Finchy Reports from The CBS Golf Tour
May 29 2008 | Comments: 133
G’day Friends,
It’s been a while since my last message from The CBS Sports Golf Tour, and in that time we have seen some memorable golf played on CBS - from Trevor Immleman’s win at The Masters to Big Phil’s second win at Colonial.
This year’s Masters was won in style by Trevor, the young South African with oodles of talent, proving to the golfing world what we in the media have been promoting for quite some time…he’s got game.!!
Trevor has been winning tournaments around the world since the new Millennium began, however, became better known in the USA when he became Gary Player’s, 2005 Presidents Cup Captain’s pick. Trevor performed admirably, proving to his boyhood mentor that he was worthy of the selection. He proved himself once again on the Pres Cup 2007 team, and with his Masters victory has now stepped up into the top tier of world golfers mentioned as potential multiple major winners.
The BIG story of this year’s Masters though was the record breaking appearance of Gary Player himself, competing in his 51st Masters…and I predict there will be more to come from the fittest 70+ man on this planet!!
Boo Weekley repeated his 2007 victory at the Harbour Town Golf Links, Hilton Head Island, in stylish fashion proving he’s no one hit wonder, and will continue to win on Tour with all that talent. He looked good in that jacket….
Adam Scott was next to shine through at the Byron Nelson in Dallas. The recently redesigned TPC Four Seasons course was a big hit with the players thanks to D.A. Wiebring’s design team, and provided great drama with Adam winning out in a playoff with another youngster Ryan Moore. We’ll be seeing more of the young guys on tour this year.
We have already seen D.J. Trahan, J.B.Holmes, Sean O’Hair, Andres Romero, Johnson Wagner, Trevor Immleman, Adam Scott, Anthony Kim, Sergio Garcia (yes still only 28), and Ryugi Imada win this season as players 28 and under. The best of all was 22 year old Anthony Kim’s first victory at the sensational Quail Hollow Club in Charlotte, North Carolina at this year’s Wachovia Championship. This event has become one of the top events on Tour in just five years, and continues to secure the best field outside the majors. Anthony’s name will be added to an already impressive list of Champions which includes Jim Furyk and Tiger Woods.
NBC covered Sergio Garcia beating the popular Paul Goydos in an anti-climactic play-off that started on 17, the par three…. The players were not happy with the decision. The play-off should start at 18 and then go back to 17-18 continuous. The AT&T Classic was played at TPC Sugarloaf in Duluth GA once again and Ryugi Imada proved that he had learned from his play-off loss to Zach Johnson in 2007 by winning this year’s play-off over the veteran Kenny Perry. Once again the 18th hole provide classic drama all weekend which continued into the play-off with Kenny Perry’s second shot bouncing off a huge pine 30 yards right into the lake guarding the front of the green. Imada played safely for par and secured his first Tour victory. One more for the young guys!!
My CBS teammate David Feherty continues to mend following a terrible traffic accident early in the year where he was flung from his bicycle by a passing truck and trailer. David’s elbow was badly damaged and he is still unable to tread the fairways on the CBS broadcasts, in case of possible bumps and more damage. Therefore, I sweated it out on course over the weekend while he relaxed in my chair on the 15th tower at the Colonial in Fort Worth.
One of the Tour’s oldest and best courses and tournaments - with the winner receiving another red, plaid jacket, and of course $1 million or so - Crown Plaza Invitational spent a lot of money on Phil Mickelson commercials this year, and proved it was well spent when their man Phil rose victorious in another exciting Sunday finish. In true Phil Mickelson fashion he blasted a wedge through and over some trees to nine feet on the 18th, and holed the putt for a 1 shot victory over Rod Pampling and Tim Clark.
This week CBS heads up to Columbus Ohio for the Memorial Tournament hosted by The Man himself, Jack Nicklaus on the best PGA Tour venue, Muirfield Village Golf Club. Even without Tiger this will be a great weekend of golf. See you there on CBS Sports.
Finchy
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