The real PGA Tour begins at Torrey Pines
IN: News | US PGA | Buick Invitational (2008) | Preview | by Bruce Young | 22 Jan 2008
While it has already played three events in 2008, it is fair to say that the USPGA Tour finally begins in earnest this week near San Diego when the game’s leading two players return to competitive golf at the Buick Invitational and establish trends for what is expected to be one of the great years in tournament golf.
Interestingly, the Buick Invitational will be played over the North and South courses at Torrey Pines, which will also be the venue for the 2008 US Open. Very seldom is a US Open course used as a regular tour stop in the same season but this year the famed Torrey Pines South Course will not only be used as the host venue this week but also for the US Open in June.
As is the tradition in this particular event, both the North and South Courses at Torrey Pines will be used over the opening two rounds of the event with the weekend reserved for the South Course only.
Both courses were originally designed by the father and son team of William and William Bell but in 2001, with the prospect of the US Open looming, the USGA’s golf course doctor, Rees Jones, remodelled the South Course to accommodate the changing needs of the US Open. The South Course has always been a demanding test of golf both in terms of its various challenges and its length. It has regularly been one of the longest courses on the USPGA Tour but in June of 2008 it is expected to peak as one of the great tests in golf. This week offers a sneak preview, although in much cooler weather.
The field for this event is always impressive but with the opportunity to get a feel for what the USGA and ‘Doctor’ Jones have in mind for June, it is perhaps surprising that more have not taken advantage of the chance provided. Only five of the top ten and only eight of the top twenty are present. There is perhaps money on offer just for turning up in Qatar for the likes of others from the top twenty such as Henrik Stenson, Adam Scott, Sergio Garcia and Luke Donald but their absence from this event, give the circumstances, is a surprise.
Having the world’s leading two players back for the first time in 2008, more than makes up for any disappointment in the lack of numbers of leading players.
Woods is back in his first competitive hit-out since running away with his own Target Challenge in December. Lack of competitive play appears to affect Woods less than any other player with the possible exception of Mickelson as both have often returned from extensive breaks and won.
Woods loves this golf course and Torrey Pines in general. He played so well in his junior days in events like Junior World Golf Championships and has won this event on six of ten occasions and has finished inside the top five in all but one of his starts at the Buick.
Mickelson has also had his share of success at this venue with three victories and four top five finishes in his 17 starts. Mickelson’s form late in the season in 2007 was mixed but with a win in China and a win in Boston to go with his two other victories earlier in the season he appears the player most capable of challenging Woods. That is why it is such an exciting match up.
To confine the chances to just those two however would do a disservice to the many players more than capable of either winning or going close.
We have seen a couple of surprising results in this event in recent years other than the winner. Rookie, Nathan Green, so nearly won in 2006 when he lost a three way playoff with Jose Maria Olazabal and Woods and then twelve months ago another Australian, Andrew Buckle, led with eight holes to play before eventually finishing 4th. Perhaps there is another Australian rookie ready to make a similar impact.
Rory Sabbatini has been a model of consistency in recent months. There have been nine top ten placings in Sabbatini’s last eleven PGA Tour starts and although he does not boast a great record here, he is playing so well he might just figure this week. He might be keen to avoid Tiger however as they will meet for the first time since the South African bailed out of Wood’s tournament early without an explanation. Their first words to each other might be some of the most interesting of the week.
For whatever reason, Charles Howell III seems to perform well at Torrey Pines. In just six starts he has been runner up on two occasions and finished 7th on one other occasion. Howell played well enough at the Mercedes to be considered capable of improving his record further this week.
Mike Weir has seldom played this event in recent years and is clearly playing to get a feel for the course as part of his preparation for the US Open. Weir is back playing close to his peak and he seems nicely placed to do well this week after several recent good performances.
There is a great line-up of Australians both in terms of numbers and their chances of doing well. Geoff Ogilvy is the leading Australian world ranked player but although his form when he has played in recent times has been good he has not played often and has a poor record at this course.
Aaron Baddeley has not had a lot of success at Torrey Pines but he is a much improved player and despite missing the cut in Hawaii two weeks ago is playing at the highest level of his career.
The participation of Robert Allenby, Stuart Appleby, John Senden, Rod Pampling, Steve Elkington, Peter Lonard, Nathan Green, Nick O’Hern, Brett Rumford, Mark Hensby, Jason Day, Nick Flanagan, Matt Jones and Stephen Leaney makes for much interest by Australian golf fans in addition to the return of Woods.
The much vaunted Jason Day returns to Torrey Pines for the first time since winning a World Junior Golf Championship in 2004. He missed the cut in Hawaii in his first PGA Tour start as a card holder but there were glimpses of his capabilities and he has fond memories of the two courses at Torrey Pines.
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