BC Open moves to new home for 2006

BY Bruce Young | US PGA Tour | 2006 BC Open | Preview | 20 Jul 2006

For the first time in the now 36 year history of the event, the BC Open has a new home in 2006 while its traditional home, the En Joie Golf Club, recovers from storm damage it received six weeks or so ago.

The new venue, the Atunyote Golf Club at the Turning Point Resort in Verona, New York, is a Tom Fazio designed layout which has already received significant accolades since its opening in 2004. Large undulating greens, steep faced bunkers and generous landing areas from the tees feature on the 7315 yard course. Brendan Jones who finished runner up in this event in 2005 at the En Joie Golf Club was moved to say that he thought it was one of the best prepared courses he had seen in his time on the USPGA Tour.

The field will of course be missing the leading players from the PGA Tour, most of them doing battle on the other side of the Atlantic. This of course is not an unusual occurrence for the tournament as this time slot has been its own for most of its time as a PGA Tour event.

The defending champion is Jason Bohn who overtook the third round leader Brendan Jones to win by one over Jones, Ryan Palmer, John Rollins and J.P. Hayes. Bohn is in the field again this week and has played very solidly this season. He has made his last twelve cuts and, although this is a much different golf course to that he won over twelve months ago, he has a good chance to repeat the performance.

Joe Ogilvie has begun to play a lot better of late with two top tens in his last three starts and against stronger company than he will face here.

The Maruyama’s, Shigeki and Daisuke, are in the field and perhaps surprisingly it might just be the latter who features this week ahead of his more credentialed namesake. Daisuke, a rookie on the PGA Tour in 2006, has been playing well in recent weeks while Shigeki has played well on occasions but has missed his last two cuts.

Daniel Chopra has started events well of late and seems to have found form with two top tens in his last three starts. He may well have learnt from recent experiences and an even better showing from him this week is possible.

The Australian contingent is headed by the experienced but out of form Craig Parry while Brendan Jones, although struggling with back issues at present, could improve on the three cuts he has made in three starts in season 2006.

Boy wonder Jason Day gets another chance to show just what a talent he is when he tees it up in just his second USPGA Tour event after making the cut last week in his professional debut at the John Deere Classic. Also joining him in the field will be his ex-Queensland Amateur team mate, Gavin Flint, who made the cut in this event last year.

David McKenzie has started his tournaments well of late but apart from a very good 9th place finish at the Barclays, he hasn’t been able to finish the job. He has recorded a sub 70 opening round in each of his last four tournaments, his task this week to go on with it in a field that will not be nearly as strong.

Phil Tataurangi and Grant Waite are playing, Waite for one of the few occasions on the PGA Tour in 2006 while Tataurangi has shown glimpses of his previous best on occasions in his comeback from injury.