Normally, I’d pick Tiger Woods. Unfortunately, we won’t see Tiger again until next year, so the choice is much more difficult. My pick is Padraig Harrington. Reason: His game has no major weaknesses and he performs on Sunday when it matters.
My dark horses are Anthony Kim and Phil Mickelson. Anthony Kim is a great ball striker and a good putter. He’s putted well this year, except for a relatively poor performance at the Open Championship. If he gets hot, he could win it, but he’s a bit of a long shot, since he hasn’t won a major. He’s the only player who hasn’t won a major that I think could win the FedEx Cup.
Philly Mick has been erratic this year, but he’s still managed to win twice on very good courses (Riviera and Colonial) and was beaten in a playoff at TPC Scottsdale.
There are some other great players out there, but I don’t think they can string together 4 good weeks and win it. The rest of the top 12 on the points list have flaws.
- Kenny Perry had a great year, but I think his hot streak is over, now that he’s on the Ryder Cup team. He hasn’t won a major, and that’s the main reason I can’t pick him.
- Stewart Cink. No majors either, and he uses a long putter. Can’t go with any long putter guy to win the FedEx Cup.
- Vijay Singh. Can’t putt.
- Justin Leonard. Good player, no major weaknesses, but I don’t see a killer instinct.
- Ryuji Imada. Good player, but no majors.
- Geoff Ogilvy. Fine player, has the game and guts to win it, just hasn’t been playing well lately.
- Robert Allenby. Fine player, but no majors.
- Sergio Garcia. No way. He needs an attitude adjustment to go along with his improved (except when it counts) putting stroke.
Golf is golf, so this post may be laughably stupid by the time the winner hoists the trophy.
Michelle Wie finished tied for 12th at the Canadian Open today. She finished her six sponsor exemptions with about $62k in earnings, which won’t get her a LPGA tour card.
Michelle, go to Q-School, win it, and get ready to play full time on the LPGA Tour.
Do it, girl.
Michelle Wie just can’t get a break. She was DQ’ed after failing to sign her card.
I respect that a rule is a rule, and Michelle had to be disqualified. My question is why the LPGA can’t make sure the player signs the card before they let the player out of the scoring tent? The LPGA Tour got hurt the most by Michelle’s DQ. I didn’t even watch the rest of the tournament after I learned Michelle was out.
Michelle sells tickets. People want to watch her. The LPGA should do a better job making sure we can watch her.
Paula Creamer posted a very nice 11 under par 60 at the Jamie Farr Owens Corning Classic today, which gives her a 5 shot lead in the first round and a new course record.
Tiger announced on his website that he is planning to have knee reconstructive surgery and will be out for the remainder of the 2008 season.
Ouch! Tiger, we’ll miss you.
More at Woods out for rest of ’08.
I just finished viewing the playoff between Tiger Woods and Rocco Mediate at the US Open this afternoon (I had to work, so watched it on TIVO). I don’t know if Tiger’s 91 hole victory was the greatest of all time, but it was certainly the best golf tournament I’ve ever viewed, topping even Tiger’s 2006 victory at Hoylake in the Open Championship (in my view Tiger’s greatest victory because of his mastery of strategy and shotmaking, until today). How Tiger was able to overcome his very painful surgically-repaired knee and lack of practice will be the stuff of legend in an already legendary career.
SI has an excellent article on Tiger’s victory in Woods outlasts Mediate to win his 14th major.
Michelle Wie shot a 4-under 137 (70-67) in the Rockville, MD, sectional qualifier to earn a spot in the US Women’s Open.
Congrats, Michelle!
It’s been a long haul for Michelle, but she’s finally back on the leaderboard again. She picked up a 6th place finish at -14 under in the Ladies German Open.
Good job, Michelle. I’m looking forward to seeing you back in contention this summer.
Michelle Wie shot a 3-under 69 in the second round of the Ladies German Open. She’s only 3 shots behind the leader, Lora Fairclough, of England, who is at -10 after two rounds.
Go, Michelle, GO!!!
Michelle Wie shot a 68 in the first round of the Ladies German Open on the Ladies European Tour.
That 68 put her into a tie for fourth place. I hope that Michelle’s game is finally rounding back into form.