Mickelson the favourite at Nissan Open

BY Bruce Young | US PGA Tour | 2007 Nissan Open | Preview | 14 Feb 2007

The famed and revered Riviera Country Club, in the Pacific Palisades area of Los Angeles, plays host to the Nissan Open (or Los Angeles Open) once again this week, the 81st time the tournament has been contested and the 45th time the event has been held at Riviera.

The Riviera Country Club first staged the event in 1929 and became an irregular tournament venue until 1946 when it staged the tournament for an eight year span. It was back on the roster in 1973 and has remained the venue since apart from 1998 when the event was held on a one off basis at the Valencia Golf Club.

The Riviera Country Club was constructed in 1926 and was designed by George C. Thomas and William Bell. In 2001 significant remodelling was carried out under the design of Tom Fazio. The Riviera Country Club has undergone further alterations, in addition to the significant changes made in 2001, with several of the greens enlarged to counter the encroachment of the Kikuya grass and to provide more pin positions on those particular greens.

The greens are Bent grass and Poa Annua and the fairways Kikuyu grass.

Despite the fact that Tiger Woods considers it one of the best designed courses the PGA Tour plays on their schedule, he has never won the event and will not be in the field this week. That leaves the favouritism for the event on the shoulders of Phil Mickelson, whose impressive return to form last week at Pebble Beach, has many of those who doubted his capacity to win again, now believing he could be the man to beat this week. Mickelson, however, has seldom played this event and when he has (the last time was in 2001) he has hardly featured.

Ernie Els won this event in 1999 but like Mickelson has made few appearances at Riviera since. He had a reasonable tournament last year in this event and has been in such good form when he has played in recent months that he could well repeat his win of eight years ago. He has not been outside the top ten in any of his last eleven starts worldwide including when runner up to Henrik Stenson two weeks ago in Dubai. He has every reason to be challenging Mickelson for favouritism.

Adam Scot has hardly missed a beat when he has played this event, winning a rain shortened version in 2005 and finishing runner up to Rory Sabatinni twelve months ago when a last round of 64 so nearly caught the eventual winner. Scott has not played anywhere since his runner up placing at the Mercedes Championship and in that respect will need to be taken on trust. Clearly he loves this event and California generally having often played well in events in that State.

Jim Furyk had one of his best finishes in the event in 2006 when he finished 12th during a week that included a third round of 65. In theory Riviera should be a golf course that suits his style of game. He has been marvellously consistent in just about every event he has played over the last twelve months and arrives at this event after a 6th place finish at Pebble Beach and a 4th place at the Sony. He is primed for his best ever finish in this event.

Vijay Singh has made a good start to the year and should, on the basis of that, be one of the favourites but Riviera, by his standards, has not been a happy hunting ground for Singh. Like Furyk, Singh is playing well enough but will need to turn around a less than convincing record in this event.

Perhaps surprisingly Retief Goosen has not played in this event previously but he has been in sensational form in his first two events of 2007 including when the winner of the Qatar Masters at his last start.

Charles Howell had a couple of very good finishes at Riviera early in his career and while he has continued to make cuts he has hardly been in contention since. Howell has made a great start to 2007 however, being twice runner up already, and a return to the great finishes of 2002 and 2003 might be imminent.

Robert Allenby has been very good in his visits to Riviera including when winning a six way playoff in 2001. With three consecutive top tens on the PGA Tour in 2007 he could well win his second Nissan Open.

Mike Weir won this event in 2003 and 2004 and although he has not been great to date in 2007, he has not been all bad and clearly he loves this golf course.

Luke Donald surprisingly missed the cut last week at Pebble Beach but he does boast a good record at Riviera especially over the last two years and was playing well prior to his effort last week. Don’t be surprised to see the Englishman winning this week.

John Rollins is currently second on the Fed Ex Series at this stage and interestingly finished 5th in this event last year. He is one of the hot players of the season and clearly knows his way around Riviera.

Others who might do well at longer odds are Nick Watney, Aaron Baddeley, Justin Rose, and Nick O’Hern who plays the PGA Tour for the first time in 2007. Riviera is the style of golf course to suit O’Hern’s game and while it might be a little early for him to do well in the USA, he has been a winner and runner up in two of his last three starts around the world.

Other Australians in the field include Geoff Ogilvy, Stuart Appleby, Rod Pampling, John Senden, Nathan Green, Peter Lonard, Mark Hensby, Steve Elkington and Mattie Goggin.

The tournament has prizemoney of US$5.2 million.