The field is lacking, but that doesn't mean the opportunities to win at this week's Zurich Classic in New Orleans are short.
Just four weeks until The Players. We’ve got to get through the Zurich Classic this week first. Don’t get me wrong, I’d love to be in New Orleans, now more than ever. It’s the golf that’s the problem.
David Toms is the highest ranked player in the field (19th in the world ranking). Next is Chris DiMarco (35), then Steve Stricker (46), Lucas Glover (51)...you get the point. In case you don’t, though, Chris Couch is the defending champ.
Couch and Boo Weekley share something in common: they both chew tobacco. Weekley, who won last week with consecutive chip-in pars on the 17th and 18th at Harbour Town, was asked by the Golf Channel about playing in Maui next year. He said he’ll be there and joked, "Y’ain’t gonna see redneck surfin’, I’m sorry."
Breath of fresh air, this Mr. Weekley, in the otherwise staid world of golf. Half the young guys on Tour seem to think they can wear personality in the form of yellow pants or pink shirts.
Weekley’s playing again this week, which gets me thinking about his chances. Remember early in the year when I was curious as to how players manage in a tournament following their first-ever win? And I found out, to my surprise, that (based on 2006 anyway) first-timers did pretty well for themselves the following week, one of them even finishing T2. Well,if you look at all winners from this year alone, and how they did the following week if they played (most did), you see even more striking results: T34, T48, T31, T19, 2, T9, T38, T28, T11, T27. Not a missed cut among them. Some respectable and high finishes in there.
I smell me a head-to-head candidate...
At this week’s Zurich Classic of New Orleans, take Daniel Chopra (40-1), 1/6 unit: He has to win some time. I just can’t see him being a DiMarco type of player -- lots of cuts made, T25-ish finishes, lots of yearly money but little or no wins to show for it. I don’t see him that way because he’s much more talented than DiMarco and seems to be better in the temper department. Maybe his DQ last week for an illegal drop will have an inverse Mark Wilson effect and propel Chopra to his first victory.
Take Sean O’Hair (20-1), 1/6 unit: After a rough start to the year in which he missed a lot of cuts, O’Hair has gone T14, T14 and 7 (last week) in his last three. He didn’t play the Zurich Classic last year, but finished T14 in 2005. Still young, still lot of potential, I just wonder about drive.
Take Brent Snedeker (80-1), 1/6 unit: Snedeker’s making a living. He hasn’t slagged off since that 3 at the Buick Invitational, finishing out of T50 just once since. He’s coming off a T16 last week. As we saw at the Buick, it’s his poise more than anything else -- he doesn’t think too much out there.
Chopra played himself right out of contention with a terrible third round. O'Hair will have to break a course record to win. Brandt (not Brent) Snedeker was in the bottom 10!
SBR Top-Rated Sportsbooks
Brian Gabrielle: PGA Zurich Classic
Reply With Quote