rory or rory
December 9th 2008 06:23
In South Africa, the European Tour is hosting the Alfred Dunhill tournament which has drawn perhaps its best field ever.
It seems clear-cut to me that the two Rorys standout – Rory Sabbatini and Rory McIlroy.
Sabbatini was among those who chased home Henrik Stenson in the Sun City event last week and had been in solid form before that. He’ll be keen to prove himself in his home country and he’d only have to produce something near his best US PGA Tour form to be in with a show.
McIlroy, the teenager from Northern Ireland, should have won in Singapore three weeks back but was outgunned in a playoff.
He’s been in exceptional form and as long as he hasn’t lost any form in the last couple of weeks will be right in the thick of things here. His game is A-class and as long he can stay focused for the entire 72 holes he’s good enough to get his maiden win here.
Of the others, South African Richard Sterne is in steady form as is England’s Lee Westwood (and he’s been playing a lot) but I fancy an English guy called David Lynn to breakthrough this season and this field is weak enough to allow him to do so.
In Australia, it’s one of the great tournaments of the world, and I don’t mean that flippantly – historically The Australia Open is tough enough and has drawn good enough fields to qualify as something close to a major. For many years before pro golf really took off it was regarded as the “fifth major” after it was won by guys like Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player.
These days, the Aussie tournament by nature of where it falls in the calendar, doesn’t draw the grand fields of yesterday but the best of downunder are at Royal Sydney, barring Kiwi Michael Campbell who is off with a shoulder injury.
Anyway, I’m going for current form coupled with previous form at Royal Sydney, which is shortish but tricky layout which suits genuine shotmakers.
John Senden won the Open here in 2006 and he played well enough last week at Coolum to suggest a successful title defence is in the offing.
Ditto Geoff Ogilvy. He won last week and was close up behind Senden in 06 and he’s got major game.
Stuart Appleby has been in OK form but importantly has improved week on week in Australia and could peak this weekend.
Of the others Nathan Green led through three rounds here in 2006 and is in pretty good nick right now so outside those top three he’s a rough chance.
Before I go a word on the PGA Tour school where there was some nail-biting drama as the players tried to get to 19-under par to make into the top-25 who gain entry to the PGA Tour for next year,
A mix of veterans like Harrison Frazar, John Huston, Chris Riley, Jay Williamson and Notah Begay made it back to the Show but the real story was in the guys who snuck home by the skin of their teeth and easily the most impressive was Wil Collins who was on 19-under standing on the 18th tee of the Stadium Course (the harder of the two courses used). He pulled it into the rough and had a really bad uphill lie and was looking into the sun. With water on the right hand side he decided to lay up to about 130 metres and take his chances on hitting the green and making his putt.
It reminded of the play David Toms put in on the 72nd hole when he won his only major, the 2001 PGA Championship, laying up in front of water and trusting his excellent putting to win.
Collins dropped his approach pin high and nailed an uphill breaking putt of about 15 feet to earn his card. It was a great play especially as it was 108th hole on a hectic week – to stay so cool with so much on the line makes him a player who I think can make it big on the Tour. Watch out for him.
It seems clear-cut to me that the two Rorys standout – Rory Sabbatini and Rory McIlroy.
Sabbatini was among those who chased home Henrik Stenson in the Sun City event last week and had been in solid form before that. He’ll be keen to prove himself in his home country and he’d only have to produce something near his best US PGA Tour form to be in with a show.
McIlroy, the teenager from Northern Ireland, should have won in Singapore three weeks back but was outgunned in a playoff.
He’s been in exceptional form and as long as he hasn’t lost any form in the last couple of weeks will be right in the thick of things here. His game is A-class and as long he can stay focused for the entire 72 holes he’s good enough to get his maiden win here.
Of the others, South African Richard Sterne is in steady form as is England’s Lee Westwood (and he’s been playing a lot) but I fancy an English guy called David Lynn to breakthrough this season and this field is weak enough to allow him to do so.
In Australia, it’s one of the great tournaments of the world, and I don’t mean that flippantly – historically The Australia Open is tough enough and has drawn good enough fields to qualify as something close to a major. For many years before pro golf really took off it was regarded as the “fifth major” after it was won by guys like Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player.
These days, the Aussie tournament by nature of where it falls in the calendar, doesn’t draw the grand fields of yesterday but the best of downunder are at Royal Sydney, barring Kiwi Michael Campbell who is off with a shoulder injury.
John Senden won the Open here in 2006 and he played well enough last week at Coolum to suggest a successful title defence is in the offing.
Ditto Geoff Ogilvy. He won last week and was close up behind Senden in 06 and he’s got major game.
Stuart Appleby has been in OK form but importantly has improved week on week in Australia and could peak this weekend.
Of the others Nathan Green led through three rounds here in 2006 and is in pretty good nick right now so outside those top three he’s a rough chance.
Before I go a word on the PGA Tour school where there was some nail-biting drama as the players tried to get to 19-under par to make into the top-25 who gain entry to the PGA Tour for next year,
A mix of veterans like Harrison Frazar, John Huston, Chris Riley, Jay Williamson and Notah Begay made it back to the Show but the real story was in the guys who snuck home by the skin of their teeth and easily the most impressive was Wil Collins who was on 19-under standing on the 18th tee of the Stadium Course (the harder of the two courses used). He pulled it into the rough and had a really bad uphill lie and was looking into the sun. With water on the right hand side he decided to lay up to about 130 metres and take his chances on hitting the green and making his putt.
It reminded of the play David Toms put in on the 72nd hole when he won his only major, the 2001 PGA Championship, laying up in front of water and trusting his excellent putting to win.
Collins dropped his approach pin high and nailed an uphill breaking putt of about 15 feet to earn his card. It was a great play especially as it was 108th hole on a hectic week – to stay so cool with so much on the line makes him a player who I think can make it big on the Tour. Watch out for him.
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