Tuesday Preview - LOTTE Championship

The LPGA returns from its week long absence following their first major of the season as the players head to beautiful Hawaii for the LOTTE Championship presented by Hershey. This preview is done a little early as the event begins on Wednesday and ends on Saturday. Why? Who knows, just don't argue with it.

Course: Ko Olina Golf Club, a 6,300 yard course that is fairly easy to navigate, but can become more difficult if those Hawaii winds pick up. Somewhere in the mid teens under par will be the winner. 

Strength Of Field: C-. A lot of big name players decided to pass on this one, including Stacy Lewis and Lydia Ko. This is the perfect opportunity for one of those players who have been knocking on the door to finally pick up their first win.

Extra Tidbits: Jing Yang and Pat Hurst are your Sunday qualifiers...Through eight events this season, there have been eight different champions...Last year, Michelle Wie returned to the winner's circle for the first time in four years as she won in front of a home crowd. She enters this week lacking form but feeling good vibes from this course...Christina Kim had planned on playing this event, but was unable to commit for the field on time. She played in the qualifier, but did not make the field...Brittany Lincicome is in the field fresh off her major triumph at the ANA Inspiration.

Fantasy Four:

Sei Young Kim - Fell apart on the final day of the ANA Inspiration, but should take playing in the field pairing as a learning experience. Four top 10's this season, including a victory. Since missing the cut at the beginning of the season, she has not finished worse than T29th.

Hyo Joo Kim - Playing this event a second time after playing on a sponsor's exemption last year. A shorter course, so it should set up perfectly for Kim's game. Her T11 in the ANA Inspiration barely broke her streak of three straight top 10 finishes. Currently trails Sei Young Kim in the Rookie Of The Year standings.

Inbee Park - Top ranked player in the field. Has the opportunity to gain ground on Stacy Lewis and Lydia Ko, neither of whom are playing this week. Hasn't finished worse than T13 all season.

Moriya Juranugarn - With all the spotlight on her sister Ariya, Moriya has quietly been putting together three great weeks, finishing T17, T8, and T11 in the past three events. Not as big of a hitter as her sister but has better control off the tee. Has yet to win on Tour, and this may be the perfect opportunity for her to change that.

(SLEEPER) Sakura Yokomine - After missing the cut in her first three events, she finished T8 at the Kia and made the cut at the ANA Inspiration. This is a shorter course, so her lack of length off the tee should not hinder her as much as it has. If she has the skills to compete on the LPGA Tour, this is the kind of event where she needs to step up and prove it.

Hello, World - Spieth Arrives In A Very Familiar Fashion

- Jordan Spieth won the green jacket Friday afternoon and played two weekend practice rounds as he absolutely dominated the field, becoming the first player since Raymond Floyd to go wire-to-wire at Augusta National and tying The Masters scoring record. Spieth was one of the favorites entering the week and played like it, as no one really had a chance to catch him after firing an opening round 64. His ball striking was unmatched and he sunk nearly every putt he looked at.

- Spieth looks unbeatable at the moment after winning The Masters in his second appearance as a 21 year old. Sound familiar? It is almost the exact path Tiger Woods took nearly twenty years ago, as he dominated the field as a 21 year old in his first Masters as a professional. It is way too early in his career to start calling him the "next Tiger Woods", but Spieth as a 21 year old looks very similar to Tiger Woods as a 21 year old. It should be noted that, after that record setting performance at The Masters, it took Tiger ten majors before winning his second one. There is no hurry for Spieth to succeed immediately. He has some time to start racking up majors.

- It was foolish of me and the rest of the golfing world to count out Phil Mickelson at The Masters. Sure, Phil has not played well the past two seasons, but his performance prior to the majors means absolutely nothing to Lefty, who has a way of turning on the switch when he needs to. I don't know if this means Phil is "back", per say, but it does mean that Phil's career isn't as dead and buried as people originally thought. In the end, it all leads back to the US Open. None of the results in events this season means nothing if he is able to complete the Career Grand Slam.

