Fascinating contest looms at Wachovia Championship
IN: News | US PGA | Wachovia Championship (2004) | by Bruce Young | 04 May 2004
The team at the Wachovia Championship knew exactly what they were doing when they lavished the tournament field in 2003 with all sorts of goodies and services including the use of some of the sportiest Mercedes for the week and the field they have attracted this week suggests the word has got around. The US$5.6 million in prizemoney hasn't hurt either.
That attention to detail along with a fine golf course at Quail Hollow, redesigned by Tom Fazio in recent years, has attracted not only most of the field that were here last year but a few extra who heard of the good things that were happening in Charlotte.
The big coup for tournament organisers is having Tiger Woods back to competitive golf for the first time since the Masters. Woods, who along with fellow entrant Phil Mickelson, was not here in 2003 and golf's hottest golfer right now, Vijay Singh who went close here in 2003 when runner up to David Toms. To say the least this is one very hot field.
The venue is the Quail Hollow Golf Club in Charlotte, North Carolina, which was the home of the Kemper Open until pressure from the players saw the event moved to the Congressional Course near Maryland before a further move down the road to the TPC at Avenel in Maryland.
The course, originally designed by George Cobb in 1961, underwent some changes by Arnold Palmer in the mid-80's and then a major redesign under North Carolina resident Tom Fazio in the late nineties followed by further minor changes over the past two years.
The greens are G2 Bent Grass with the fairways, tees and rough all 419 Bermuda/Ryegrass. The course measures 7396 yards with a par of 72.
Most of the field loved the course in 2003. It proved to be a demanding and testing layout with David Toms' last round of 73, being the highest last round by a winner in the previous twelve months. There were only six or seven events which had a higher score in relation to par last year. The last hole at Quail Hollow was the 6th most difficult hole on tour in 2003.
When the financial services institution, Wachovia, decided they wanted to join the sponsors of the PGA Tour to further increase their already significant profile, they chose Charlotte, North Carolina. Not only was it because that is where their headquarters are based, but also because the region is considered by many as the home of golf in the US.
If having the three leading lights on the PGA Tour this season isn't already enough, the event has also attracted the likes of defending champion David Toms, Davis Love III, Stuart Appleby, Sergio Garcia, K.J. Choi, Mike Weir, Chad Campbell and Charles Howell III with Howell having played well here last year and going close last week in New Orleans at the HP Classic.
It is hard to go past the leading trio in terms of favouritism and there will be much interest in that battle more especially as to whether Tiger can find form quickly after his one month break. While Woods does not like to declare his schedule too far in advance it is probably a fair bet to assume he will play this week and at the Byron Nelson and possibly in Germany before the Memorial and then the US Open. He needs more competitive golf as, in his current form, it is a lot more difficult to switch on and off.
Mickelson could shoot under par in a cow paddock right now and will quickly adapt around here you would think and Singh has already proven himself, finishing two behind Toms in 2003. Toms has struggled of late after returning from surgery to remove bone spurs in his left hand late last year. He was good immediately after his return with two top tens but from that point on he has struggled although there was enough to like about his start to the HP Classic that suggests he is on the way back. It may be another start or two before we can look to him threatening contention however.
Davis Love III is not quite as sharp as he was earlier in the season but having played here last year and finished 29th, he may be a factor. Howell is mixing his form a bit of late, missing a cut then producing a good finish on a regular basis. His fifth last week and his 9th place here last year may be enough to see him go close to winning his second USPGA Tour event.
A player who seems to have escaped the attention of most is Nick Price whose sixth place at the recent Masters indicates that his best is not far off. At his best he can beat any field. He was 25th the week following Augusta at the Heritage, a golf course he loves, and his fifth place here last year would indicate he doesn't mind Quail Hollow either. I think he may just be good value at the longer odds that will no doubt be available for him.
Kirk Triplett is another who played well here last year and often escapes the radar. His sixth place at the Masters is probably the best indication of his capacity to do well here. He started well last week but finished poorly. He should go better this week.
Garcia didn't play here last year but the hard work he has been doing reaped rewards at his last USPGA Tour start, the Masters and his time is nearing.
The field is stacked with Australasians. Steve Allan, Robert Allenby, Stuart Appleby, Aaron Baddeley, Scott Hend, Steven Leaney, Peter Lonard, Geoff Ogilvy, Craig Perks, John Senden and Grant Waite are all scheduled to face the starter.
This is shaping up as quite some event.
