Michael Whitmer's Players to watch
- |
THE WINNER
BOO WEEKLEY
Age: 35
Players starts: 2
Cuts made: 2
Scoring average: 72.63
Low score: 70
Best finish: T21 (2008)
Case: What an interesting story this would make. Weekley, while not having any great chances to win this year, has been solid, missing only one cut (Masters) and finishing in the top 13 in each of his past three starts. With his affection for camouflage, hunting, and fishing, he'll draw a lot of support from the locals. His only two PGA Tour wins were just up the road in Hilton Head, where he won in 2007 and 2008. He's made the cut in both of his Players appearances, with only one poor round (a final-round 77 last year) among his eight scores.
THE CONTENDERS
SEAN O'HAIR
Age: 26
Players starts: 3
Cuts made: 2
Scoring average: 72.80
Low score: 66
Best finish: 11 (2007)
Case: There's nobody hotter, coming off a win in Charlotte last week. In his last three starts, O'Hair has finished second at Bay Hill (an event he led by five shots through three rounds), tied for 10th at the Masters, and won. On the surface, he doesn't have a great record here, and missed the cut last year. But he was only two strokes behind Phil Mickelson standing on the 17th tee in the final round two years ago, put two balls in the water, and made a quadruple-bogey 7. Don't expect him to make the same mistake twice.
JEFF QUINNEY
Age: 30
Players starts: 2
Cuts made: 2
Scoring average: 70.75
Low score: 64
Best finish: 3 (2008)
Case: He's been consistently good over his eight rounds on the Stadium Course, with five under-par scores and a high of 74. With the course expected to play firm and fast, scores probably won't be super-low. Quinney has really struggled this year, missing the cut in six of his nine events, including his last three, when he's a cumulative 14-over-par. Of the three made cuts, his best finish is a tie for 22d at the
STEPHEN AMES
Age: 45
Players starts: 10 Cuts made: 6
Scoring average: 72.34
Low score: 66
Best finish: Win (2006)
Case: Ames loves it here, with a win, a second in 2002, and a fifth last year. He does have four missed cuts, though, when he's had rounds of 77, 78, 79, and 85 (ouch). Ames has found the going tough since opening his season with a fifth-place tie at the Bob Hope Classic. He has no other top-15 finishes, with three missed cuts. Ames is 72d on the money list; in 11 full seasons on tour, he's never finished lower than 89th. His win here in 2006 is one of three tour victories; he also won the 2002 Western Open and the 2007 event at Disney.
LUKE DONALD
Age: 31
Players starts: 6
Cuts made: 3
Scoring average: 72.39
Low score: 65
Best finish: T2 (2005)
Case: Has been solid all year, with seven top-25 finishes, four in the top 10, and only one missed cut. He tied for second in his last start at Hilton Head, and had a stretch of three straight top-10 showings on the West Coast swing. Hard to believe it's been more than three years (2006 Honda) since Donald's last tour win. He's too good not to get back to that level. Donald has three missed cuts here, but tied for second in 2005, tied for 16th in 2007, and tied for 27th last year.
