Thread Tools

Display Modes

**truebluefan** · 04-19-2008, 08:45 PM

TPC Sawgrass, Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida
Purse: $9,000,000

**truebluefan** · 05-09-2008, 02:38 AM

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. (AP) -- Sergio Garcia put together his third straight impressive round at THE PLAYERS Championship. The first two gave him a runner-up finish last year. The 6-under 66 on Thursday was only a great start.

With growing confidence in his balky putting stroke and superb ball-striking that has become his hallmark, Garcia birdied all the par 5s and picked up a bonus birdie with a 50-foot putt on the 14th hole to build a two-shot lead on the frightening Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass.

It was a good step toward ending an 0-for-53 drought on the PGA TOUR, the longest of his career.

Complete article

**truebluefan** · 05-09-2008, 02:40 AM

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. -- It was the best of times and the worst of times Thursday in the opening round of THE PLAYERS Championship, and tee-off times largely determined which fate each of the 144 competitors would encounter.

"It absolutely mattered what time you were on the golf course," Alex Cejka, who played in the more difficult afternoon wave, said after scraping his way to 72, level par on THE PLAYERS Stadium Course at the TPC Sawgrass. "For those of us who played this afternoon, we had to put everything into it to get it around."

While conditions were hardly what one would consider easy in the morning -- the layout already was fast and the greens firm -- increasing winds dried out the layout, put more trepidation into club selection, and generally messed with players' minds.

Players with morning starts recorded seven of the top eight scores; the lone exception was former British Open champion Todd Hamilton with a 3-under 69.

Hamilton was one of just eight players who broke par out of the afternoon wave and the field scoring average in the later half was 74.50, nearly two strokes higher than the 72.83 average submitted by morning starters. That latter group, led by overall leader Sergio Garcia's 66, posted 26 sub-par scores.

Complete article

**truebluefan** · 05-09-2008, 02:41 AM

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. -- You can't always expect the unexpected. If you expected everything, nothing would be unexpected.

Confusing? Yes. But then again so is the leaderboard after Thursday's first round of the 35th PLAYERS Championship.

The top spot is occupied by Spain's Sergio Garcia after a devilish 6-under-par 66 -- not so unexpected given his runner-up finish in 2007. But it might be unexpected if he goes on to win, given that just Sandy Lyle in 1987 is the only European to have won at TPC Sawgrass.

Back to Thursday, though. What are we to make of the names Kenny Perry (4 under), Paul Goydos (4 under), Steve Elkington (3 under) and Fred Couples (2 under)? Is this the 2008 PLAYERS, or the 1998 PLAYERS? Those four veterans -- Couples and Elkington are both multiple winners here at TPC Sawgrass -- are within four shots of the lead.

All four are on the back nine of their respective PGA TOUR careers, yet they're performing like the group of surging 20-somethings has in 2008. And don't think for a minute that they can't win.

Too old, you say? Not so. Fred Funk won at the tender age of 48 in 2005. Maybe the old guns still have a shot or two left in them.

Complete article

**truebluefan** · 05-10-2008, 04:08 AM

Jeff Maggert withdrew from The Players Championship, telling tournament officials that his brother died in a small plane crash in Colorado en route to his son's college graduation.

The Gilpin County (Colo.) Sheriff's office said one man died and a 23-year-old passenger was injured Thursday afternoon when the single-engine plane crashed into a snowy mountain in Black Hawk, about 65 kilometres west of Denver.

The Aspen Daily News reported the 1965 Cessna 1982 was co-owned by Barry Maggert and Carroll Winkler, who said that Maggert was flying the plane to Boulder for his son's graduation from the University of Colorado.

Maggert, the golfer's older brother, has 23-year-old twin sons, Lee and Bryant. Lee Maggert was to graduate Friday.

Jeff Maggert played Thursday afternoon and opened with an even-par 72. He learned of the plane crash when he finished his round and was scrambling for information before withdrawing late Thursday and flying to Colorado.

He confirmed to tournament officials that his brother had died. The Gilpin County Sheriff's office said Friday morning it was waiting for family to arrive before releasing the names.

