Life Without Tiger
Golf without Tiger might not be good for fans, but will give a bunch of mere mortals a shot at the brass ring.
The PGA visits Connecticut this week, if you give a damn. How many days are left until Augusta, 2009? The countdown is on.
Kevin has it all the good on this weeks journeyman tourney PGA 365, and while a short in Nike might be a rash decision, golf will enter a bear market without its main man.
Ahh, there’s no place like home. This week’s Travelers Championship (formerly known as the Buick Championship, and the GHO for YEARS before that) is played at the TPC River Highlands in Cromwell, CT. It is one of the oldest continuously played tournaments on tour, starting as the Insurance City Open in 1952. River Highlands may not be on many people’s radars and personally I think it’s an underrated venue. There’s the drivable Par 4 15th hole, and then an outstanding collection of finishing holes including the Par 3 16, the fantastic Par 4 17th that looks like the reverse of the Blue Monster, and the stadium setup of the closing Par 4 18th. Having the tournament be in my backyard and spending hours and hours as both a spectator and a volunteer have really helped me understand this course and which players are best suited here.
For Tier 1 players, look no further than Hunter Mahan. Mahan collected his first PGA tour win here last year and placed 2nd the previous year. He’s a long and accurate hitter and generally players who are long and straight do well here. Something about River Highlands works for him. River Highlands should be a nice reprieve from Torrey Pines and I expect him to post an exceptionally low score in at least one of the rounds. Another frequent visitor and excellent pick would be Vijay Singh. Vijay has played here many times and can hit the ball a mile, the only question is if his game is on. River Highlands is not a terribly long course so his short game has to be sharp to take advantage of his length off the tees. I think these are the best picks of the top tier.
Tier 2 has an interesting mix of players. First there’s Stewart Cink. Cink has been having an awesome year and actually won his first tournament here back in 1997. He knows the course better than virtually anyone as he comes back every year. Hopefully he’ll be able to seal the deal this week - he’s come so close on so many occasions that it’s only a matter of time for everything to come together. Why not now? Stuart Appleby is also in the field and had a respectable showing at the US Open, save a few blow-up holes. He has also played this tournament several times and he is one of the best in the field, talent-wise. Keep an eye out for Bubba Watson and Nick O’Hare as well.
Lastly, Kenny Perry should be at the top of your Tier 3 list. Perry loves this tournament and in an interview a week before the US Open he said that he was really looking forward to playing here. Perry is long and straight, and has played very well this year including a win at the Memorial Tournament. And for my sleeper pick? Brad Axon! Axon won in 2005 and while his better days are behind him now, he manages to bring his best stuff at this tournament year in and year out. He and Corey Pavin are staples here, and either of them should be able to net you some decent points.
__________________________________________________________________
Tiger’s new Career, acting.
