Farmers Insurance Open - preview

Farmers Insurance Open   

Torrey Pines (North & South Courses), CA   

Thursday Jan 28th - Sunday Jan 31st, 2016                                                 

by David Barwise

 

Photo: sportsunbiased.com

Jason Day’s back in his first title defence of the year to prove last year wasn’t a fluke.

Like the CareerBuilder Challenge last week, there is a rotation between courses, with the players alternating between North and South for the first two days before heading to the notorious South Course for the weekend.  

The winner every week on the tour is the man who tames his putter. But this time around, anyone who hits the 300+ yard ball has life significantly easier. The South Course is famed for its length and, as 3 out of 4 rounds will be played there, it’s a big name with a big game that I expect to do well this week.

 

Photo: wwos.ninemsn.com.au

Jason Day, the defending champion, has returned to kick-start his 2016 off with a win. After a shaky (though not terrible) performance at the Hyundai Tournament of Champions, this week has come highly anticipated as we look to see the World Number 2 swinging rust-free. However, after dropping out of the Farmers Insurance pro-am through illness, we may have to wait a little longer.

What’s more, as the season has been progressing so has the field-strength. Day will have to fend off in-form Brandt Snedeker, last week’s winner on the European Tour Rickie Fowler, bomber Dustin Johnson, and Phil Mickelson who, despite still perfecting swing changes, had the class and form to be dangerous last week.


Undeniably, though, this week’s intrigue will be around Jason Day and whether he can come out all guns blazing to take this season by the scruff of its neck. We all know that he’s a fighter – a season plagued with vertigo (two of his four majors were affected) has shown us that. But after a lengthy off-season, the birth of his second child and his first major victory, it wouldn’t surprise me if there’s an unconscious part of him that wouldn’t mind dropping back a little bit season.

That could be the theme of Jason’s week (and season). He must battle his greatest challenge yet – complacency. Oh, and Rickie Fowler.

 

 

Rickie Wins! But Where Does That Leave Us?

by David Barwise

Photo: www.usatoday.com

Appearance money well spent – Stenson, Spieth and McIlroy all in the top 5 and Fowler claims a second European Tour title in his last two events.

The boy played with skill, he held himself with confidence, and he won with style. Rickie Fowler’s victory was so hard-fought and well-earned that there was actually more coverage on his game than on his shoes. Well, maybe about 50-50. But still.

Sadly, I’ve heard them already and you probably have too. The cynics. Amid all the well-wishers and those binge watching his chip-in on the 17^th, a couple of words are beginning to surface on social media…

“So what?”

It’s not a major, it’s not even too prestigious an event. Ultimately, in the context of the entire season, it doesn’t really matter too much who won this weekend.

So why focus on it at all? One word – hype. Don’t be fooled; it’s not a dirty word. Hyping up every tournament and every victory is not only a typical part of the modern game but also important when you consider which big names are going to reign supreme in 2016.

Photo: www.thenational.ae

If Jordan had replicated his electric performance at the Hyundai Tournament of Champions earlier this year, the pressure would be on McIlroy to up is game and reclaim the No. 1 spot. Had Rory come out on top, the illusion of Spieth’s invincibility would have been shattered and he would have the pressure on his shoulders. Fowler on top of the leaderboard means he’s thrown his hat into the ring – the world’s golfing glitterati will have to work that little bit harder this year.

We can’t underestimate this effect. Because these tournaments are ultimately what provide the grounding for these majors – both in terms of confidence and expectation.

To us, the general golfing viewership, it means nothing other than a little extra zip of excitement. To these guys, it is so much more. True, they are battle-hardened professionals who have experience of dealing with this expectation. But that doesn’t mean they’re impervious. The fact that Fowler has come 2^nd so many times speaks volumes. One only needs to think of the Masters and remember Rory throwing away his lead in 2011 and Spieth doing similar in 2014.

So what is the answer to my first question – where does that leave us? Maybe a better question would be – who’s under the spotlight of pressure this week? As Rickie journeys back from his holiday, he’ll return to find a big tournament – The Farmers Insurance Open – and a big player – defending champion Jason Day. Who will make a statement this week? Who will lay claim for a place in the “Big Three”? Who will survive the hype?

Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship - preview

Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship

Abu Dhabi GC, United Arab Emirates

Thursday Jan 21st - Sunday Jan 24th, 2016

by David Barwise

The 18th hole at the Abu Dhabi golf course
Photo: timeoutabudhabi.com

I normally prefer to focus on the PGA Tour, but this week I’ll make an exception…

Jordan Spieth and Rory McIlroy face off for the first time in 2016 at this week's Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship. And they’re in the same group. With Rickie Fowler. So get excited.