Maggert is a three-time winner on the PGA Tour who has played on three Ryder Cup teams. He lives in Houston and has five children, including three-year-old twin girls.

Barry Maggert, an engineer from Carbondale, Colo., made an unsuccessful candidacy last month as a town trustee.

Alpine Rescue Team spokesman Bill Barwick said about 50 people, some on snowmobiles, helped the rescue effort in mountainous terrain at 10,400 feet. He said the sheriff's office was waiting for daylight and better weather Friday to bring down the body.

The 23-year-old passenger was taken to a Denver's hospital. His condition was unknown. FAA spokesman Mike Fergus in Seattle said one of the people on board called 911 from a cell phone after the crash.

**truebluefan** · 05-10-2008, 04:10 AM

Tree-falls-in-the-forest question: If a big tournament is played without Tiger Woods, is it still a big tournament?

The Players Championship began Thursday with the world's No. 1 golfer on the sidelines recovering from April 15 knee surgery. Woods is missing his first Players since turning pro; he never has been out for a major as a pro.

Golf fans will hear Johnny Miller and Dan Hicks and NBC's other announcers go on about the high caliber of play at the TPC of Sawgrass despite Woods' absence. Hey, NBC has bills to pay.

In fact, some golf fans will relish a breather from the all-Woods, all-the-time coverage. E-mailers often complain the media dwells on one player, even if that player seems to win virtually every tournament he enters.

Complete article

**truebluefan** · 05-10-2008, 04:12 AM

Hot blasts of wind on a diabolical course made The Players Championship at Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla., tough enough to turn someone's hair gray. Not that the leaders needed any help with that Friday.

Kenny Perry, who first showed up at Sawgrass 20 years ago, kept his wits and his patience in 35-mph gusts and made only one bogey in a solid round of 2-under-par 70 that gave him a one-shot lead going into the weekend.

Perry, 47, will be paired with Bernhard Langer, who already has won twice this year - on the Champions Tour.

The two-time Masters champion and former Ryder Cup captain thought about withdrawing Thursday morning when he felt pain in his lower back, which caused his groin and left knee to ache, along with his left shoulder. All those creaking joints, and the 50-year-old Langer still managed to produce a 67 and entertain hopes of winning against kids who weren't even born when he won his first Masters.

Complete article

dan194308 · 05-11-2008, 06:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by truebluefan

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. (AP) -- Sergio Garcia put together his third straight impressive round at THE PLAYERS Championship. The first two gave him a runner-up finish last year. The 6-under 66 on Thursday was only a great start.

With growing confidence in his balky putting stroke and superb ball-striking that has become his hallmark, Garcia birdied all the par 5s and picked up a bonus birdie with a 50-foot putt on the 14th hole to build a two-shot lead on the frightening Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass.

It was a good step toward ending an 0-for-53 drought on the PGA TOUR, the longest of his career.

Complete article

I'm adding this after Saturdays round and it's earyl Sunday morning before the final round. Sergio, if he's going to win has got to find his putting stroke. He may be trying to hard, as is his usual m.o. He needs to take a couple deep breaths before he putts.

Dan O. De Ment
De Ment Marketing

**truebluefan** · 05-11-2008, 10:01 PM

Spain's Sergio Garcia parred the dangerous island 17th hole in a playoff to defeat Paul Goydos here Sunday and win the US PGA Players Championship, taking the biggest title of his career.

The victory was the first in three years for the 28-year-old Spaniard, who saved a par at the last hole to fire a final-round 71, one-under par, to match US veteran Goydos after 72 holes at five-under par 283.

In the playoff, a wind gust sent Goydos' tee shot into the water while Garcia put his tee shot four feet from the cup and two-putted for the victory.

"It's a lot of hard work that's starting to pay off," Garcia said. "It has been a lot of work. I feel like the last three years I've been playing tournaments well, played very nicely, but I haven't been able to win."

"Everything was so hard out there. I'm just so thrilled I was able to come through with the win."

Complet article