Golf Confessions

The players at this year’s Player’s Championship were in a survival mode for this championship.  The course was hard and fast just like the tour wanted.   You kick in the wind with up to thirty mile per hour gust and you have yourself a tournament.

A lot of the big names did not even make it to the weekend, and some of the ones that did make the cut did not fare too well.  Phil Mickelson was trying to win back to back and started the final round with a double bogey on the first hole and he was done.  Paul Goydos and Kenny Perry were in the final pairing of the day and Paul did all he could do to pull off a blue collar miracle.

You had to think the break he got on number 14 after hitting two excellent shots and not making a par, he may have some evil waiting for him just around the corner.  Paul, not known as one of the longer hitters kept his ball in play most of the tournament and made some crucial putts.  In fact Goydos had the lead or a share all day until the last hole when he took a bogey on the very difficult par four.

Goydos was very brave all day and played his heart out in front of a crowd that was really pulling for him.  Sergio Garcia was another player that certainly needed a win at this juncture of his career.  Picked to be a super star early on in his career, Sergio has had his ups and downs.  His biggest problem has been with the putter.  Garcia has recently sought the help of putting guru Stan Utley and it seems to have helped.  Although Sergio still fought the putting demons off and on during the four days.  But he stepped up big on the 72nd hole and made a key putt for par to force the playoff when Goydos failed on his par bid.

Sorenstam won her third tournament of the year in a very convincing fashion. 

The closest competitor was seven shots back and number one ranked Lorena Ochoa was twelve shots back.  Annika played to her old form before she had back problems and was forced to miss much of the 2007 season.

Annika and Ochoa should have their way with the rest of the season.  Know that Annika is finding her old self it will be interesting to see how Ochoa can hanlde the pressure of being pursued.