- Speaking of great golfers not caring about current form, Justin Rose's top finish seemed to come out of nowhere as his form was in very rough shape entering Augusta. Rose always seems to play well at The Masters, and a green jacket is in his future, but he couldn't have been on anyone short list entering the week. Sometimes, these players just know when to play well.

- A lot of people will be saying that Rory McIlroy is "disappointed" that he was unable to win the final leg of his Career Grand Slam, but that is not what I took out of this week for the World Number One. Rory has never really played well at Augusta - his back door top 10 last year was his first top 10 finish at The Masters, and who can forget him shooting 80 in the final round in 2011. The fact that he was able to put himself into contention should give him a huge boost of confidence. Not everyone is Tiger or Jordan - it takes a little time to learn how to play this golf course. Rory has plenty of opportunities to win his first green jacket, and each year he he gets better and better. Rory isn't going anywhere.

- There will be a lot of talk about the "future of golf" especially now that the top players in the world are a couple of twenty-somethings. I think there is a legitimate chance that Hideki Matsuyama will be part of that conversation by the end of the year. Hideki, who is older than Jordan Spieth by a little over a year, finished in the top 5 at Augusta National for the first time, and this was always a golf course I thought he wouldn't be able to compete at. This is Hideki's sixth top 10 finish this season, mixed in with only one missed cut. If Hideki can put himself in the conversation as one of the best players in the world, you would have every corner of the world represented in golf, which would be amazing for the game of golf.

- Tiger Woods should play in the Zurich Classic of New Orleans. I know he won't, as he very rarely strays from his schedule, but he needs to play more tournaments as he's healthy and he's not qualified for the World Golf Championship events. His missed cut was nice, but he's not going to win if he doesn't play more.

Poorly Predicting The 2015 Masters

I do not believe there is a golf tournament in the world that is more iconic than The Masters. Sure, there are tournaments with a greater history (Open Championship) and that are a much better test of a perfect golfer (US Open), but the sights and sounds of The Masters are unmatched anywhere in the world. From iconic golfers hitting the first tee shots, to the event being played at the same course every year, to past champions and green jackets, The Masters is the tournament all golfers dream of winning.

Now let's butcher it with some dope pretending to know things about golf!

Like every major, I will give a few names - a true dark horse, a sleeper, and five players I think can conceivably win the tournament. Since it's The Masters, however, I will give a few other names of players I am watching, even if I don't think they will be slipping on the green jacket on Sunday.


Watch List:

Tiger Woods - Tiger is a true mystery in terms of what the state of his game true is in. The last time we saw him, he was among the worst golfers on Tour, unable to chip a ball onto the green and playing so erratically that he was finishing in last place at a golf course he has dominated. Tiger is saying all the right things heading into this tournament, and reports say he shot a front nine 30 in his practice round on Monday. Who knows if any of that is true, but if I were to make a prediction on Tiger, I say he makes the cut but isn't really in contention to win. It's easy to make the cut at The Masters since there are only 96 players in the field. He should be able to do enough to play on Sunday.

Hideki Matsuyama - At the beginning of the year, I predicted that Hideki Matsuyama will be the first player from Japan to win a major title, and this is his first opportunity to do so. It might be the worst place for him, however, as he failed to break 80 twice in his last two trips to Augusta National. He is more suited for open style golf courses.

Ben Crenshaw - Thanks for the memories, Gentle Ben.


Dark Horse:

Jose Maria Olazabal - Every year, an older past champion seems to find his way into contention late into the weekend. For a few years it was Fred Couples. Last year it was Bernhard Langer. Olazabal has not played well on the European Tour the last two season, but he was able to finish in the top 10 two weeks ago, his first top 10 finish in years, and he has made the cut in his last two Masters appearances. I think Olazabal has one last run left in him, and this might be the year he turns the clock back.


