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Hyundai Tournament of Champions Thread (Spoilers)

arydolphin

arydolphin

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Since it is now 2012, I figured I'd put this thread up as the first PGA Tour event of the season starts later this week! People seemed to enjoy the writeup I did for the President's Cup thread, so I'll use a similar format here.

The Hyundai Tournament of Champions starts on FRIDAY this week, because the PGA Tour wanted a Monday finish for this tournament. Here are the TV times, all coverage is on Golf Channel:
Fri, 1/6:
5:30p - 10p ET
Sat, 1/7:
5:30p - 10p ET
Sun, 1/8:
5:30p - 10p ET
Mon, 1/9:
4p - 8p ET

In last year's tournament, Jonathan Byrd (pictured above) was the winner in a playoff with Robert Garrigus. He returns to defend his title this year against 27 other players, all of whom won PGA Tour tournaments last year. The full field is here:
Aaron Baddeley
Keegan Bradley
Michael Bradley
Jonathan Byrd
K.J. Choi
Ben Crane
Harrison Frazar
Lucas Glover
Bill Haas
Chris Kirk
Martin Laird
Bryce Molder
Kevin Na
Sean O'Hair
Scott Piercy
D.A. Points
Rory Sabbatini
Webb Simpson
Scott Stallings
Brendan Steele
Steve Stricker
David Toms
Jhonattan Vegas
Johnson Wagner
Nick Watney
Bubba Watson
Mark Wilson
Gary Woodland

Unfortunately, you'll notice that some players that won PGA Tour events last year are missing from this event. The list of eligible players that won't be playing includes Rory McIlroy, Darren Clarke, Charl Schwartzel, Luke Donald, Phil Mickelson, Adam Scott, and Martin Kaymer.

The course is the Plantation Course at Kapalua on the island of Maui in Hawaii. The course plays at 7411 yards with a par of 73. The course record is 62, shot by K.J. Choi in 2003 and Graeme McDowell in 2011. The signature hole is the 18th hole, a 667 yard par 5 that plays significantly downhill. If the course is playing firm and fast, many of the players in the field can reach the green in 2 shots. There are tons of elevation changes at this course and the wind is always a factor. Even though the field is pretty small, it is one of my favorite tournaments of the year to watch because of the course.

Who is everyone's pick to win this week? Can guys like Keegan Bradley, Brendan Steele, or Gary Woodland start off their sophomore year on tour with a win? Will a veteran like K.J. Choi, David Toms, or Steve Stricker take the crown? Bubba Watson is playing really well after shooting a 58 earlier this week, maybe he's the one to watch. My pick for this week is Nick Watney, I think this is the year where he makes another step forward and wins a major, winning this tournament would be a great start to his year.
 
Going on form my pick would have to go for Bubba.
 
Wow, I just looked over the list and realized that Matt Kuchur is not there, with him having such a solid season last year I had assumed that he won. Oh well, my favorite golfer, Bubba is there.
 
Great stuff! Would love to see Keegan win to start the year. One of my favorites.


Steel tappin' from my iPad
 
I like bubba and Sean O'hair. Bubba seems to play well after layoffs and time in AZ. Sean is more of a gut felling, I think he will have a good year!
 
Woodland by 6 strokes over Simpson.
 
I think Jhonny Vegas gets the early win here. I like the guy's game, and think he'll win a bunch more events in the future.

Also, why does Tiger not get to play? Is the Chevron not a PGA Tour event? I was just wondering and kind of wishing he was playing this week.
 
I like Bubba. I love watching long knockers on this course.


Sent from my forged iPad
 
TC said:
I like Bubba. I love watching big knockers on this course.


Sent from my forged iPad
Click to expand...
I like watching that anywhere.
 
Damaikis said:
I think Jhonny Vegas gets the early win here. I like the guy's game, and think he'll win a bunch more events in the future.

Also, why does Tiger not get to play? Is the Chevron not a PGA Tour event? I was just wondering and kind of wishing he was playing this week.
Click to expand...

Tiger's event is not officially part of the PGA Tour schedule. Even if Tiger had won a PGA Tour event last year, I really doubt you would have seen him at this tournament, he hasn't played there since 2005. Mickelson is even worse, he hasn't played there since 2001.
 
I always look forward to this event because I can watch in live in prime time. Too bad some of the 2011 winners are not going to be there. Now for my pick.

And the winner is ... Bubba Watson! :clapp:

or maybe not.
 
I'll have to drink this one over and get back with you tomorrow.
 
I would like to see Gary Woodland do well. He destroys the ball. I think he will do well on tour this year.
 
Keegan by 2 over Lucas Glover.
 
I've got a good feeling about Bubba this week, I think his confidence is sky high this week after shooting that 58 so he is going to go out there and have fun and he will end up killing it!
 
I'd like to see KJ Choi win. He seems like a very nice fellow.
 
Something tells me Rory Sabbatini will play well this week. He's not one of my favorite players but I think he'll sneak in with a "W".
 
Routing for either Bubba or Webb.
 
I like D.A. Points this week
 
I kind of like Gary Woodland this week
 
This will be a good tourney for me to get a big lead in Fantasy Golf.
 
Ok I'm ready how about Webb Simpson FTW.
 
Smallville said:
This will be a good tourney for me to get a big lead in Fantasy Golf.
Click to expand...

You picked Vegas too? He will be winning btw.

Either way, I can't wait for this to get started. I love watching primetime golf.
 
Martin Laird.

He's had a nice break, now he's back to lay an oddly-accented beatdown on the early season.
 
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