Transitioning the Madness

Talk about a difficult sports weekend to contend with for the PGA Tour! As I joined the majority of Americans pitching back 12-ounce goodness and screaming at basketball teams I have no affiliation with aside from picking them to win or lose. And as my brother from another mother watched on and described in great length and emotion in Jacksonville as an Ivy League team did the unthinkable, just down the road in the Tampa area the Tour continued on at the Transitions Championship.

If competing with Northern Iowa’s upset of #1 overall seed Kansas, Cornell’s unbelievable run, continuous last second heroics, and the possibility of Gus Johnson making broadcasting gold wasn’t enough, word came out that Tiger was going to answer questions for the first time since his ‘incidents’ and ‘indiscretions.’ Between the five minutes with ESPN’s Tom Rinaldi and The Golf Channel’s Kelly Tilghlman, Tiger faced ten minutes of grilling from the friendly confines of an Isleworth veranda. All the while Tour vet Jim Furyk completed his steady assault on Innisbrook.

Although limping in a bit on the back nine with some late bogies, Furyk’s two under par round of 69 was enough to finish with a one shot victory over Korean KJ Choi, and was his first win since the 2007 Canadian Open. Although there have been a lot of players who have gone this long without a win, the amazing thing about Furyk is that he was able to stay within reach of the Top Ten in the World Golf Rankings during this slump in victories. To me it shows Furyk’s mark of consistency.

Maybe known more for the looping hitch in his swing than anything else, Furyk has been a mainstay on leaderboards over the past decade. Setting his mechanics aside in his career he has cashed in one major (’03 US Open) and has 13 career PGA Tour wins. On top of that he has been widely known as one of the best and most consistent putters on Tour over the past decade in golf. And as we fall inside of a month from the ‘Tradition Unlike Any Other’ this win shows Furyk still has the game to get it done.

And now that the Sweet 16 has been established down the Road to the Final Four and Tiger is out of silence we will move forward to Arnie’s place down the Road to Augusta. With back to back veteran wins from Els and Furyk, we seem to be getting a throwback feel back to the Tour. With Duval back at Augusta and players like Els and Furyk playing well along with the return of Tiger will seem to have a turn of the decade field. But we all know that one of the many youngsters can ruin this veteran party and continue this ‘transition’ from old school to new school. But for right now the old guys are king!

Easy Come, Easy Go, Easy Comeback

It seemed to be an immediate disappearing act for one of the most respected and better players over the past decade. South African great Ernie Els, or The Big Easy as many refer to him, has climbed the top of the mountain in his career, but after a rash of freak and nagging injuries he seemed to have faded away into almost obscurity. But this week at the CA Championship his comeback has seemed to come almost full circle, with a near perfect and dominating performance taming the Blue Monster at Doral.

The CA Championship is one of the premier events behind the majors and the Player’s Championship. It is the second installment of the World Golf Championships and is one of the strongest fields you’re going to find. There were a lot of solid performers in the mix, but as the final round started and Sunday play progressed, it was almost like a two horse South African race. Els was the wily veteran, and Charl Schwartzel was the young up and coming bomber. The two battled it out throughout the front nine, but the veteran made the shots when he needed to, and the youngster was not able to keep up in his first real chance to shine in the US.

Although Els had a victory at the 2008 Honda Classic, this win confirms his comeback on the PGA Tour. It not like he completely disappeared, but his descent into mere mediocrity started after the completion of the 2004 season. In ‘04 he won a personal record three PGA events cashing in at the Sony, the Memorial, and WGC American Express. He also had a personal best season in the majors finishing in the top ten in all four of the season’s majors, although failing to win any. He was heartbroken at the Master’s falling short on Lefty’s magical 72nd hole birdie. He also came up short in a playoff to Todd Hamilton in the Open Championship. On top of even that he had a disastrous final round on Long Island in the US Open going from the final pairing to a 9th place finish behind fellow countryman Reteif Goosen. But in the off-season after the ’04 season Els injured his knee in a freak tubing incident on the Mediterranean derailing his game for a near 4-year stretch.

But this dominating performance at the intimidating Blue Monster may have set the stage for something even more special. In about a month Els will return to Augusta, a place where he has been very close in the past and tee it up again to try and exercise those Master’s demons. To try and repair all of those heartbreaks at a place he has never won. I feel like everything would come full circle for the 40 year old Els in 2010 if he can finally slip on that green jacket and close to within a PGA Championship of a career-slam. I don’t think it is ‘easy,’ but Els makes it seem that way.

Dancing in Athens

Athens, Ohio is not only a mecca for partying and drinking sports; it's now in the field of 65. Yes, this edition of Bobcat Hoops went a modest 17-14 in the regular season, and 7-9 in the MAC conference, but for a 4 games stretch they were more than a #9 seed. They ripped thru the #8, #1, #4 and #3 seeds within one week with the final 3 games in a 3 day period. It was a magical run for my alma mater and hopefully, as my boy Gus Johnson would say, the 'slipper still fits' in the NCAA Tourney.

Gator Bait

After his dominating winning effort at the 2010 Honda Classic in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, Camilo Villegas may have successfully renamed the infamous ‘Bear Trap.’ The Jack Nicklaus designed PGA National has been a pain in the side for a lot of players who tee it up for the first event of the Florida swing. Its strategically placed bunkers and water hazards make for a risk reward set up for everyone who takes the challenge. The finishing holes are some of the most nerve-jangling shots this side of Sawgrass, and are the basis for the ‘Bear Trap’ moniker. But the former Florida Gator stand out, turned the notorious ‘Bear Trap’ into Gator Bait.