Sleeper: 

J.B. Holmes - I know calling someone who won just three days ago a "sleeper" is kind of foolish, but it would still be a bit of a surprise if Holmes were to win The Masters. Holmes has never finished inside the top 10 in a major, but this course seems to set up perfectly for his game. Holmes needs to contend in a major before he will be considered as one of the best players on Tour, and this is the perfect spot for him to do so. He is entering with a ton of confidence. Don't be surprised if he is on the first page of the leaderboard on Sunday.


The Contenders:

5) Jimmy Walker - Barely took the edge over Dustin Johnson in this spot, and it's simply because Walker has less question marks surrounding him. The biggest knock against Walker is that he has been unable to win a big tournament. That is the only thing missing from his resume in the last year and a half, as Walker has been nothing short of sensational in almost every category. He's not the most exciting player, but you don't have to be exciting to win The Masters (see Schwartzel, Charl).

4) Bubba Watson - I'm just playing the law of averages here in saying that he won't win the green jacket for a third time in four years. Even Arnold Palmer needed a year in between victories. Still, he is a proven winner here and his game is perfect for this track, plus he has been playing great golf this season, so there is no reason to think Bubba won't be at least part of the conversation on Sunday.

3) Jason Day - Has come close to taking home this tournament on a few occasions, and is entering with a renewed confidence. Appears to be healthy after being sidelined most of 2014 with an injury. The criticism against Day was that he didn't win enough, and now he's entering after winning twice in the past 12 months. Day will be a major winner someday, and August National seems to be the best place for him to accomplish that victory.

2) Rory McIlroy - The best player in the world, even if he hasn't played as such in his last couple of tournaments. All eyes will be on Rory on Saturday (once it's known that Tiger won't be part of the conversation) to see if he is able to win the career grand slam. He will...some day, but not this weekend. He certainly COULD, and I think he will come close, but he needs to learn how to play well at Augusta before he can win it. There is a reason he hasn't won the career grand slam and that is because he has yet to figure out how to play Augusta.


The Champion:

Jordan Speith - I am not being very creative with this pick, but to pick anyone else, quite frankly, would be foolish. Playing better than anyone in the world right now. Came close last year, but inexperience cost him down the stretch. He has had a full year to learn from the mistakes he made, and is playing better now than he was entering this event a year ago. Jordan Speith, all 21 years old of him, will be slipping on the green jacket on Sunday.

Champion: Jordan Speith
Winning Score: -14
Margin Of Victory: Three strokes

Brittany Lincicome Takes A Second Leap Into Poppie's Pond

- It only took three majors for Brittany Lincicome to get over her disappointment of last year's LPGA Championship, as she fired a final round 69, including an eagle on the 72nd hole to win the ANA Inspiration for the second time. Lincicome is a roller coaster, who struggles with consistency issues and has given away tournaments down the stretch in the past, but this week, it was Lincicome that was the chaser. She flat out overpowered this golf course, and her short game was as good as I have seen from her. It's been almost four years since Lincicome last won on Tour, but now she's back in a huge way.

- Of all the tournaments that Stacy Lewis has come close to winning, this one has to sting the most. Not only is this a major, but Lewis gave this tournament away at several points on Sunday. After birdieing three in a row and looking like she was cruising to a victory, she bogeyed two of the next three and failed the birdie the par 5 18th. This tournament was hers to win, and she failed to do so. This has become a recurring trend - Lewis coming close and not being able to win. This needs to end, but I'm not sure yet how it ends.

- The nerves got to Sei Young Kim, which is unfortunate because she would have made a fantastic champion, but she will be back in this position again, and likely soon. Of all the fantastic rookies this season, Kim may be the most impressive, as she was entering with less expectations than some of her classmates. She's already won on Tour and now has the experience of playing in the final group in a major. This is the beginning chapter of Sei Young Kim's future great career.

