Category: Thrash Talk

Is it Still Camilo Time?

Is Camilo Villegas’ future still as bright as it once was?

Thrash TalkDuring the Florida Swing in early 2006, the majority of golf fans were introduced to Camilo Villegas. Villegas’ flashy look and style took the golf world by storm. On top of that, his unique way of reading greens entertained the masses. The young Colombian had the look of a star, and he seemed to have the game to contend immediately.

After a great start to the 2006 PGA Tour season, Villegas struggled as the year progressed. Those struggles continued in the early parts of 2007, with the exception of an occasional strong finish here and there. He found his game the last month of the season and recorded three top-10 finishes in a row to end the season.

This year, it’s been a mixed bag once again for Villegas. After quite a few mediocre finishes to start the season, he has a couple top-10 finishes in the past month (including a third-place finish this past weekend at Sugarloaf). With all the inconsistency, is Villegas still a relevant figure in the golf world? Also, does he have what it takes to get things right and become a multiple-time winner on the PGA Tour? Let’s take a look.

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Early 2008 Ryder Cup Talk: Europe

The Europeans have won the last three Ryder Cup matches, but how are they looking for 2008?

Thrash TalkA few weeks ago, I broke down the current status of the United States Ryder Cup team, and now it’s time to take a look at the team from across the pond. The European side will enter this year’s matches as the three-time defending champions, and regardless of what the media says, they will definitely be the favorites this time around.

The European Ryder Cup team is selected using three different methods. The first is based on the players’ standing in the European Tour Order of Merit over a 12-month period. The second is based off the players’ Official World Golf Ranking points won in the same 12-month period. These two methods will qualify ten members for the team, while the remaining two golfers will be selected by captain Nick Faldo.

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Bunker’s Dozen: May 2008

This month’s list has some Masters, Players, and LPGA Tour flavor.

Thrash TalkThe 2008 Masters and Players have come and gone, and this month’s list is weighted by both. Trevor Immelman won the green jacket last month at Augusta but has struggled badly since. Sergio Garcia, on the other hand, silenced the putting demons long enough to win The Players this past weekend. The media has been waiting for the young guns to step it up, and both Immelman and Garcia did just that in the past month.

It’s been a great past month for the PGA Tour, but the LPGA Tour has also made waves. In fact, three ladies have completely dominated things in 2008. Lorena Ochoa, Annika Sorenstam, and Paula Creamer have accounted for 10 wins in 11 events so far this season. That’s an amazing stat to say the least.

All five mentioned above are in this month’s Bunker’s Dozen, but where will each of them end up? Continue reading to find out. If you have anything to add, please comment below or discuss it in the forum.

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2008 Players (Championship) Predictions

With Tiger away, who will come out and play at Sawgrass?

Thrash TalkThe four major championships are obviously the biggest tournaments each season, but “The Players” is next in line. The field is always one of the best, and the course is always a tough test for the world’s top golfers. The TPC at Sawgrass is also one of the most recognizable layouts in the world thanks in part to its great finishing stretch. The 16th hole is a risk/reward par five, the 17th is the famous island hole, and the 18th is one of the toughest finishing holes in golf.

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The Pornification of Golf

Think the Masters is dead? No argument here that the tournament has changed recently. But is the change really for the worse? I don’t think so…or maybe I do.

Thrash TalkOne of the most talked about aspects of the last two Masters tournaments has been the effect of the recent, dramatic architectural changes on the nature of the competition. Golf fans, like those of any sport with perhaps the exception of boxing, aren’t generally thrilled to see their champion determined in a war of attrition, stumbling over the corpses of their competition and limping across the finish line.

So it is no surprise that with the last two Masters Sundays (and perhaps the last several years’ worth of “toonaments”) featuring very few birdies and heroic charges among the eventual winners, many have concluded that the Augusta National Golf Club course has been changed for the worse. I’m not sure if there’s any merit to that argument, but I do know I’m pretty sick of hearing the whining. So for this week’s Thrash Talk, I decided to take a few vital signs on the tournament and today’s golf fan.

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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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Turning Up My Collar to Honor a Great Champion

Sometimes the hardest thing to see is what’s before your eyes. He’s no Tiger, but golf has seen few players in history as good as Phil Mickelson.

Thrash TalkAs I read my last Thrash Talk it occured to me that maybe it would be interesting to focus on the historical standing of a player other than Tiger Woods… or Jack Nicklaus, or Arnold Palmer, or Ben Hogan. It is a common theme in all sports to view the retired generations of stars as the gold standard of excellence, their career achievements standing like monuments on the top of a hill. Monuments which remind us of the great moments, ignoring the failures along the way.

Active players, in contrast, have incomplete careers, and generally no monuments. We are far better acquainted with both their successes and their failures, often causing us to rank them below the illusory image of the flawless champ of yesteryear. Certainly this is not true of all players; anyone watching Tiger Woods, or Roger Federer, or Michael Phelps, cannot escape the historical significance of their achievements, even in young, incomplete careers. But what about Tiger’s top competition? Could Tiger’s domination lead us to perhaps miss something truly great, right under our noses?

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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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