Woods makes 2007 debut at Buick Invitational
IN: News | US PGA | Buick Invitational (2007) | Preview | by Bruce Young | 24 Jan 2007
The PGA Tour heads south and west from last week's Bob Hope Chrysler Classic in La Quinta, with the Buick Invitational the next event on the 2007 PGA Tour Schedule.
Played over the North and South Courses at the famed Torrey Pines golf complex, just outside of San Diego, the Buick Invitational will witness the return of Tiger Woods to competitive golf for the first time since his own Target Challenge in December 2006.
Woods has dominated this event since first playing the tournament in 1998, winning it on four occasions and finishing runner up, third, fourth, fifth and 10th in his five other attempts. It has been a sensational record at any one event and although he has not played competitively in recent weeks, the same schedule has not been an issue for him in previous years.
Woods has not only dominated this event in recent years but in recent months he has dominated the USPGA Tour even more than he does normally. When he tees it up on Thursday he will look to extend his winning USPGA Tour streak of six consecutive victories, the last of those coming at the WGC American Express Championship in England in October. He has played other events in the meantime finishing runner up in China and Japan but in terms of the USPGA Tour he is looking to move into second place alone on the consecutive wins list behind Byron Nelson and ahead of Ben Hogan.
The original William Bell designed South Course at Torrey Pines will again play host and will stage three of the four rounds to be played this week. The layout has been revamped in recent years by the US Open's course doctor, Reese Jones, in readiness for the staging of the 2008 US Open and the already long layout has been extended to around 7600 yards. The course will play as a par 72 this week but come Open time in June 2008 the par will be reduced to 70.
The one factor, in addition to its length, that has made this venue a demanding course in recent years has been the thick rough that has been allowed to grow but in 2007 that rough is noticeable by its absence. Recent drought and cold frosty nights have curbed the growth of the lush green rough that has always been such a feature. "The courses appear in to be great shape but the lesser amount of rough should mean that the scoring this year will be lower," said Australian Peter Lonard after one of his practice rounds on Tuesday.
Woods is the favourite ahead of Mickelson who had the benefit of an outing last week at the Bob Hope to clear a bit of rust after a lengthy break. A three time winner of the event, Mickelson struggled in the strong winds on Sunday last at the Classic Club but his scores earlier gave an indication that he was not a long way off quickly returning to contention.
Vijay Singh won the Mercedes three weeks ago but in the few times he has played this event he has not done well by his standards. He took last week off and it will be of interest to see if he has rediscovered his form from Kapalua.
Jose Maria Olazabal has a great record at this tournament having been a surprise winner in 2002 and a playoff loser in 2006. On paper it would not appear to be the type of course to suit Olazabal but he seems to have comfort zone at Torrey Pines. When he was last playing, Olazabal's form was good enough but he has had quite a break. Mind you it was a similar case last year and he still found a way to finish runner up to Woods after a playoff.
Surely it has to happen for Justin Rose before long. Rose has played this event just the once, missing the cut in 2005, but his stellar form of late would suggest that it would not be a surprise if he was to factor this week. It seems that every week now, wherever he is playing, he is putting himself into contention.
Nathan Green returns to the scene of his biggest moment to date on the USPGA Tour, when he so nearly pulled off an upset in last year's event. He was the third player in the playoff then and it might be that he hit too good a drive at the first extra hole that cost him a chance of going extra holes. He was the only one tempted to go for the green in two at the first extra hole after Woods and Olazabal had laid up. He took bogey but he has since shown that such an amazing performance in just his second event on the USPGA Tour was no fluke. He might go well again after two reasonable weeks to date already in 2007.
Of the other Australasians there are again plenty. Robert Allenby has recorded consecutive 8th place finishes in Hawaii and at the Bob Hope and although he has not exactly starred in this event he is clearly in good form.
Rod Pampling, John Senden, Peter Lonard, Andrew Buckle, Mark Hensby, Mathew Goggin, Jarrod Lyle, Stephen Leaney, Gavin Coles, Paul Gow, Steve Allen, Phil Tataurangi and Craig Perks make up a long list of Australasians.
It was nice to see Mark Hensby find a little form last week at the Bob Hope and Peter Lonard appears happy with the quality of his tee to green game at present. Phil Tataurangi has only a limited medical exemption in 2007 and if he is unable to take advantage of the few starts he has then he will be playing the Nationwide Tour.
Craig Perks has one more year to rediscover the form that gave him a five year exemption on the PGA Tour by winning the Players Championship in 2002. He needs to turn it around in 2007 which will be a lot easier said than done.
