Our insiders breakdown Tiger's finish on Sunday, the chances of a major coming to Quail Hollow and picks for the Players Championship
Every week of the 2009 PGA Tour season, the editorial staff of the SI Golf Group will conduct an e-mail roundtable. Check in on Mondays for the unfiltered opinions of our writers and editors.
Gary Van Sickle, senior writer, Sports Illustrated: It's time for PGA Tour Confidential, when our merry band of analysts (some in need of analysis) discuss the week in golf. Lots of interesting issues, but let's start with Quail Hollow.
Sean O'Hair made up for his Bay Hill failure by playing near flawless golf and getting the win. He outplayed Tiger Woods, who alternately looked like his old self and a man fighting swing issues with his driver. Tiger actually got outplayed by a lot of players Sunday, including the likes of Bubba Watson, Jason Dufner and Lucas Glover.
The course also merits some discussion. If Quail Hollow ever loses its tour sponsorship, the USGA ought to jump in and get this track in the U.S. Open rotation. It's already tough enough for an Open, even without six-inch rough.
Michael Bamberger, senior writer, Sports Illustrated: I'm with you, Gary, on endorsing Quail Hollow for a U.S. Open. I caddied there 30 years ago in a Kemper Open, and nothing about it is the same. Shades of Augusta and even the Old Course, with the creeks, and the only penalty that means anything to Tour players: water in play.
Van Sickle: We raved in our Players preview issue about the finishing holes at the Stadium Course. I'm not sure I wouldn't rather try to par those three than 16, 17 and 18 at Quail Hollow. Imagine watching today's finish with the pressure of the Open on the line. I'm starting to drool.
Jim Gorant, senior editor, Sports Illustrated Golf Plus: According to Golf Channel, Quail Hollow will get a PGA Championship and Ryder Cup in the next 60 days or they'll withdraw. The club says it won't go for an Open because Pinehurst is the USGA's in-state go to, and they wouldn't want to mess with that.
David Dusek, deputy editor, Golf.com: I heard a rumor that the club might not re-up with the PGA Tour in 2014 in hopes of landing a future major or a Ryder Cup.
Gorant: Exactly. If they get the PGA nod, they'll stop the Tour event. If they don't get it, they'll continue as is.
Bamberger: Quail Hollow would do well to keep the Tour event, and get something else, as Congressional does. They don't need to play hardball like that.
Jim Herre, editor, Sports Illustrated Golf Plus: Didn't get the sense they were just playing hardball, that's just the time frame for when it will or won't happen.
Van Sickle: Sounds like it's easier to host a major than to find a sponsor willing to drop big bucks on a tour event. Another bad omen for the tour.
Gorant: Wonder if more courses will go to this kind of setup? Light rough favors the guys who hit it long and have a good short game, almost guaranteeing that Tiger and Phil will always be in contention, and bombers like Bubba Watson will get more shots.
Dusek: Increasing the entertainment value should be reason enough to consider cutting some of the rough down. We love the U.S. Open because it's so tough, but who wants to watch 20 weeks of survival of the fittest?
Cameron Morfit, senior writer, Golf Magazine: Golf fans and sports fans in general should be thanking their lucky stars that, as major season heats up, Tiger and Phil are showing signs of having their A games. With the economy in the doldrums, the entertaining diversion that is the No. 1 and No. 2 players in the world going head-to-head (or at least the tantalizing prospect of it) could not come at a better time.
Farrell Evans, writer-reporter, Sports Illustrated: It seems like the Tour wants to set up courses that suit Phil and Tiger: layouts where you can hit it all over the place and still score. I'm bored with everyone needing Tiger and Phil to be there at the end for the TV numbers. Just let them play.
Van Sickle: These courses absolutely should go to less rough. The pendulum swung too far the other way. The Florida swing is like U.S. Open Lite these days. What players want that in March? They'd like to go to PGA National and Doral and make some birdies and eagles like they used to. I've heard the Players has less rough this week. I hope that's true.
Bamberger: In recent years, the Tour has done a good job of moving tees, getting holes in tough spots, getting playable rough. It's a tough balancing act, and I think they do it well. The pro-am pin placements are so simple guys think they should shoot 66 on Thursday, too — and they get whacked.
Damon Hack, senior writer, Sports Illustrated: Kym Hougham, the Quail Hollow tourney director, said the membership agreed to cut the rough, in part, because of the recession and to bring some excitement to the gallery. "We think that, especially in this year's environment, this needs to be entertaining," he said. "People are spending hard-earned dollars to come out here, and we want to reward them with birdies and eagles and roars and smiles."
Rick Lipsey, writer-reporter, Sports Illustrated: Cutting the rough because of the recession? That is the dumbest thing I've ever heard. Only a country club meeting could produce such a goofy decision.
Van Sickle: I agree with Rick. Again? Yes. Cutting the rough means more mowing, more gasoline and more expense. That's total club-meeting gibberish.
(From Website : http://www.golf.com/golf/tours_news/article/0,28136,1895563,00.html)
