Author: Cody Thrasher

Early 2008 Ryder Cup Talk: United States

This week’s article breaks down the current status of the U.S. Ryder Cup team.

Thrash TalkThe 2008 Ryder Cup is still five months away, but it’s definitely sneaking up on golf fans. The United States hasn’t won The Ryder Cup since 1999, but the Americans will be looking to change that this year on home soil. They were embarassed four years ago on home soil, but there will probably be a lot of different golfers teeing it up this time around.

In a couple weeks, I’ll break down the current status of the European Ryder Cup team. This week, however, it’s the underdog United States side that gets the spotlight. I’ll start with the usual suspects that have almost guaranteed their spot on the team already, and then I’ll talk about some middle-of-the-pack guys, possible first-timers, and more. It’s still early, but that doesn’t mean we can’t start thinking about the greatest event in golf.

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2008 Masters Predictions

Can anyone stop Tiger from winning his fifth green jacket? Don’t bet on it.

Thrash TalkThe 2008 Masters is finally here! As usual, the hype is centered around the number one golfer in the world, Tiger Woods. Woods will be going for his fifth green jacket after coming up a little short the last two years at Augusta. His win streak might have ended at the WGC-CA Championship a couple weeks back, but he will be looking to start a new one this week.

Can anyone stop Tiger from winning the second leg in his bid for another Tiger Slam? The Sand Trap staff members have looked long and hard into the crystal ball and are ready to pick a winner, a possible disappointment, and more. If you have anything to add, feel free to comment below or discuss it in the forum.

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Bunker’s Dozen: April 2008

Tiger Woods and Lorena Ochoa battle for the top spot on this month’s list.

Thrash TalkThe Bunker’s Dozen is making its long-awaited return after being absent for the past year. Right now, there are two dominant forces in golf. Tiger Woods is on another great run on the PGA Tour and Lorena Ochoa is completely dominating the LPGA Tour.

Tiger has won four of the five events he has entered in 2008, and Ochoa has won three of the four she has entered so far this season. These two battle for the top spot in this month’s ranking, but who else will find a spot in the April edition of Bunker’s Dozen? Read on to find out. If you have anything to add, please comment below or discuss it in the forum.

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LPGA Tour Questions for 2008

The LPGA Tour’s stock continues to rise in 2008.

Thrash TalkThe 2008 LPGA Tour season is in full swing, and things are off to a great start. There have only been five events so far, and Lorena Ochoa, Annika Sorenstam, and Paula Creamer each have at least one win already. That’s a great sign for the LPGA Tour because all three are among the most marketable in the women’s game.

The season’s first major championship, the Kraft Nabisco, starts today. This event was very exciting the past two seasons, and it should be highly competitive again this year. With the first major on the horizon, it’s time to ask a few LPGA Tour questions for 2008. Keep reading to find out what I have to say about Lorena Ochoa, Paula Creamer, Michelle Wie, and more.

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Tiger’s Still Streaking

When and where will Tiger’s win streak end?

Thrash TalkTiger Woods is taking the golf world by storm yet again. To put things in perspective, Woods hasn’t lost a tournament he has entered since the Deutsche Bank Championship last September. Phil Mickelson outlasted the world’s number one golfer that day, but nobody has been able to stop him since. That’s a win streak in excess of six months for crying out loud!

With The Masters on the horizon, the talk of Tiger’s win streak is dominating the golf headlines for good reason. It’s a pretty safe bet Woods won’t win every tournament he enters for the rest of his career, so the win streak has to end at some point. When and where that happens is worth looking into, and that’s what I’ll attempt to do in this week’s article.

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2007 Players Predictions

It’s prediction time again at The Sand Trap, so have a seat and enjoy the ride!

Thrash TalkThe Players has been called the “fifth major” by certain fans and members of the golf media. The Sand Trap staff members don’t consider it a fifth major, but it’s pretty damn special nonetheless. If I was a professional golfer, I’d want to win this event more than any other after the four major championships. It isn’t called “The Players” for nothing.

When big golf tournaments arrive, so does the Tiger talk. Mr. Woods narrowly missed out on winning The Masters last month, but he did win the Wachovia Championship this past weekend. He is obviously playing very well right now, and he will be the heavy favorite as usual. Woods has won The Players before, but it’s not his best event by any means. It will be interesting to see how he plays this week.

Other favorites include Vijay Singh and Phil Mickelson. Singh has quietly put together another solid season and would love to win The Players on his home course. Mickelson is also playing pretty well after going through a large coaching change and a small swing change. Will one of these three win this week, or will a dark-horse like Fred Funk or Stephen Ames step up and take on the challenge? Who will disappoint, and who will surprise? Read what we think below. If you have anything to add, please comment below or discuss it in the forum.

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Early LPGA Talk

The LPGA Tour has had its ups and downs so far this season.

Thrash TalkThe 2007 LPGA Tour season is in full swing, but it’s been flying under the radar of many. The first major championship of the season wasn’t nearly as exciting as last year’s edition, and that has definitely hurt things a little. I was happy Morgan Pressel won the Nabisco Championship, but the way she won it wasn’t very thrilling. She basically finished her round and watched the leaders crumble coming down the stretch.

In other action on the LPGA Tour this season, a young gun returned to the winner’s circle for the first time in over a year, someone other than Annika is number one in the world, and the Korean contingent is still looking for their first victory of the year. There have been some positives and negatives so far in 2007, and I’m here to break them down.

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2007 Masters Aftermath

Was the 2007 Masters as unbearable as some people are saying? Not at all.

Thrash TalkIt’s been a great golf season for me so far. Charles Howell III has a win and is right in the middle of The FedEx Cup race and Zach Johnson outlasted the world’s best to win a green jacket. Johnson has been one of my favorites since I realized how similar our respective golf swings are, even if his has paid off a little more. It was truly great to see the Iowa native hold on in such a huge tournament. You could tell he was blown away by everything, and that was refreshing.

Overall, I’ve heard a lot of negatives about the 2007 Masters. The course was a lot tougher than usual, and there weren’t as many birdies or eagles throughout the four days of competition. Also, some fans get a little bent out of shape when Tiger or Phil don’t win every major championship. All this aside, this year’s Masters was still pretty damn good!

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2007 Masters Predictions

Was anyone brave enough to pick against Tiger? Read our predictions to find out.

Thrash TalkThe 2007 Masters begins today. It’s a great day to be a golf fan! (On the other hand, it’s not so great to be the spouse of a golf fan.) The season’s first men’s major championship has arrived, and everyone has a clean slate as far as predictions go. The Sand Trap staff members are included in this group and have once again voiced our opinions in what has become a tradition for us come majors time.

This year, Tiger Woods will be attempting to win his fifth green jacket and third straight major while Phil Mickelson will be trying for his third green jacket in four years. The spotlight will be on those two golfers for the most part, but there are plenty of guys talented enough to win this time around.

Were any of us brave enough to pick against Tiger? If so, who did we pick to knock off the world’s best? Finally, which golfers may sneak up on the field and contend, and what are our opinions of the ever-changing Augusta National? All this and more can be found below. If you have anything to add, please comment below or discuss it in the forum. Now let’s get this show on the road!

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