- I predicted prior to the start of the season that Morgan Pressel would win this season on the LPGA Tour, and she seems to be getting closer each week. Pressel looked done two years ago. She was performing so poorly that it appeared we had seen the last of Pressel as a top player on Tour. Pressel is starting to rewrite that script, and is now getting closer to getting back on the Solheim Cup team.

- Here comes Lexi Thompson! After being relatively quiet following her major victory last season, she now has two straight top 10's under her belt. Thompson is way too interesting to not be a top player on Tour, and she needs to win another tournament soon. She's good for the Tour and her game is too good to stay down.

- I hope whoever harassed Danielle Kang gets caught and publicly shamed.

- I hate to say it, but I think this tournament needs to leave Rancho Mirage. This was an incredibly exciting major tournament, and it was poorly attended. These ladies deserve better. If the crowds don't want to come to this event, then the event needs to go somewhere that the crowd will show up. Traditions be damned. You would never see The Masters with a hundred people following the final group.

- J.B. Holmes is hell bent on making his first President's Cup team. After finishing runner up twice this season, Holmes shot a final round 64, waited in Houston for two hours, and finished off the tournament in the playoff for his fourth PGA Tour victory, second in less than a year. Holmes has never finished in the top 10 in a major, and that is a streak that needs to (and should) end this year. It's a great and fascinating story to see Holmes come back as an elite player.

- There are some striking similarities between the two winners this week. They are both big hitters that can overpower a golf course. They both have a tendency to be shaky down the stretch when the pressure is applied to them. You wonder how both of them haven't won more than they had. Lincicome has the much better major record than Holmes does, but you get the sense that we're not done talking about either of them this season.

- If Jordan Spieth isn't on your incredibly short list of players who could win The Masters, you haven't been watching golf.

- A part of me is gutted for Johnson Wagner, who had the opportunity to play in The Masters next week with a victory, and another part of me is happy that he even contended at all. Wagner only managed one top 10 last season, and is playing on past champion status and sponsor exemptions. The fact that he was able to hang in there for four rounds and nearly pull off an improbable victory is a story in itself. Wagner said he wanted to ride this wave and continue to use his good play to propel him for the rest of the year. It will be interesting to watch moving forward. I'm sure Wagner will get a few more chances to play this season based on this finish.

- Speaking of having a few opportunities to play, I wonder if Austin Cook will get a few sponsor exemptions this season after his solid play in Houston this week. The Monday qualifier was in contention all week until a final round 75 doomed him, but it is still an incredibly story that someone who was ranked 993rd in the world could play that well in the tournament. He's only 24 years old and he's just beginning his career, so who knows what will come of Austin Cook.

- It's Masters week, everybody! GET HYPE!!

News Grab-Bag: 4/2/2015

It's the week prior to The Masters, so naturally, we are filled with Masters news.

- Tiger Woods' airplane was spotted at the Augusta airport, fueling speculation that Tiger is going to be play at The Masters. No official confirmation has been made yet, but it seems unlikely that Tiger skips The Masters at this point.

- One of the traditions of The Masters takes a hit this year, as it was announced that Arnold Palmer will not be playing in the Par 3 Contest on Wednesday of The Masters. In recent years, Palmer has played with Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player in the exhibition event, but Palmer suffered a separated shoulder back in December and doctors have advised him not to play. Palmer is still planning on hitting the ceremonial tee shot Thursday morning.

- Adam Scott's switch to a conventional putter has been halted, as he will be playing The Masters with his signature long putter. The anchoring ban goes into effect next year, so Scott has been trying to adapt to a smaller putter, but that has been a failed experiment thus far.

- Best wishes to Jason and Amanda Dufner, who are currently going through a divorce.

- Best wishes to Australian golfer Brett Rumford, who will be missing approximately six weeks after undergoing surgery for an intestinal blockage. Rumford is exempt into the 2015 Open Championship, so the hope is that he recovers by then.

