Man of Steele
In Texas the wind blowed and the scores were high in a less then stellar field at the TPC San Antonio. But Rookies Brandan Steele and Kevin Chapell fought tooth and nail to stay atop the leaderboard for a first victory. Despite charges from Brandt Snedeker and Charley Hoffman, the steady Steele brought home his first win and an invitation to the 2012 Masters.
Southern Gentleman
In the tournament formerly known as the Verizon Heritage, the pros took their games to one of the PGA’s oldest and most enjoyed tour stops…Harbourtown! The field was paced by top 3er at the time Luke Donald, accuracy and putting guru Ben Crane, Aussie Jason Day, and the awkward southerner Tommy (2-gloves) Gainey; among others. But nobody saw the Sunday charge from good ole Tennesseean Brandt Snedeker. “Sneds” fired a final round seven-under 64 to force a playoff with Donald with Gainey just one shot too many. On the second playoff hole the former Vanderbilt Commodore Snedeker sealed the deal, thwarting Donald’s chance at World #1 and capturing the Tartan Jacket for his second career win.Bayou Bubba
In New Orleans it was a new week and the same Bubba. Of course it was another tournament sponsored by an insurance company, so it was no wonder that the reigning Travelers and Farmers champion cashes in at Zurich. Although it was not easy for the long hitting tour favorite, as it took a playoff with the talented youngster Webb Simpson who has been knocking on the door for a couple years now. But Bubba was just a bit too much on the par five playoff hole, and jumped into the winner’s cirlce for the third time in his career.Like A Glove
In Charlotte, at the fair but difficult Quail Hollow, the field was dominated by Tigers and not of the Woods variety. Former Clemson Tiger’s Lucas Glover and Jonathan Byrd held off a Sunday charge from Rory Sabbatini to make it an all orange and purple final. One back and in the final group, Byrd made an unbelievable birdie three on the extrememly difficult 72nd hold to force the playoff. On the first playoff hole the 2009 US Open Champ Glvoer closed out his former teammate with a par four, stopping Byrd’s chance for his second win in 2011.KJ-Ation
I spent a lot of time watching NBC’s coverage of the Tour’s claimed “5th Major”, but still didn’t get the initiative to write an entry. The tour’s deepest field took to the risk reward TPC Sawgrass for the annual Players Championship. The week was headlined by the return of Tiger Woods to competitive action, but just as soon as he teed it up, the was a WD next to his name. After showing visable signs of pain, and lack of game firing a 9-hole six-over 42, ‘The Striped One’ called it quits for the week. This led to one of the more interesting and entertaining Sunday’s since the wild one at Augusta. It seemed like a two horse race with vetrans David Toms and KJ Choi, but an unexpected visitor named Paul Goydos made another magical Sawgrass run. He came up a bit short as Toms and Choi capped their day deadlocked. On the first playoff hole, the signature island green 17th, the always steady with the flatstick Toms, inexplicedly missed a three-foot par putt basically giving Choi his biggest win to date. But don’t think he didn’t earn it!Toms-Toms-Toms-Tooooooommmmms
On the heels of the disappointment of his 2nd place at Sawgrass David Toms prmptly came out on fire at the short but challenging Colonial. He opened the tournament with back to back eight-under 62’s and took a commanding stranglehold on the third leg of the Texas swing. A thrid round four-over 74 brought the field back into the mix and actually made it into a competitve tournament. Sunday was a two horse race between Toms and Charlie Wi, and a steady 67 from led to some vidication from his putting woe at the Players and a one shot victory at Colonial.Rookie Fever
It was another windy and difficult scoring week in Texas as the Tour contined their stay in the Dallas Metroplex at the Byron Nelson. And once again their was another playoff! Sunday was an up for grabs free for all, but four players rose to the top: Ryan Palmer, Ryuji Imada, Joe Ogilvie, and rookie Keegan Bradley. Keegan Bradley posted an early two-under 68 to sit in the clubhouse at three-under total. He watched as the difficult conditions took their toll on the leaders. Imada held a one-stroke lead on the 71st tee, but promptly bogied in to finish one back. Palmer was one back of Bradly on the 72nd and stuck a wedge and drained the putt to force a playoff. But he could not match that magic as on the very same hole he drained his ball…into the greenside pond leading to a bogey and giving the New Enlander Bradley his first professional victory and an invite to next season’s Masters.He's A Stricker
Finally out of Texas the Tour focused on my home, Dublin Ohio and Jack’s Memorial Tournament. I spent a few beer drinking extremely hot days walking around Muirfield Village watching the Tour’s best. Tour vet Steve Stricker’s assult on Muirfield’s front nine (a whopping 20-under for the week) paced the field growing a one time seven shot lead midway through Saturday’s third round. But a few stumbles down the stretch opened the door for the rest of the field. On Sunday “Strick” once again abused the front nine before a late afternoon weather delay once again tightened the field with Brandt Jobe and Matt Kuchar capitalizing on Stricker’s mishaps. But in the end the late finish had Stricker on the 72nd tee with a two-shot lead and although he bogied, he was still able to gain another emotional win at Jack’s place.'Fraz' Your Glass
Long time journeyman Harrison Frazer finally won his first PGA event in 355 career starts at the Fedex St. Jude in Memphis. Frazer and Swede Robert Karlsson lapped the field and deadlocked through 72 holes and yet another 2011 playoff. After 3 playoff holes Frazer realized his long time dream and captured his first ever PGA win. Welcome to Augusta Mr. Frazer.
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