Tour Previews 07.05.08
Wednesday 7th May 2008
By Fergus Bisset
PGA Tour
The Players Championship
Lowdown:
Often referred to as the unofficial fifth Major, the Players Championship is one of the richest tournaments in world golf. Always attracting a stellar field, Phil Mickelson will return as defending champion hoping he can become the first man to win The Players in consecutive years.
The Pete-Dye designed course at Sawgrass plays host to the tournament for the 27th time but it's expected to provide a sterner test than ever before in 2008. The course was renovated in 2006 to accommodate the competition's move from March to May - it was felt that firmer conditions due to milder weather meant the layout had to be toughened up. But last year tournament officials decided not to set the course up at its most difficult due to strong winds – a good decision as it turned out.
This year the greens will be faster and the rough thicker, anyone missing the fairway will have a tough time finding the small greens.
"We didn't want the course, with all the changes, to go over the edge," said Fred Klauk, the longtime course superintendent. "But we feel confident that we can challenge them a little more this year."
Venue: TPC at Sawgrass, Florida
Course stats: par 72, 7,215 yards
Purse: $9,000,000, Winner $1,700,000
Defending Champion: Phil Mickelson (-11)
TV coverage:
Thursday 8 – Live on Setanta Golf from 6pm
Friday 9 – Live on Setanta Golf from 6pm
Saturday 10 – Live on Setanta Golf from 7pm
Sunday 11 – Live on Setanta Golf from 7pm
Player Watch:
Phil Mickelson – Hoping to become the first man to defend this title. Also keen to make the most of Tiger's absence. The World Number One is still out of action following an operation on his knee.
Ben Curtis – After a storming final round last week, the 2003 Open Champion will be coming into this event on a high.
KJ Choi – The Korean is a consistent performer and a great thinker out on course, he'll manage his way round the testing layout effectively.
Key Hole: 16th. A 507 yard par five reachable in two for most players but the approach must flirt with the water short of the green and all down the right side. Eagle is a possibility here but so is a big number.
Skills Required: Course management. Pete Dye courses are notoriously awkward to play and the key to success around Sawgrass is to find the fairways – see Fred Funk's victory in 2005.
European Tour
Methorios Capital Italian Open
Lowdown:
Last year's Italian Open was one of the most closely fought tournaments on the European Tour schedule. An incredible 25 players finished within five shots of the winning score. Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano was the eventual winner but, fittingly, it required a playoff to separate him from Austria's Markus Brier.
The tournament returns to the Castello di Tolcinasco Golf and Country Club in 2008, it'll be the fifth successive year the club has hosted the Italian Open and this will be the competition's 65th running. The course always produces low scoring: Fernandez-Castano's total of -16 was the highest witnessed at the venue.
The event has a new sponsor this year in the shape of Italian corporate finance company Methorios Capital. Fabio Palumbo, Chairman of Methorios Capital, said: “We are delighted to become involved in an event as prestigious as the Italian Open. To be associated with this great championship is a great honour.”
Venue: Castello di Tolcinasco G&CC, Milan, Italy
Course stats: par 72, 7,283 yards
Purse: €1,700,000, Winner: €283,330
Defending Champion: Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano (-16)
TV coverage:
Thursday 8 – Live on Sky Sports 1 from 10.30am
Friday 9 – Live on Sky Sports 1 from 10.30am
Saturday 10 – Live on Sky Sports 3 from 12 noon
Sunday 11 – Live on Sky Sports 2 from 12.30pm
Player Watch:
Oliver Wilson: The Englishman has recorded two second place finishes so far in 2008. He's yet to win on the European Tour but it's only a matter of time. He was 14th here last year.
Francesco Molinari: The 2006 winner always performs well on home soil. He's enjoying a solid season and was tied third in the BMW Asian Open two weeks ago.
Alexander Noren – The young Swede is showing good form having recorded a top-ten finish in Spain last week. He's due his breakthrough victory and this could be the week for it.
Key Hole: 18th. A 423 yard par four with water flanking the left side. It's a difficult par so there's no chance to relax until the final putt has dropped.
Skills Required: Making birdies. When Francesco Molinari won in 2006 he finished on a total of -23. The players will have to be well under par for four rounds to have any chance of victory.
