Category: PGA

Call it February madness, the Accenture WGC World Match Play Championships are the closest thing the golf world has to NCAA basketball’s big dance. Thankfully, Lake La Costa managed to dry up enough to allow play to continue albeit with minor alterations. The 467-yard 9th hole is normally a par-4, but the torrential rains forced tournament organizers to change it into a 160-yard par-3. The first round of competition included some very surprising results for high-seeded players. Earlier this week, we gave you our predictions of just how the tournament would pan out on each round. How did we do?

Continue reading “Accenture WGC World Match Play Round 1”

Although the Accenture WGC Matchplay Championship garners much of the media attention this week, there is another PGA Tour event with some recognizable names teeing it up this week in Tucson, Arizona. The Chrysler Classic of Tucson was born out of necessity seven years ago so players who fail to qualify for the Matchplay have a chance to compete and improve their world ranking. After the first round, Billy Mayfair and Mario Tiziani are tied for the lead at -9. Veteran Mark Calcavecchia, Michael Allen, Lucas Glover, and Darron Stiles are one back at -8. The event is played at the Omni Tuscon National Resort and the event is known for very low scoring. In 2004, Heath Slocum won the event with a final score of -22, 2003’s champion Frank Lickliter won with a total of -19.

Continue reading “Chrysler Classic of Tucson”

In light of the washout of the Nissan Open last weekend, the news that the Accenture World Match Play would be delayed until Thursday came as little surprise to many golf fans. Parts of La Costa golf resort were literally under water thanks to 2 inches of rain in the last day, and little relief is in sight since another inch is expected tonight. Luckily, since this is a diminished field event and each round halves the field, PGA officials are planning on playing two rounds on Friday to make up the lost time. Tournament director Mark Russell said, “It’s totally saturated, but based on this weather forecast, it’s going to get nothing but better. If we get a day of sunshine and breeze, it will get dramatically better.”

Continue reading “They Say it Never Rains in Southern California”

Vijay Singh and Tiger Woods are neck-and-mockneck atop the World Golf Ranking, with Singh holding a slight lead. Could this be the place for the two top guns to have a 36-hole shootout? Don’t get your hopes up for a No. 1-2 showdown at La Costa Resort and Spa in Carlsbad, CA this week. First of all, the 64-player bracket is every bit as unpredictable as NCAA hoops in March Madness mode. Second of all, a third player is going to throw his visor into the “Who’s No. 1?” debate. He won’t have the world ranking points to officially claim the top spot, but at week’s end, look for Phil Mickelson to stand tall above Vijay, Tiger and the rest of the world for the all-important title of Best Golfer in the World right now.

Read on for details on how Phil is going to take over the world, as well as predictions for every single match scheduled for soggy La Costa at this week’s WGC/Accenture Match Play Championship.

Continue reading “Accenture/WGC World Match Play Preview”

Day after day of heavy rain in the Los Angeles area left the Nissan Open very open ended. Yesterday no one seemed to know for sure whether the tournament would be called after two rounds, or whether a third round would be played on Monday. However, two additional inches of rainfall last night made the decision to call the tournament an easy choice. The final leaderboard showed two leaders: Adam Scott and Chad Campbell tied at 9-under par. Thankfully, the rain eased up enough today to allow a playoff between Scott and Campbell and crown a winner. The playoff was decided on the first hole, when Scott sunk a 4-foot putt for par on the 18th green to cash in on an unofficial victory on the PGA Tour.

Continue reading “Scott Shines in Playoff”

Players finally finished the second round of the Nissan Open and tournament officials are going to attempt to get a third round in on Monday, but the forecast isn’t promising.

Adam Scott took advantage of the weather and fired a 5-under 66 to vault him into a tie for the 36-hole lead. Should the tournament end, Scott and Chad Campbell, who completed his second round on Friday and hasn’t hit a shot since, would play off late Monday for the $836,000 first-place check. The win, unfortunately, would be unofficial. Tour officials still hope that 54 holes can be played – they have 12 hours of daylight and a field of 76 golfers after the cut – to make the tournament official.

Continue reading “Manic Monday at the Nissan? Or Tuesday…”

The rain kept coming. So much so that the Nissan Open may become the first 36-hole event in nearly nine years on the PGA Tour. PGA Tour tournament director Mark Russel said “Our main goal is to get 36 holes in. We’re at the mercy of the elements, and right now it has us on the ground.”

The Nissan Open may need to catch a break just to finish 36, as rain is forecast for Sunday and Monday. The $7.5 million Match Play Championship, a World Golf Championship event, begins Wednesday in La Costa, CA. Last year’s Match Play Championship was the site of the last PGA Tour rainout when the second round was cancelled.

Continue reading “Raindrops Keep Fallin’ on my Head… Saturday at the Nissan Washed Out”

Play in the second round of the Nissan Open was pushed back four hours due to rain and eventually suspended, as many players – including first-round leader Brian Davis – didn’t even get a chance to tee off.

Chad Campbell teed off, though, and nearly holed out two shots en route to a 6-under 65 that catapulted him into a three-shot lead over Robert Allenby. Davis was about to tee off on ten when the siren signaling the end of play due to darkness sounded, ending his round before it had even begun.

Continue reading “Nissan Open: Friday Recap”

Brian Davis is an unlikely leader after the first round of the Nissan Open, but then again, the first round isn’t quite over yet. Davis, a 2004 Q-School graduate, fired a 6-under 65 to take the early lead at rain-soaked Riviera Country Club.

One back, Luke Donald and Darren Clarke, who recorded a “1” on his scorecard at the “bunker-in-the-green” 6th. Donald bogeyed his last after his drive found a divot and his approach a greenside bunker. Brett Quigley, who’s having a good year so far, also fired a 66.

Continue reading “Riviera Rain: Round One of the Nissan”