Mercedes Championship 2006

[iacas]

Well, I know one thing for sure: Tiger

won't win .

Tiger Woods isn't sure where he will start the 2006 PGA Tour season, but it won't be at the Mercedes Championships in January. After a lot of thought, he has decided to skip the season-opening event in Maui, Hawaii, to relax and spend time with his family.

[Thrash13]

I will admit, Tiger has played more golf this year than he has the past couple. Or at least it seems like he has, especially the past couple months. He has been around the world and back. I wish he would play the event, but it's probably a good choice on his part.

We will still get Vijay, Phil, Retief, Sergio, Adam Scott, etc. The field will be very good nonetheless, and maybe the rest of the field will get a leg up on Tiger. They will need it.

By the way, is it 2006 yet? :)

[iacas]

I will admit, Tiger has played more golf this year than he has the past couple. Or at least it seems like he has, especially the past couple months. He has been around the world and back. I wish he would play the event, but it's probably a good choice on his part.

Dunno so much about Phil...

[Thrash13]

Dunno so much about Phil...

Yeah, I'm about tired of Phil. It wouldn't surprise me at all if he withdrew from The Mercedes.

I would like to see all the winners, but I guess that's being selfish as a fan. That's ok though, I'll admit to being a selfish golf fan.

[Everardo]

Why is it that people feel bad for Tiger and excuse his absence but bag on Phil...just not right

Well one less person to see when I'm there. I wonder if the crowds will be smaller now

[Frank-0-Sport]

Greetings ....

A very large reason for Tiger's skipping the Mercedes -- his father, Earl.

We haven't heard much about Earl lately. Hopefully everything's OK. However, Tiger knows that quality time with his Dad is extremely precious nowadays. Whenever Tiger has won a major, he mentions how grateful he is to share the victory with his father.

It's Christmas time -AND- it's Tiger's 30th birthday on December 30th. If Earl's time is indeed at hand, this is the time to be close to home.


In an Alternate Golf Reality . the withdrawals of Tiger Woods and (maybe) Retief Goosen would be good news for John Daly (if his hand injury is not an issue).


Thanx-A-Lot, Frank-0-Sport

[Thrash13]

Why is it that people feel bad for Tiger and excuse his absence but bag on Phil...just not right

If Phil skips out on the Mercedes, it will be the second time he has done that in a big tournament in the past two months. He also skipped out on the Tour Championship, possibly the biggest event in golf after the four majors and Players Championship.

Phil hasn't played much at all since the PGA Championship, while Tiger has been playing like a mad man all around the world the past few months. The situations are completely different, and they will be even more different if Tiger's absence has anything to do with Earl Woods. That's why I said what I said about Phil. Honestly, I was being a little sarcastic about Phil in my first post. I used to be a fan, but I'm not really one anymore. I'm not a big fan of Tiger either, so I wasn't playing favorites. I just think Tiger has been doing a lot for golf the past couple months, while Phil has been sitting on his butt gaining more weight. Then again, so have I.

[flap]

Then again hes sitting on his butt next to AMY and you aint!!!

[iacas]

Then again hes sitting on his butt next to AMY and you aint!!!

Fine by me. She seems a bit neurotic.

[Thrash13]

Then again hes sitting on his butt next to AMY and you aint!!!

Heh, good point.

Then again, maybe my wife is hotter than Amy. On the Mercedes Championship discussion, time is going slow right now as far as that is concerned. It seems like an eternity away from the start of the 2006 season. I'm not so sure I want the revamped shorter schedule for 2007 after having to deal with this short break since November. Once the schedule is shortened, we will have to go three or four months without the PGA. That could be tough.

[Mr_Slice]

On the Mercedes Championship discussion, time is going slow right now as far as that is concerned. It seems like an eternity away from the start of the 2006 season. I'm not so sure I want the revamped shorter schedule for 2007 after having to deal with this short break since November. Once the schedule is shortened, we will have to go three or four months without the PGA. That could be tough.

Just a few more hours until we see them tee off. I'm pretty excited, even if Tiger isn't there (I couldn't care less whether I ever have to watch Phil play golf again or not). Who's gonna win it? Appleby again, maybe Gore or O'Hair? Sergio perhaps, or will Singh start the year off strong? Let's get this party started!

[kklick]

Lucas Glover is not off to a good start. 3 over after 3. better hope he gets that straightened out soon.

[Mr_Slice]

Lucas Glover is not off to a good start. 3 over after 3. better hope he gets that straightened out soon.

Now he's +4 after four holes. Those greens must be nasty now that they made them faster. Guess who my last pick in my CBS Sportsline salary cap team was? Yep, good 'ole Lucas Glover. I hope he doesn't keep this up for the entire West Coast Swing or I'm gonna be hurting.

Edit: The course is really eating the guys up so far. It's extremely early, but they aren't doing so hot.

[cmarkmyers]

What a beautiful course but man those greens looked brutal. Like the announcers said though, the players should adjust a bit and we may see better scores before all is said and done. I know Gore hopes so.

My pick after the first is Vijay. There is no way he can continue to put this bad through the next three rounds.

[Mr_Slice]

I'm finding it hard to pick against Appleby. He plays so well at Kapalua. But I think Vijay putts like that the rest of the time and definitely still contends. Sergio may have something to say about the lead when all is said and done.

Speaking of Sergio, what exactly is the deal with the hair and how does it tie into Adam Scott and Tim Clark? He mentioned that the three of them had this thing going but never mentioned really what they were doing. I saw Tim Clark with a full beard the other day, so maybe that had something to do with it. Scott and Garcia are my two favorite players not named Tiger so I was thought it was pretty cool that they are friends.

[flap]

Did not realize you were hanging out your "shingle" this week.

[Everardo]

So my day started kinda crappy when I found out my company had just been bought out. But when I arrived at Kapalua and checking my car into valet, who other than Mr & Mrs Jason Gore are right in front of me. I got to chat with Jason for about 30 seconds, mostly congrats on the fabulous 05 season and a little about the baby. I immediately headed over to the Plantation course, watching and walking with many groups. Saw Furyk nearly shot a hole in one on 8 and chatted with Fluff a little at the hotel afterwards! Also was able to get most of the players signatures on my flag. Oh I can't wait for tomorrow and Sunday! My day is a WHOLE lot better now, more to come...

[Everardo]

Another interesting tidbit is the manufacturer count

Cleveland = 5 (Bryant, Short Jr, Singh, Taylor, Toms)
TaylorMade = 5 (Funk, Garcia, Lonard, O'Hair, Perry)
Titleist = 5 (Bohn, Crane, Gamez, Glover, Faxon)
Nike = 4 (Choi, Gore, Leonard, Pettersson)
Ping = 3 (Calc, Purdy, Slocum)
Callaway = 2 (Campbell, Browne)
Srixon = 2 (Furyk, Petrovic)
Bridgstone = 1 (Appleby)
Cobra = 1 (Ogilvy)

If the other players had shown
Nike +1 (Tiger)
Wilson +1 (Harrington)
Callaway +1 (Mickelson)
TaylorMade +1 (Goosen)

Finally, Garcia is playing the BlackMax and Furyk had his Hogans irons still