In fact, the entire field is made up of big names with big games; according to the European Tour website, the field boasts 5 World Number Ones, 6 European Tour Number Ones, 8 major winners and 87 European Tour winners. Undeniably, the appearance money is flowing fast through the desert this week. Every cringy photo-op and selfie with Spieth, Fowler, Stenson and McIlroy reminds us of that fact.

Rory McIlroy, Jordan Spieth and Rickie Fowler will be playing in the same group
Photo: www.golfpost.de

So which of these superstars is the defending champions this week? Actually, it’s none of these. It’s World Number 136 Gary Stal. The Frenchman pounced as Martin Kaymer self-destructed on the final round to yield his lead and the opportunity to win the tournament an incredible 4^th time. Unsurprisingly, in the hope there will be another chapter to this story, the two have been put in the same group.

Haydn Porteous will also be in the field, fresh of his first European Tour win at the Joburg Open last week. Big things are expected from the young South African, whose victory booked his place at the Open this July, as he heads a new generation of talented SA golfers.

Can Haydn Porteous make it back-to-back wins on the European Tour this weekend?
Photo: www.heraldscotland.com 

But let’s not get too far away from the obvious. The smart money says that we’ll find this week’s champion in the Fowler/McIlroy/Spieth group. Fowler, who finished an impressive 5^th in the Hyundai Tournament of Champions earlier this year, found victory in his last visit to the European Tour in the Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open. McIlroy is not only the reigning The Race To Dubai Champion but also the European Tour Golfer of the Year. And as for Spieth? Well, his 30-under par at the HToC has only been achieved once before on the PGA Tour – he’s the hot favourite for this week. 

I can’t see the little matter of this being his European Tour debut get in his way.

Sony Open in Hawaii - preview

Sony Open in Hawaii

Waialae Country Club in Honolulu, Hawaii

Thursday Jan 14th - Sunday Jan 17th, 2016

by Michael Barwise

Waialae Country Club in Hawaii
Photo: www.priceless.com

The second event of this year's PGA Tour takes place at the famous Waialae Country Club in Hawaii. Nestled between the majestic Koolau mountain range and the Pacific Ocean, the golf course is layered with beautiful palm trees, and sandy white bunkers galore. It's not an easy course to play on by any means, but birdies are there for the taking. Someone who knows this only too well is Jimmy Walker. The American has won the competition for the past two years and after playing well at the Tournament of Champions last week, is looking to make it an unprecedented three wins in three years at the Sony Open. 

Can Jimmy Walker win the tournament for a third time running?
Photo: www.digestgolf.com

But to do that, he'll have to see off the other 143 golfers that make up the rest of the field. These include 7 other previous winners at Waialae - Russell Henley, Johnson Wagner, Mark Wilson, Ryan Palmer, Zach Johnson, K.J. Choi and Vijay Singh. The "Big Fijian" heads a trio of over 50s playing in the tournament - US Ryder Cup captain Davis Love III and former winner of the Players Championship Fred Funk are the others.

But what of the newcomers? Emiliano Grillo, winner of the Frys.Com Open, will make his first start at the Sony Open this weekend. As will Smylie Kaufman, who currently sits fifth in the FedExCup rankings. Both will be feeling confident after excellent performances in last week's Tour of Champions in Kapalua.

Rookie Smylie Kaufman at last week's Tournament of Champions
Photo: progolfnow.com

As for the runners and riders, Zach Johnson is one of the bookies' favourites. The current Open champion is in decent form at the moment and knows what it takes to win at Waialae, having claimed the title back in 2009. Brandt Snedeker is another one to look out for, having finished T3 last weekend, could it be his turn to be in the winner's circle come Sunday night? There's also Kevin Kisner, whose strong start to the season, sees him at the top of the FedExCup rankings. It'll also be worth keeping an eye on how Adam Scott does this week. The former Masters winner is having to get used to not being able to use his anchored putter, after new rules which banned them from the sport kicked in at the start of the year. 

How will Adam Scott cope this week without his belly putter?
Photo: www.bloomberg.com

There's no doubt that the absence of Jordan Spieth means that this tournament won't be getting the same exposure that the Tour of Champions did last week. In fact none of the top ten golfers in the world rankings will be on show at Waialae. But with the field as big and as varied as it is, there's no doubt it will be a very competitive event and the eventual champion will be a difficult one to predict.

Another exciting weekend of golf in Hawaii awaits...

7 Things We Learned At The Hyundai Tournament of Champions

by David Barwise

Spieth has set the bar for 2016. And it’s high.