- LPGA Commissioner Mike Whan, who has been praised for his revitalization of the LPGA Tour, just received a "long term" contract extension. The length of the new term is unknown, but given all the work Whan has done and the strides the Tour has taken since he took over, I expect he will have the job until he no longer wants it.

- A lot of sports leagues have come out in strong opposition to Indiana's incredibly homophobic "religious freedom" bill, including the NCAA and the NFL, who look to be removing significant events from the state while the law remains in effect. The PGA of America and PGA Tour? They punted the issue. The PGA was in a tough position, as a majority of their fans and players are conservative, but they would receive a lot of public backlash if they supported the bill. Still, "we support inclusion" is the weakest statement I have seen, especially from the PGA of America, whose most recent president once referred to a professional golfer as "a little girl."

- The May fitness edition of Golf Digest is out, and Lexi Thompson is the cover girl. You can find her pictures here. Lexi is the first female golfer to be on the cover of the fitness issue. I know Golf Channel are likely to droll all over the pictures, but there is no denying that Lexi is a striking woman, and very physically fit. Knock 'em dead, girl! The issue also features Michelle Wie, Cheyenne Woods, and Stacy Lewis.
Naturally, the Twitterverse has a real issue with the cover, saying that Golf Digest is "sexualizing" both golf and Lexi Thompson in particular. It is important to note, however, that Thompson seems incredibly pleased with the way the photos came out. I have had my issues with Golf Digest in the past, especially when they put non-golfers on the cover, but Lexi is a true athlete, and the photos show just how athletic she is. Let's pick our battles, people. If you want to be upset about sexism in golf, maybe be upset over the fact that female golfers make a fraction of what male golfers do in earnings and endorsements.

Wednesday Preview - Shell Houston Open

One week remains until we're at The Masters, so you can forgive the golfing world if we're looking ahead a little bit. No offense, Houston Golf Club, but you're no Augusta National.

Course: The Golf Club of Houston, a 7,500 yard course. You will hear a lot this week about the similarities of Houston compared to Augusta National, but it is drastically overstated. The only thing similar are the greens, which are pretty quick. Winning score may flirt with twenty under par.

Strength Of Field: B-. The field took a hit when Jimmy Walter and Henrik Stenson withdrew, but there is still a really nice field gearing up for The Masters. A lot of these players, however, may be using Houston as a warm up, so don't be surprised to see a leaderboard with some lower ranked players.

Extra Tidbits: Since Houston is the last event prior to The Masters, a lot of foreign players that are teeing it up next week are playing this week. Mikko Ilonen, Anirban Lahiri, Joost Luiten, and Danny Willett, all European Tour professionals, will be playing on the PGA Tour this week...Austin Cook, Kelvin Day, Andrew Landry, and Smylie Kaufman are the Monday qualifiers. Cook tied for 13th last year at the FedEx St. Jude Classic after he Monday qualified for that event. Day is playing his rookie season on the Web.com Tour. Landry won on the Web.com Tour in 2009 a month after turning professional. Kaufman played in the 2014 U.S. Open, but missed the cut...Last year, Matt Kuchar looked poised to win the tournament until Matt Jones hit a 40 foot putt on the 18th and chipped in on the first playoff hole to secure a spot in The Masters...While players can no longer qualify for The Masters based on the World Golf Rankings, the winner of this event who is not otherwise qualified will receive a last minute invitation to Augusta.

Fantasy Four:

Jordan Speith - He is making a case for being the favorite for The Masters. Would have won last week if Jimmy Walker wasn't playing on an island by himself. Speith has become one of the best scramblers on Tour, and his putting is incredibly sound. Still looking for his first victory in his native Texas.

Lee Westwood - Good record in this event and has finished in the top 25 in every event he has played in 2015. His best opportunity to win a major is as Augusta National, where he has several top 10's, so he will be looking to built some momentum entering The Masters.

