Popular Wachovia Championship attracts top field
IN: News | US PGA | Wachovia Championship (2006) | Preview | by Bruce Young | 03 May 2006
It's taken very little time for the Wachovia Championship to become one of the more popular events on the PGA Tour and this year, the quality of the field reflects just that.
Nine of the world's top ten are playing the event, reflecting a well organised event and a quality golf course. Only Tiger Woods is missing this week but that is more to do with personal concerns than for any other reason that the world number one is not to be in Charlotte. Woods has, after all, played the event in the last two years but with his father's health still an issue then he will not play at least until next week at the Byron Nelson event, if not later.
PGA Tournament golf returned to Quail Hollow in 2003 after a long absence and the layout revamped by Tom Fazio in 2003 received almost universal and immediate acceptance. The original George Cobb design had been originally built in the early 1960's then remodelled in 1986 by Arnold Palmer. Fazio revamped the layout in 1997 and completed his work in 2003 in time for the return of the PGA Tour that year.
Measuring 7450 yards, the course carries Bent greens but Bermuda everywhere else. The tournament has been won with scores of 8, 11 and 12 under in the three years to date with the tournament record being set last year by Vijay Singh when he won in a playoff over Sergio Garcia and Jim Furyk. Singh's last round of 66 saw him catch and pass Garcia who had been six shots ahead of him heading into the final day.
As the defending champion and world number four, Singh deserves respect this week but he is not at his peak as his 36th place in Houston highlighted. He does have the benefit of three great finishes at Quail Hollow to assist in getting things back on track this week. He not only won the event last year but was 10th in 2004 and runner up to David Toms in 2003.
Mickelson has had two top tens in two starts at this event and although he was perhaps a little disappointing last week, by the end of the tournament in New Orleans he had identified the problem and was headed to his coach, Rick Smith, to see if he could iron it out. If he has, then he could quickly return to the form he was in at Augusta National and Sugarloaf.
Retief Goosen is playing for the first time in the tournament but is the type of golfer who thrives on tough golf courses. He was not exactly impressive in New Orleans but was playing beautifully prior.
Garcia lost what appeared to be the unassailable lead here last year and will be looking to make amends. He has not played since Augusta so might need this event to get him on track for next week's EDS Byron Nelson which he won two years ago although don't be surprised if he is in the hunt.
Like Goosen, Els is playing this event for the first time but has been in good enough form of late to be a factor. He has had six top tens in ten starts since returning from his knee operation late last year and his 7th place at the Verizon Heritage event was impressive enough.
Jim Furyk did well here last year and was runner up at the recent Verizon event and third at the Players Championship three weeks prior to that tournament. He should do well around a golf course that rewards a player with the percentage type of game that he possesses.
Of the others Chad Campbell, Stuart Appleby, Billy Mayfair and Tim Clark may be good chances.
Of the Australians other than Appleby, Adam Scott is in the field but, despite being the number nine player in the world, is an enigma and inconsistent. Geoff Ogilvy has played well in this event in the two times he has played and is clearly a much better player now than he has ever been.
Stephen Leaney has shown much improved form in recent weeks and has performed well on both occasions he has played the event and appears well placed to improve even further on his recent good form.
Aaron Baddeley, Rod Pampling, Mark Hensby, John Senden, Mathew Goggin, Nathan Green, Phil Tataurangi and Craig Perks make up of the rest of the Australasians although several could well do more than just make up the numbers.
The tournament has prizemoney of US$6 million.