Photo: www.progolfnow.com

It’s tempting to say that 2016 is going to be Jordan’s year, but until form has settled and we see what Rory has to offer in Dubai later this month it’s a little premature to come to that conclusion. I can’t even say that it’s his to lose – because right now he looks infallible and the onus is on everyone else to up their own games. What I *can* say is that his short-irons are as strong as ever and his putter has stayed hot over Christmas. Last season is looking less and less of a one-time thing, and he is undeniably the benchmark for anyone looking for a major victory.

Things are looking good for the US Ryder Cup Team.

Photo: www.skysports.com

Okay, so maybe there weren’t many European golfers there to make a comparison, but there was some very high-calibre golf being played. And it wasn’t all coming from places we’d expect – I for one was surprised to see Brandt Snedeker and Jimmy Walker finding form.  Kevin Kisner has continued his relentless march at the top of the FedExCup standings and Peter Malnati also seems an exciting prospect. Adding all of this to the players who were absent from the event (Furyk was injured, Kuchar didn’t qualify) and the current crop of top-level players (Jordan, Rickie, Bubba etc.), there’s going to be a real scrap for wildcard places.

Koepka is one to watch this season…

Photo: www.scoopnest.com

Another stellar performance from Brooks Koepka proves big things are on the way for the 25 year old. What I found most exciting is that it felt like he had more to give so, now that the season has properly begun, I’m looking forward to him getting a run of tournaments together and getting momentum. His 10-under was the best round score for the week.

…But he’s still human…

Brooks’ performance on day three put him on the final pairing on the Sunday, and he’d need a similar showing if he was going to have a shot at taking on Spieth. Sadly, he opened with a couple of bogies and his nerves showed with the putter when he lipped out a couple of times. I still predict big things this season, but he needs that extra level of fortitude if he’s going to compete alongside the big-names on tour.

…Unlike Spieth

He’s a robot sent from the future to score birdies.

Patrick Reed is an elite player

Photo: www.pga.com

We all kinda know it. Can we just make it official?

Showing what he’s made of this week, he only carded a single bogey this week and Vijay Singh’s tournament record for the number of holes played bogey-free. On top of that, his 22-under 270 is better than the best combined round score of 271 for Rickie, Bubba and Dustin (65-69-67-69 vs 69-67-68-67). He’s one of the big boys now.

Rickie Fowler’s back to being style over substance

Photo: thebiglead.com

Maybe I should clarify. I’m not saying that there’s been any drop in Rickie’s ability – in fact, once he’s warmed up his putter, I could see him walking out of 2016 with a major. But, he came 5^th in a really competitive field… and what was the reaction from the commentary box? “Boy, look at Rickie’s shoes!”

C’mon guys, seriously. He’s been on the tour for a few years now. Save your analysis and slow-mo cameras for his tuned-up swing and not for the catwalk.

Hyundai Tournament of Champions - preview

Hyundai Tournament of Champions

Plantation Course at Kapalua, Hawaii

Thursday Jan 7th - Sunday Jan 10th, 2016

by David Barwise

The beautiful Plantation Course in Hawaii
Photo: www.hawaiigolfexperience.com

First tournament of 2016 – and it’s a doozie.

The HTOC boasts a field made up solely of tour *winners* from the past calendar year, making it one of the most exclusive and glamourous fields in golf (only four golfers have elected not to participate). Six of the top ten golfers are there including Patrick Reed, the defending champion. The field of just 32 golfers holds three previous winners at the Kapalua – Reed, Zach Johnson and Dustin Johnson – along with Love III who won the tournament in Carlsbad, California back in 1993.

However the focus won’t be on any of these; it’ll be on the world’s top two ranked golfers. After a short winter sabbatical, both Jordan Spieth and Jason Day are kick-starting their campaigns at arguably the easiest course on the calendar. Ultimately it’s a fight to see who’s kept their form going from the tail-end of last season and who can assert their dominance early on this season.

Will Jordan Spieth get his win of the season this weekend?
Photo: www.skysports.com

The most glaring absentee is Rory McIlroy, who is (apparently) still recovering from his laser eye surgery and is yet to return to the tour. Sadly, we must wait for 2016’s first gathering of the “Big Three”.

Then who are we going to turn our attention to this week? Well, apart from Spieth and Day, the big name to watch is Bubba Watson.  With a win already under his belt in the new season (the Hero World Challenge about a month ago) it’ll be interesting to see whether he has the momentum to keep scoring low up until the Masters (or if he can even jump up alongside Spieth and friends).