Danny Willett - A true sleeper in the sense that he can finish anywhere. Missed the cut at the Valspar, but almost notched a top 10 at the Honda Classic. He has lead the Race To Dubai standings pretty much the entire season, and is exempt into The Masters next week. I don't know what truly to expect from Willett, but given his talent and his ball striking, he should be able to contend.

Victor Dubuisson - A real roller coaster. He's had a very poor PGA Tour season, but his form can change at the drop of a hat. He needs good vibes entering Augusta National, where he missed the cut last week. He's too good to continue to struggle, and he still has a good short game, which is a premium this week.

Last Week's Team:

Jimmy Walker: WINNER

Zach Johnson: T20

Daniel Berger: CUT

Ryan Palmer: T6

Previewing And Predicting The ANA Inspiration

New name, same tournament as the Kraft-Nabisco Championship becomes the ANA Inspiration. It took me a little bit to get used to the new name, but now I kind of like it. It sounds more prestigious. I hope players who win this tournament get to yell "I am an Inspiration!" as they jump into the pond. The LPGA always seems to fancy this tournament as their own version of The Masters, with a white robe replacing the green jacket. It is probably the most interesting major of the LPGA schedule and has the most prestigious list of past champions, at least in recent years.

Course: The Dinah Shore Course at Mission Hills Country Club in Rancho Mirage, California. If you ask me, I think this tournament has outgrown this course. It's not difficult for these players anymore. I understand this history surrounding the Dinah Shore Course, so perhaps a redesign is in order.

Alright, we got the boring stuff out of the way. Below are my picks of players who could possibly win this tournament, with a couple of players you may not expect who could content.

True Dark Horse:

Teresa Lu - Her win in Japan two years ago set off a firestorm for Lu, who has gone on to win four times on the JLPGA Tour, including two majors last season. She has regressed slightly, but we have seen that with big players on foreign tours - sometimes they win all they can and get bored. I expect Lu to have a very successful ANA Inspiration and couple, perhaps, look into joining the LPGA Tour next season.

Sleeper:

Mirim Lee - Almost came up with a victory last week, and has shown that she is not intimidated by anyone. It would not be a surprise to those who watch the LPGA regularly if she contends, but casual fans would be taken back a bit by it. Mirim is ready to really break out, and a big finish in a major would go a long way towards doing that.

The Contenders:

Stacy Lewis - You know she's going to be a part of the conversation in some capacity. Former winner of this event once notched a top 10 while still competing as an amateur, so this course fits her game. Had a disappointing Kia Classic by her standards, but Lewis has always been a player who played up to the biggest events on the schedule.

Inbee Park - Much like Lewis, Inbee will always be a part of the conversation in every tournament she plays in. Park made the leap into the pond two years ago as part of the crazy run that saw her win the first three majors of the LPGA season. Has finished in the top 10 in her last four events on Tour, so she's peaking at the right time.

Hyo Joo Kim - Followed up her victory with a top 10 at the Kia Classic. Here is the strangest stat you will hear all year - Kim has won 100% of the majors she has played in. To be fair, the only major she has actually competed in was last years Evian, but if she can win that event with those big name players, then you know she's up for any challenge. The Dinah Shore Course appears to be the kind of course that fits Kim's style.

Se Ri Pak - Sometimes, the stars align and the golfing world gives up the perfect story, and that perfect story this week would be if Se Ri Pak were able to complete the Career Grand Slam by winning the ANA Inspiration. Had an out of nowhere top 10 last week, and seems to be getting better each time she tee's it up. She circled this event for almost a year. This may be her last best opportunity to win this tournament, and I think she has a great shot.

My Champion:

Lydia Ko - It's not a matter of whether or not Ko will win a major this year. It's a matter of how many majors she walks away with. She hasn't posted a single round over par on the LPGA Tour this season, and hasn't finished outside the top 10 in her last ten events. She appears to be the best player on the LPGA Tour at this moment, and a major victory would validate that opinion.


Champion: Lydia Ko
Final Score: -14
Margin Of Victory: 3 strokes