Quick 18: Phil and Mack, Couples' CT debut, more
By Melanie Hauser, PGATOUR.COM Correspondent
Editor's note: PGATOUR.COM's Melanie Hauser will be shaking out the mental lint and pulling together the "Quick 18" on Mondays this year.
1. First player heading back to Kapalua next year? Geoff Ogilvy, who'll be the two-time defending champ. The thoughtful Aussie jumped from 14th to ninth in the Official World Golf Ranking and will take a week off before heading to the Abu Dhabi Golf Championship. Since his wife Juli is due to deliver their third child in about five weeks, don't look for him to play on TOUR again until the World Golf Championships-Accenture Match Play Championship where he's also defending champ. That's the good news.
2. The iffy news? The former U.S. Open champion is always amazing early in the year, but way too predictable after April. He has seven TOUR wins, but has won just once -- that Open in 2006 -- after April. He's got only nine top-fives on TOUR after April. He said Sunday night he knew where the problem was and how to fix it. If he does? Well, he's been an elite short-lister for a while now. Could this be another major season?
3. Rory Sabbatini spent a month playing at Kapalua. Had a blast playing with whoever came along during the stretch and heard every tip --good or bad -- on how to play the island course. He threw everything he had at Ogilvy Sunday -- five consecutive birdies and 10 total on the way to a 63. He still came up short.
4. Sabbatini seldom minces words, so it was no surprise he gave his short game a D-minus for 2009. There's hope for 2010, though. And here's another reason to keep an eye on him this week at the Sony Open in Hawaii -- he's finished runner-up two of the last four years (2006, 2008).
5. Never say Charles Barkley doesn't have a sense of humor. Sir Charles had a blast hosting "Saturday Night Live" and lampooning his time with Hank Haney during "The Haney Project." As he noted, his swing is notoriously awful. His acting? A close second.
6. The player most likely to grab attention at this week's Sony Open? John Daly. The slimmed-down Daly, who played in six PGA TOUR events last year after serving what he said was a suspension, starts his 2010 season and comeback attempt this week, but that might not be the only debut. A glance at loudmouthgolf.com provides a preview of some of the mind-boggling, eye-rubbing options JD has for the season.
7. JD's pants and lap-band figure won't be the only subjects inquiring minds will probe. His GOLF CHANNEL reality show -- "Being John Daly" -- debuts March 2 and he may be ready to drop a few hints about the episodes that have been shot.
8. European Ryder Cup Captain Colin Montgomerie has his first win of the year. As a captain, that is. Down by three with eight holes to play, Henrik Stenson came back to clinch Europe's 8-7 win over Asia in the Royal Trophy. Monty said it was a great start for the Euros who'll be trying to win the Ryder Cup back when they host the U.S. at Celtic Manor this fall.
9. Lucas Glover started fast, finished by getting in his own way. No, the defending U.S. Open didn't hang onto the first 54-hole lead of his career and he wasn't happy with a closing 76. But it's something to build on. He's hopping over to the Sony Open, too. "You can't beat this,'' he said. "Spend 10 days out here and go to Honolulu for seven more, that's not too bad." He'll join the other three major champs -- Stewart Cink, Angel Cabrera and Y.E. Yang -- at Waialae Country Club.
10. Phil Mickelson took a break from the family and his game last week to head to the Rose Bowl for the CITI BCS National Championship Game. Lefty is friends with Texas coach Mack Brown and before UT headed to Pasadena, the two discussed what it took to upset a No. 1:"You're going to have to hit most of the fairways and make some long putts to win this game.'' Didn't happen. Bama won 37-21. And Lefty? Everything seems to point to him making his 2010 debut in three weeks at the San Diego Open.
11. South African Charl -- not Charles or Charlie -- Schwartzel grabbed the fourth win of his career at the Africa Open. It was the fourth European Tour win for him and the first in his home country.
12. Johnny Miller and Mike Reid are among those lining up to honor former BYU coach Karl Tucker, who passed away Jan. 8. Tucker coached Miller, Reid, Bobby Clampett and Mike Weir -- to name a few. "His great gift as a coach was he had such a keen understanding of the personalities of college kids," Reid told The Salt Lake Tribune. "He knew us so well. He probably never read it in a book, he just knew that everybody was different. Two guys would make the same mistake -- one, he would chew out; the other he would ignore.''
13. Don't look now, but Fred Couples bows in this week on the Champions Tour at the Wendy's Champions Skins Game. He was due to debut in Houston last fall at the Administaff Small Business Classic, but his back was cranky. Couples, who can still compete on the PGA TOUR, will team with Nick Price. Defending champions are former Masters champs Fuzzy Zoeller and Ben Crenshaw.
14. Can't wait for your first Rickie Fowler fix of the year? The most talked-about TOUR rookie this side of Rory McIlroy steps to the first tee in Hawaii this week. Fowler turned pro after the Walker Cup and finished 2009 with a playoff loss to Troy Matteson in the Frys.com Open and a tie for seventh at the Justin Timberlake Shriners Hospitals for Children Open.
15. Sabo may have the hot hand, but don't overlook David Toms this week. The former PGA champ hasn't finished out of the top 13 in his last five trips to the Sony Open and that streak includes a win in 2006 and a runner-up finish last year. Another player who loves the event -- Jerry Kelly. He's played at Waialae 10 times, has a win (2002) and five total top 10s. When you live in Wisconsin ...
16. Martin Laird -- remember the name -- was low rookie at the SBS Championship. He tied for fourth to lead the first-time winners who made the trip to Kapalua. Ryan Moore -- another one to keep your eye on -- tied for sixth. Three players did win the event in their first trip -- Daniel Chopra in 2008; Sergio Garcia in 2002 and Steve Jones in 1989.
17. Ryder Cup captain Corey Pavin gets his first chance to see team hopefuls from inside the ropes this year when he tees it up at the Sony Open. Pavin won the event in 1986 and 1987 when it was called the Hawaiian Open. His best finish since he was fourth in 1994 is a tie for 15th in 2003.
18. For the first time in years, Tony Romo's spring celebrity golf campaign is on hold. On Saturday night the Dallas Cowboys quarterback brought the team its first playoff win in 13 years and first to the new JerryWorld, which has everything but a golf course. But fellow QB celeb golfer Tom Brady is available.
Melanie Hauser is a columnist for PGATOUR.COM. Her views do not necessarily represent the views of the PGA TOUR.
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