Crowne Plaza attracts strong field

BY Bruce Young | US PGA Tour | 2008 Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial | Preview | 20 May 2008

The PGA Tour is in Texas for the third occasion in 2008, this time for the Crown Plaza Invitational at the Colonial Country Club in Fort Worth.

The original Perry Maxwell and John Bredemus designed layout, altered in 1999 by Keith Porter, will play host to the event for the 61st occasion, the event having first been played in 1946 when Ben Hogan won the event on a golf course that would become synonymous with his name.

Despite measuring just over 7000 yards, the Colonial Country Club remains as one of the most highly regarded layouts on the PGA Tour, requiring quality ball striking to do well. The course was so well designed originally that it measures only 20 or so yards longer than it did back when it was originally played all those years ago but is still a fine test.

The defending champion is Rory Sabbatini, whose game has fallen away somewhat after a brilliant start to the season. He suffered a bad case of the flu around the time of the Buick Invitational and has struggled since, 27th his best effort in eight subsequent starts.

The word number two, Phil Mickelson, is back in Fort Worth after not having played here since 2005. As a previous winner and runner up, he should be considered astrong chance on paper. He has not been outstanding of late but he has played well enough for him to be a factor this week.

Jim Furyk has been runner-up twice at this venue, including a playoff lost to Rory Sabbatini last year, and is certainly in good enough form to go one better this week. He finished 27th at the Players Championship at his last start but there were two or three very good finishes prior to that.

As a runner up and two time winner, there is hardly a player in this field with a better record than Kenny Perry at this venue. Combined with his impressive run of form in recent weeks, this record should provide Mickelson and others with a strong challenge and it would not surprise to finally see Perry win after a couple of near misses of late.

Anthony Kim opened with a first round of 63 on debut in this event last year before finishing 18th. As a winner at the recent Wachovia Championship and a runner up at the Verizon, Kim handles quality courses well and a second win of the season could come this week.

K.J. Choi has mixed results in recent weeks but has played well on occasions around this golf course. He is certainly one of the more credentialed players in the field.

Steve Flesch was a surprise winner in 2004 but his game has progressed significantly since then with two tournaments wins in the latter half of 2007 and a 5th at Augusta recently. Flesch and Phil Mickelson are the only two left-handers to have won this event and both have good chances to win a second.

The Australians are here in numbers, as this region is one that many call home. The Australian who has done best in recent years here is Nathan Green, who has been 4th and 5th in his two starts at the Colonial.

Green’s form in 2008 has been very mixed, making plenty of cuts and despite his third at the Honda Classic, there has been very little to get excited about. With a week back home working with his coach at Craig Ranch in Dallas, Green could continue his love affair with the Colonial Country Club this week.

Nick O’Hern has also done well in his two visits to this event and it is very much a course that fits his eye. As a left hander he could potentially add to the success of his fellow lefties, Mickelson and Flesch. There has been a little improvement from the West Australian in recent weeks.

Geoff Ogilvy is playing this week despite the Colonial providing little success for him in the past. He no doubt sees this week as important in his lead up to the US Open. He recorded a third round of 64 when he finished 38th the last time he played the event in 2005 but comes off two or three indifferent weeks of form.

Texas residents, Steve Elkington, Rod Pampling, John Senden, are in the field while other Australians include Mark Hensby, Mathew Goggin, Jason Day, Nick Flanagan and Matt Jones.