, who surprised everyone, including himself, when 5th at the Sony Open, Stephen Leaney, Steve Bowditch, David McKenzie and Mattie Goggin make up the Australians, with Craig Perks the only New Zealander.
The tournament has prizemoney of US$5.1 million.
Photo - Anthony Powter
