PGA: Lefty back home at Fry's Electronics Open

Game Time: 10/19/2007 04:00 PM
By: Brian Gabrielle | bgsports.com

Phil Mickelson brings a big name and a lot of fans out to cheer the local boy at this week's PGA stop in Scottsdale on the Raptor Course at the Grayhawk Golf Club.

It's the time of year that when I see 'B Watson,' I think Ben Watson, the tight end for the New England Patriots, and not Bubba Watson, the big rookie on the PGA Tour. That said, having a successful stretch run to the 2007 season, these fall tournaments haven't been so bad.

And this week we have a big name and an actual storyline, aside from the running story linethat these tournaments are battles for players trying to make it under the 125 ranking to secure their cards for next year: Phil Mickelson is playing.

Always a story, I don't pick Mickelson anymore. A lot of folks will this week. There's a huge comfort level for him in Arizona near his old ASU stomping grounds and he's clearly the most talented player in the field. It's also very much worth pointing out that in his entire career he's never won a tournament in October. Part of the reason for that comes down to odds: he doesn't play in as many October tournaments as he does other months.

And part of the reason is that his focus after the PGA Championship may be lacking. Not that it's not understandable. It is. The PGA Tour season is a long one. I wouldn't be as into one of these as I would, say, the big Arizona tournament at the beginning of the year -- the Phoenix Open.

Mickelson already has a few wins this season, he's going to Hawaii (if he chooses), there are no more majors to prep for, etc. I can certainly see why he doesn't grind as much this time of year.

In the last three seasons Mickelson has played in only four October tournaments (two each in '04 and '05 -- he didn't play in any last year) and he's missed two cuts, withdrawn from one and finished T29 in the other. Doesn't exactly make for a confident pick.

It'll be nice having him back in a tournament, though. One way or another, he's highly entertaining.

At this week's Fry's Electronics Open, take Tim Clark (25-1), 1/6 unit: One of the best players in the field, a scrapper, always seems to be hanging around, whether it's a major or a tournament like this. He hasn't played in a month but those last two tournaments were T5 and T7.

Take Jason Gore (66-1), 1/6 unit: Gore's also been playing well of late with a T7 last week in another Frys-sponsored Fall tourney. He needs more putts to fall.

Take Charley Hoffman (40-1), 1/6 unit: A good young player and if last season and so far in this one are any indication, he's a good young player in the fall. Hoffman missed the cut last week (he finished T5 in the Frys.com last year) but had a T11 in the Texas Open two weeks ago.