Geoff Ogilvy of Australia poses with his trophy after winning the Mercedes-Benz Championship. Photograph: Eric Risberg/AP
Well done Geoff....
Welcome back Tiger!!!
As Geoff Ogilvy wrapped up a 6 shot win last night at the Mercedes Championship, the tour opener in Hawaii, the PGA Tour 2009 season is off and running…
In Hawaii last night, Ogilvy captured another BIG win on tour. With victories at the Accenture Match Play in 2006, WGC CA Championship at Doral last year and of course “Phil Mickelson’s” 2006 US Open, he is surely one of the biggest challenges to Tiger this year.
So the season is officially underway… But is it really??? The big story this year is obviously the return of the World no 1… the great one… Tiger Woods!
Along with many other golf columnists and bloggers, I have a hunch Tiger will return at Doral, the first week in March. The WGC CA tournament, (won by Ogilvy last year on a Monday finish) is still 2 months away, but just seems destined for his return.
All factors bode well; the March weather in Florida, the flat terrain of Doral, (a golf course that Tiger has won at 4 times), the Miami course near his soon to be $40 million home in Jupiter Fl, and the fact that if his ultimate goal is the Masters in April, he would probably like to play at least 2 events for his competitive drive to kick in…
What 2 better tournaments than Doral and Arnie’s Bay Hill at the end of March?
How and when he will play is still a mystery to all golf fans and a mystery that only Tiger and maybe Hank Haney know. However, what we have learnt in his absence is that there are now a handful of legitimate challenges to the King’s thrown…
And with those challenges starting to blossom, the 2009 season could be the best year of golf we have seen for a very long, long time…
Who to watch…
With Geoff Ogilvy’s dominant start to the 2009 season, Ogilvy definitely has to be one player to watch. The Arizona based Australian, has set himself ahead of other talented Ozzies, Adam Scott and Aaron Baddeley, but who still haven’t hit their full potential…
Camillo and Sergio are two big winners from last year who are long enough and strong enough to keep up with Tiger, but who both need to obtain the consistency on the greens. Anthony Kim is the 23yr old star who has the Tiger potential, but does he have the experience to perform down the stretch of the BIG events???
And then there are the Major winners of Harrington, Els, Singh and the enigma Mickelson. Will these stars who are all older than the now 33 yr old Woods still be able to perform on the back 9 of a major against the World no 1?
Harrington proved it last year, with 2 major wins, and 3 in 2 seasons. Singh captured the FedEx Cup with some inspired putting, and Els and Mickelson, both ironically taught by Woods old mentor Butch Harmon, are trying to recapture their form.
Having just 3 Major titles a piece, these world class players would love to add one or two more majors before they get too old. After victories last year on the tour, but not featuring in any of the 4 big, they certainly know the young guns are also trying to win their first majors, so time could be running out for these certain Hall of Famers.
Up until Woods return, the talk will all be about who will step up and challenge him for no1 this year.
If Sergio wins enough events before Tiger returns, he may take over as no 1 in the world. We will wait and see if that takes place, but with great events, great fields, and great courses, the start to the season will be one to watch.
Finally, top that of with the great anticipation of Wood’s return and you have a fantastic reason to watch the golf again…. Bring on the 2009 Season… Oh what a year it may turn out to be!!!
Tiger’s Biggest Competition – Right up until Tiger’s return, their will be a poll on ‘The Obsessive Golfer’ to see who you guys think will challenge the King this year…
Furthermore, check out FANTASY GOLF on Yahoo and PGA TOUR.COM to try and guess who will shoot the low round of the day… I missed out on the Mercedes this week, but will be in from the Sony Open onwards… Good Luck and have fun!
DJ – 1/12/08