US Ryder Cup captain Davis Love III will be hoping to be in contention
Photo: www.golfweek.com

And what of the newcomers? I’d recommend keeping an eye on Kevin Kisner, not just because he’s leading the FedExCup but also because his game suits the course and his aversion to par 3s can only be a good thing (there are only three of them on the course). I’m also keen to see how Brooks Koepka fares as he look to improve upon an impressive 2015. Finally - although you wouldn’t bet on it - should Davis Love III win this weekend, he would reclaim the event after 23 years.

By no means am I saying that such a small event with such a small field could be considered important to the rest of the season – this is more a dust-off to get back into things. But with its strongest line-up in years, it’s going to be a great watch.

2016 Predictions

With another season of golf getting under way this weekend, we thought we'd have a go at predicting who'll be making the headlines in 2016.

The Masters

Photo: www.whosyourcaddie.net

David: Perhaps the easiest prediction to make – I can only see four or five people in with a shot of it this year. Rory McIlroy made a strong comeback after injury to become European Golfer of the Year (again!) and has his sights set firmly on a green jacket. With a busy schedule leading up to the Masters and brand new putter in his bag, he’s my favourite.

Michael: I agree with David that there aren’t many people capable of winning this tournament. One of which is Dustin Johnson who, having let his lead slip at The Open and being inches away from winning the US, will certainly be determined not to make a name for himself of being a nearly-man. On top of that he was some exceptional golf last season and a finish just outside the top 5 in this tournament shows that he isn't troubled by the might of Augusta. My money is on Johnson to be wearing the green jacket come Sunday night. 

The US Open

Photo: www.northjersey.com/sports

D: Jordan Spieth. He just will. All courses on the US Open rota are designed to test every aspect of a golfer’s game, but Oakmont is especially difficult. A winner requires solid iron play alongside exceptional skill and maturity with the putter. Sound familiar?

M: I seem him just missing out on The Masters, which will make Jordan Spieth even more determined to win the US Open. Above having a superb all-round game, his temperament makes him a cut above the rest at the moment. Being able to keep calm when under pressure or when things aren’t going right is a key attribute for any golfer to have and it’ll be one which will see Spieth keep winning major after major.

The Open

Photo: www.thetimes.co.uk

D: I know it’s a bit of a punt, but it’s hard to ignore the brilliant season Matthew Fitzpatrick had last year. Claiming his first tour victory at the British Masters, the Englishman has gone from strength to strength with a growing reputation for driving the ball arrow-straight – essential for anyone negotiating Royal Troon’s dramatic conditions.

M: Always the most difficult major to predict. Despite accumulating the fourth best accumulative total to par in the history of the majors last year, Justin Rose failed to win a major championship. But this year I can seem him crossing the finishing line at Troon. His game is looking as good as its ever done and last season will have given valuable experience.

US PGA Championship

Photo: www.usatoday.com

D: One of the longest hitters in the field, Brooks Koepka helped himself to a tour-best 20 eagles last season. He had a strong showing in all four majors (T5 in the US PGA), and as one of the tour’s hottest prospects, I can only see him improving. I look forward to seeing what he can do at the infamous 17th at Baltusrol.

M: Rory McIlroy would be my pick for the US PGA. It’s a tournament that he likes, having won the event twice in the past four years. And with its long fairways and tricky pin positions, I think his excellent driving and impeccable short game will see him victorious. 

The Ryder Cup 

Photo: www.golfanddiving.com

D: Going into the 2014 Ryder Cup, it was the underdog European side that triumphed. However with home advantage and without the captaincy complaints (hopefully Mickelson won’t throw Davis Love III under the bus again), the US Ryder Cup Team looks too hot to handle this time around. I can see them winning comfortably.

M: After three defeats on the trot, the US Ryder Cup Team will be looking to get revenge on their European rivals. And I can see them getting the win this year with one of their strongest looking teams in decades with in-form Jordan Spieth, Dustin Johnson and Bubba Watson to name just a few. Here’s hoping I’m proved wrong though!

World No. 1

Photo: www.foxsports.com

D: Rory McIlroy comes into 2016 with a point to prove. A year ago he held two majors; now he has none. Once put up on Tiger-like pedestal, Rory finds himself caught as part of the “Big Three” and, of those, only 3rd in the world rankings. As long as he uses this motivation constructively (and leaves the football at home), I foresee McIlroy returning to the top of he tree.

M: I just feel this will be Jordan Spieth’s year once again. Last season saw him in sensational form and I’m backing him for bigger and better things in 2016. He’s starting to look like the real deal and with the return of a fit Rory McIlroy, we may well see Spieth up his game even further this year.