Mar. 27, 2008
Brian Bateman, Nick Watney, Jeff Maggert
Tee time: 12:23 p.m. CT
Tee: No. 10
Total TOUR wins: 5
Why you should watch: It's not often a defending champion successfully retains his crown, but you never know what might happen. In a city with as much heart as New Orleans, it wouldn't be surprising to see last year's emotion-filled first-time winner, Nick Watney, race to first place again this year. Brian Bateman is a homegrown Louisiana boy, born in Monroe and educated at Louisiana State University, so a win in his native state would be a sweet treat for this one-time TOUR winner. Jeff Maggert has kept his play smooth and steady so far this season making six of seven cuts and finishing inside the top 25 twice -- look for the Midwesterner to try to make something happen this week.
| 2008 stats comparison |
| Bateman |
8 |
3 |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
1 |
71.66 |
| Watney |
7 |
5 |
-- |
-- |
-- |
1 |
3 |
70.83 |
| Maggert |
7 |
6 |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
2 |
70.68 |
|
Steve Stricker, Zach Johnson, Will MacKenzie
Tee time: 7:53 a.m. CT
Tee: No. 10
Total TOUR wins: 8
Why you should watch: What a hot group. Steve Stricker has made six of seven cuts this year and impressively so -- his four top-10 finishes include second place at the season-opening Mercedes Benz Championship. This guy hasn't cooled down since his late comeback of 2007 and playoff success; in fact, he might still just be warming up. Zach Johnson is always a good player to keep your eye on. With the Masters coming up, the Iowa native will be working on his game to see if he can wear that green jacket for another year. North Carolina native will MacKenzie hasn't had the best start to the 2008 season, but maybe he can gain some inspiration from his home state's dominating Tar Heels, who are advancing with crazed determination in the NCAA tournament.
| 2008 stats comparison |
| Stricker |
7 |
6 |
-- |
1 |
-- |
4 |
6 |
69.62 |
| Johnson |
7 |
7 |
-- |
-- |
-- |
1 |
2 |
70.43 |
| MacKenzie |
8 |
3 |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
72.25 |
|
Daniel Chopra, Padraig Harrington, Stewart Cink
Tee time: 12:13 p.m. CT
Tee: No. 1
Total TOUR wins: 9
Why you should watch: Another talented group, this international threesome could do some damage at TPC Louisiana this week. Daniel Chopra only earned his first TOUR win last season but followed it up quickly with a second win at the season-opening Mercedes Benz Championship; why not grab another this week? Padraig Harrington was a favorite of the TOUR Insider this week, and with a third-place finish at the Northern Trust Open this year, he clearly hasn't lost his touch after winning the British Open last year. Stewart Cink might have had that sinking feeling up against his friend Tiger Woods one on one at the World Golf Championships -- Accenture Match Play Championship, but his play has remained impressive since coming in second to Woods in Arizona. With a tie for second place at the PODS Championship and a tie for 20th at last week's World Golf Championships -- CA Championship in Miami last week, Cink is just biding his time before he snaps up another trophy.
| 2008 stats comparison |
| Chopra |
10 |
6 |
1 |
-- |
-- |
1 |
1 |
71.01 |
| Harrington |
3 |
3 |
-- |
-- |
1 |
1 |
3 |
69.32 |
| Cink |
6 |
5 |
-- |
2 |
1 |
3 |
4 |
69.97 |
|
