Wednesday, January
2, 2002
What
can fans expect for 2002 golf season?
By Doug Ferguson
Associated Press
KAPALUA, Hawaii —
Another PGA Tour season starts in two days, and already there
is change in the wind.
The Plantation Course
was designed for the prevailing trade winds, but the 32 players
gathered at Kapalua for the winners-only Mercedes Championships
are likely to see the Kona winds out of the opposite direction,
which could lead to quite a test.
Perhaps that won’t
be the only change this year.
If the gap continues
to close on Tiger Woods, someone else might be the PGA Tour player
of the year for the first time since 1998.
The sites of the
four majors will be new for most of the players — Muirfield
hasn’t had a British Open since 1992, Hazeltine (PGA) hasn’t
had a major since 1991, Bethpage gets its first major (U.S. Open)
and Augusta National has gone through the biggest renovation in
its 68-year history.
Phil Mickelson might
hold a 54-hole lead in a major for the first time.
Mickelson might win
his first major.
Maybe he’ll
lose in a playoff for the first time in a major — perhaps
to Mike Weir.
With optimism as
high as it will ever be, here’s a wish list for the new year
in golf:
Tiger Woods is
measured against other players instead of his 2000 season.
The PGA Tour
announces that the Match Play Championship will be played in Europe
once every three years. Why should the Euros always have to travel
to California to play a format in which they are only guaranteed
playing one round?
Woods wins the
Nissan Open at Riviera, the tournament where he made his PGA Tour
debut as a 16-year-old — and the only tournament he has played
more than five times without winning.
Davis Love III
finds the hunger to go with his ability.
John Daly slips
from No. 51 to No. 64 in the world ranking just in time for the
Match Play Championship, setting up a first-round match against
Woods.
Daly recovers
quickly and qualifies for the Masters by climbing back to No.
50.
Laura Davies
wins the Nabisco Championships to complete the Grand Slam and
get into the Hall of Fame — where she should have been five
years ago had the LPGA considered her remarkable record around
the world.
Sam Snead splits
the middle of the first fairway at Augusta National.
Doug Ford returns
to the Masters — but only for the Champions Dinner.
Greg Norman makes
good use of his special invitation to the Masters.
Woods stops more
often to sign autographs instead of walking past a row of fans
at Mach V speed.
Fans give Woods
a reason to want to stop, instead of acting like hooligans at
a World Cup match between England and Germany.
Young guns stop
talking about challenging Tiger until they win a meaningful tournament
— or any tournament, for that matter (Charles Howell III).
The only young star who has the right to talk smack is Sergio
Garcia.
A little less
smack from Sergio.
Laura Diaz stops
talking about the importance of sex appeal on the LPGA Tour until
she wins her first tournament.
Boo Weekley qualifies
for the U.S. Open and is paired on the weekend with U.S. Amateur
champion Bubba Dickerson.
A British Open
for Vijay Singh, and respect as the world-class player he is.
Validation for
David Toms. True, he should have nothing to prove after winning
three times last year — including his first major —
and six times over the past three years. But to be regarded as
one of the elite, he needs to affirm his great 2001 season.
No more validation
in the Skins Game.
More silliness
in the silly season. Golf got way too serious in November and
December. Frank Lickliter cussed out Brad Faxon during the Shark
Shootout. The field for Tiger’s tournament was expanded because
Scott Hoch complained about being unfairly left out. Save the
intensity for when it matters.
Success for 17-year-old
Ty Tryon — on his algebra tests.
Weir ditches
the nickname, “Mr. November.” The left-handed Canadian
has won $5 million tournaments in November each of the past two
years, but most golfers would rather be known as “Mr. April.”
June, July or August are just as good.
The U.S. Golf
Association spends more time worrying about pace of play and less
time trying to limit equipment innovations.
David Duval acts
like every day is Sunday at Lytham.
Scott Hoch finds
something positive to say about every golf course.
A Ryder Cup with
plenty of partisan cheering — but after the ball lands, not
before it’s struck.
One last stand
by Hal Sutton. The Hoss will be 45 and almost certainly playing
in his final Ryder Cup. Look for him to be announced as captain
of the ‘04 team by the end of the year.
Awards come down
to the last week of the season.
A lefty wins
a major.
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