Villegas got off to a quick start in the first round on Thursday with a four under 66 in the easiest scoring conditions of the week. He followed that stellar round with a matching 66 on Friday and moved to the weekend in prime championship position tied atop the leader board with fellow young super star Anthony Kim. After Villegas fired another excellent round of 67 on Saturday, coupled with Kim’s 73, the Colombian star held an impressive three shot lead going into the final round over Australian Nathan Green and tour veteran Vijay Singh.

By the time Villegas made the turn he was sitting on a five shot lead and ready to coast into the clubhouse. But at PGA National one can never overlook the claws of the ‘Bear Trap’ that always looms ahead…

And it may have been in the back of Camilo’s head when he got a bit loose with bogies on 11 and 12. He added another bogey to his card on the par three 15th, but at this point the lead was pretty much insurmountable. He was able to cash in pars at the dangerous 16th and 17th which set up an easy walk in the park four shot lead on the 18th tee. As he had done 21 other times during the week, he executed to perfection for another birdie and a 5 shot victory over Kim who rallied for solo second. A scorching final round 64 gave charging Justin Rose solo 3rd and match play runner up Paul Casey joined Singh for T4.

This win has been much anticipated for Villegas, who was winless in the 2009 season after taking home the season’s final event in 2008 at the Tour Championship. Camilo’s slump worried many people in the golf world, because with Tiger on the shelf, the Tour is counting on promotable stars like Villegas to step up. 2010 has been able to cash in on wins from these young, established and promotable players like Villegas, Mahan, Poulter and Ogilvy. Getting players like this wins and exposure is great for the PGA Tour during the Tiger sabbatical.

This victory was Villegas’ 3rd career win, but was not a necessity for getting into the Masters, as his 2009 T13 performance at Augusta automatically got him in the field. But Villegas has not been overly successful in the Masters in his 3 career appearances making only the one cut, and missing the weekend in both 2007 and 2008. But he is definitely the type of player who is getting better and growing with the tour every week, making him a factor every time he tees it up. After he gobbled up the ‘Bear Trap’ this week he is more than ready for the Masters, and maybe after he’s done there, they’ll have to rename another vaunted stretch of holes…

How does ‘Camilo’s Corner’ sound?

You Da Ma-ha-n!!!

The annual tournament in the desert put on by the Thunderbirds was yet again another success in 2010. Annually setting attendance records for a single event, the Phoenix Open is known more for its patrons then for the golf itself. This four-day party in Scottsdale is epicentered by cheers, jeers and chants from keg drinking fans planted at the par three 16th hole. This diminutive and relatively straightforward 170-yard par 3 is known for many as the most intimidating hole in golf. This arena-like hole is the setting for 20,000 drunken fans and their ode to fandom. Harsher than the ‘Cameron Crazies’ and gentler than ‘Raider Nation’ these ‘Scottsdale Screamers’ are as big of a part of this tournament as anything.

Many players see this tee shot as the toughest in all of golf, rivaling it with the 17th at Sawgrass, while others thrive on the attention. One thing is for sure, when Hunter Mahan stepped to the 16th tee on Sunday with a one-stroke lead he no doubt thrived on the atmosphere. As the last to hit in his group, the natives were already a bit restless from a great shot by grouping partner Robert Allenby, but Mahan was also able to deliver. As shouts and screams echoed through the desert after his swing, the ball landed just short of the pin and spun sideways to about 14 feet, much to the delight of the rowdy patrons. After his rousing walk down the fairway to the green, he gave the crowd what they wanted by rolling in the putt to a chorus of liquid noise from the patrons.

This birdie was Mahan’s sixth of the day and led to him carding a bogey free 6-under par 65 as an early posting in the clubhouse. He posted it and told the rest of the field to come and get him. Many of the overnight leaders struggled some on Sunday, including the overall three round leader Brant Snedeker, who fell apart early enroute to a 7-over par 78. The only pursuit to Mahan was the more than game 21-year-old rookie and fellow Oklahoma State Cowboy Ricky Fowler. Clad in Cowboy Orange Fowler played a very consistent 18 holes, but was unable to capitalize with birdies on any of the final 4 holes, enroute to his own bogey free round…but it was only a 3-under par round of 68.

Although this final round left Fowler one shot short of Mahan, it was still his best ever finish in his very short PGA Tour career with a solo 2nd. This young up-and-comer has a lot of golf fans excited with his long hitting and edgy play, and he looks like he has the stuff to be a future star on tour. As for Mahan, he is already a pretty successful star on tour. This victory will join his 2007 win in Hartford as his two lone victories. He has also been a winning member of the last two President’s Cup teams and most recent Ryder Cup team. Although before this win he had not gotten off to the greatest start in 2010, Mahan is still currently ranked 22nd in the World and has a lot to build from as we move to the Florida swing.

As for Augusta, there was no doubt Mahan was in the field. He finished the 2009 Masters with a T10 earning him an automatic exemption into the 2010 field with the ‘Top 16 and Ties’ rule. He may not be seen as one of the direct favorites, but he will no doubt be put in the conversation as a guy who can contend and be there on Sunday afternoon. With the game Mahan has, along with his gradual but constant improvement, it’s not out of the question for him to slip on that Green Jacket in April. And if that happens, he would no doubt be ‘The Man.’