Favourites not always winners at Sawgrass
IN: News | US PGA | The Players Championship (2006) | Preview | by Bruce Young | 22 Mar 2006
In what is really one of the more intriguing times of the year on the PGA Tour, the Players Championship at the TPC at Sawgrass offers the perfect lead up for Augusta now just over two weeks away. Perhaps surprisingly however is that on only one occasion since the event has been held at this venue has the winner gone on to win at Augusta two weeks later. No prizes for guessing who that was – Tiger Woods in 2001.
Not that the Player Championship should be necessarily considered as a lead up to any event however as it has developed into one of the most sought after titles on the PGA Tour in its own right.
The event is being played for the last time in this time slot in the USPGA Tour schedule as from next year it will be played in May to provide a more effective staggering of the more significant events.
The Players Championship has built from its original staging in 1974, when Jack Nicklaus won the first of his three tournament TPC titles, to one of the most recognised events in the game. The quality of the field and the demands of the TPC at Sawgrass layout make this event one of the most eagerly awaited events outside of the majors and some would argue that it carries as much intrigue as all but the US Masters.
The event has had its home at Sawgrass near Ponte Vedra Beach in Florida since 1977, although the it was staged on three occasions prior to that at the Atlanta Country Club, the Colonial Country Club in Texas and the Inverrary Golf and Country Club in Florida. Prior to the TPC course being built, the event was played at the Sawgrass Golf Club before being moved to the TPC in 1982.
The course and stadium concept is the brainchild of original Tour Commissioner Deane Beaman, who in the 1960's had seen the merit in developing a course that would accommodate large galleries and make viewing golf, user-friendly.
He engaged the respected, but perhaps at the time, controversial course designer Pete Dye to assist in the project and the concept of TPC courses was born. It opened to rather mixed reaction, especially from the players, but the fans and sponsors loved it and soon the players warmed to the course and the concept. The par three 17th, while controversial and occasionally criticised, is perhaps one of the most recognised and feared holes in the game. At just 137 yards the hole would be a breeze if surrounded by grass. However, being virtually surrounded by water, other than the walkway to access the green, it takes on a whole new dimension and dynamic.
The greens are Tifdwarf bermudagrass overseeded with Poa Trivialis & Princeville bentgrass. At 4500 square feet, the greens are on the small side compared the tour average of 6000, this is further accentuated by the length of rough during tournament week. This year, according to Commissioner Finchem's report during the coverage of last week's event in Orlando, the roughs at Sawgrass are at 4 inches and are consistent throughout, once again placing the emphasis on accurate rather than power golf. The defending champion, Fred Funk, provides no better indication of just that.
It is perhaps surprising that Woods has won this event only the once. The course places so many demands on the players that there is every reason to believe that it suits Tiger's all-round game. By his high standards however he has not played well here. He was runner up in 2000 but that and his 10th placing in 1999 have been his only two other top tens in addition to his win in nine attempts here. That is not bad by most standards but not great by Tiger's.
Vijay Singh did enough last week in Orlando to suggest he is closing in on better form but like Woods he has an ordinary record here. In thirteen starts at the TPC he has been inside the top ten only twice. He will be looking for an improvement on recent form in 2006 (although it has not been bad) and here at Sawgrass if he is to contend late on Sunday.
Retief Goosen has made only two of seven cuts here and is not at his peak yet in 2006. It seems unlikely that he will be in the mix on Sunday.
Apart from his third placing two years ago Phil Mickelson has never really contended here. He is playing well enough of late to not be discounted but clearly this is not a golf course on which he has the same comfort as others.
Ernie Els, like several of those mentioned earlier, has hardly been a factor in this event in recent years and his form over the last few weeks since arriving in the US has hardly been encouraging. It might be therefore that we need to look outside the leading players in the game for a potential winner. There has certainly been the occasional boilover in this event more especially Craig Perks in 2002 but Funk's come from behind win last year also came as a surprise.
Luke Donald was runner up last year after leading into the final round and following his win at the Honda Classic two weeks ago his game and mindset will be ready for the greater challenge this week. He is such a solid player in every department of the game that it would surprise anyone if he did not feature.
Scott Verplank, Zach Johnson and Stephen Ames, who has a very good record here, are all dark horses and may figure on the final day.
Of the Australasians Adam Scott has a good record here having won in 2004 and finishing 8th last year. He can be forgiven for his one bad week last week when missing the cut at Bay Hill and he might get back on track this week.
Rod Pampling and Geoff Ogilvy our two most recent winners have not exactly excelled at this course although Ogilvy is a much more accomplished player than when he finished 16th in 2004 and certainly Pampling is a much better and self believing player than his 27th placing last year. It will be difficult for him to back up his marvellous win last week but he will be buoyed by his improved status in the game.
Robert Allenby has had his moments here and was 4th last week, which shows he may be back in form. He will be joined by Michael Campbell, Stuart Appleby, Peter Lonard, Craig Parry, Aaron Baddeley, two time winner Steve Elkington, Mark Hensby, Stephen Leaney, John Senden and Craig Perks.
