PGA: Frys.com Open

Game Time: 10/12/2007 04:00 PM
By: Brian Gabrielle | bgsports.com

The PGA heads to LV this weekend for the Frys.com Open at TPC Summerlin. Despite many of the big names not playing in recent tournaments, it's still a profitable time of year.

I don’t care if they call it the Fall Series, the Fall Finish or the Fall Guy, in the last two weeks I’ve become the No. 1 fan of the PGA Tour’s late-season tournaments because I’ve won two of them so far. Thanks to Chad Campbell and Justin Leonard.

Neither had the lead heading into their Sunday rounds and both shot closing rounds in the 60s to win (69 and 65, respectively). This is the way one would expect it to be: successful veterans winning in experience-challenged events.

We have four more, starting with this week’s Frys.com Open. Surely a no-name and/or rookie will win one of them. But I like the trend so far. It’s injected a little excitement into a time of year when I’m already thinking about Kapalua and wondering if I’ll ever get there.

Last week: With Leonard’s win at 33-1, 1/6 unit, that was 5.5 units to the good. I lost the head-to-head for minus a unit, bringing the week to plus 4.5 units. Back in black!

At this week’s Frys.com Open take Charles Warren (50-1), 1/6 unit: Warren is having a career year with three top-10s. He’s had to fight for his card since his rookie year in 1999, so he’s not a pushover. Any pro who’s been through the spin cycle that is Q School multiple times isn’t going to be too fazed out there. So I like that. Also, guess who ranks first on Tour in total driving and 11th in Birdie Average? He finished T35 in Vegas in 2005.

Take Alex Cejka (40-1), 1/6 unit: He’s put together quality starts in his last three tournaments (53, T8,T26). Last year he finished T39 in the Frys.com Open. A middle of the road player, he’s got a bunch of international victories but none on the PGA Tour. He’s very good at hitting greens, not so good at putting.

Take Chad Campbell (25-1), 1/6 unit: The UNLV grad finished T16 at TPC Summerlin last year. In his last two tournaments this year, he finished first (Viking Classic) and T15 (Valero Texas Open). He’s made a lot of birdies in the last two tournaments and he’ll have to continue that trend in Vegas, where the winning score last year was -22.