Backspin: Woodland's path to victory; Stock up/down, more

text size

It took Gary Woodland awhile to learn one crucial thing: If you can hit a 7-iron 200 yards, hitting a driver isn't always necessary, and in some cases, it's downright stupid.

TRANSITIONS

Woodland defeats Simpson
Results, FedExCup points
TOUR Report: Final round
Watch: Crucial 72nd hole

Sure, it looks (and feels) cool to hit it 350 yards off the tee.

But that's not what wins golf tournaments.

It was a lesson that Fred Couples took and ran with, probably all the way to the World Golf Hall of Fame. Why hit driver when a smoked 3-wood will not only go straight ... but leave a short iron into most par-4s?

There was a time when Woodland, like a lot of kids fresh out of q-school, believed that distance was the great equalizer. Bomb, gouge, keep the TOUR card. Alas, it didn't work that way.

Not many people had heard of Woodland when he made it through q-school in 2009. He was the rare player who was eligible to play on the PGA TOUR, but he'd never actually made a PGA TOUR start. That's why it took awhile for him to learn that dialing down the power can reap huge benefits.

That doesn't just apply to golf. As the story goes, Sandy Koufax didn't become a dominating pitcher until the day his catcher sat him down and basically told him to dial it down a notch. The result? Koufax gained better control and kept the majority of his speed. Straight to the Hall of Fame.

Is there a little bit of Koufax in Woodland? When Koufax finally started controlling the ball, he was unhittable. Woodland is a completely different player than the one who played on TOUR in 2009 before tearing his labrum and sitting out nine months.

Even Woodland is first to admit that he doesn't have the polished all-around game of noted bombers Dustin Johnson and Bubba Watson. Even at 26, he's still got a steep learning curve ahead of him. Sunday marked just his 53rd start combined on the PGA TOUR and Nationwide Tour.

"I got out here in '09. I wasn't a very good golfer," Woodland said. "I was athletic, but I didn't know what I was doing out here. I got hurt, and I had time to step back and really figure out how to play this game. And I'm starting to figure that out right now. You know, I can't come out here and hit the golf ball 900 yards and win."

How did Woodland figure it out? Easy. Those nine months on the sidelines gave him plenty of time to see what he was doing wrong, which was pretty much everything. It boiled down to this: Hit more fairways. Putt better.

He had one of the best teachers on the planet, Dallas-based Randy Smith, helping him out. Smith was fortunate to have someone with Woodland's raw physical gifts, and Woodland was equally lucky to have someone who could turn that talent into a Fred Couples-like package.

And being able to hit a 7-iron 200 yards doesn't hurt.

Stock up

Nick Watney: He finished out of the top 10 for the first time in eight starts (dating back to last year), yet he still finished just seven shots back of Woodland. Watney was a Masters favorite before his win at Doral and nothing's changed. Martin Laird: He's another top-10 machine, with three already in 2011. He might be this year's Matt Kuchar, which is ironic, because it was Kuchar who beat him in the FedExCup opener at The Barclays last year. Brandt Snedeker: Johnny Miller is right in one aspect -- it's a mystery why Sneds hasn't won more than once on TOUR. He's driving it long and straight (a new experience for him) and he remains perhaps the best all-around putter on TOUR.

Stock down

Justin Rose: It was tough to watch him on Sunday. It brought back images of the '10 Travelers Championship, when he shot 75 on an easy course to lose the tournament. Still, his 65-65 effort in Rounds 2 and 3 were the best 36 on TOUR this year. Carl Pettersson: Since his tie for fourth in the season-opening Hyundai Tournament of Champions, he'd been shut out of the top 25. His sloppy 73-76 weekend at the Copperhead Course after a strong start didn't help matters much. Mark Wilson: Since winning the Waste Management Phoenix Open, he's broken 70 just once in 15 tries in stroke play. His two wins this season will probably allow him to keep the FedExCup lead until at least next week.

THE BACK NINE: 9 THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW

1. Twenty-five of the world's top 50 in the Official World Golf Ranking will be at the Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by MasterCard. This marks Tiger Woods' first trip to Bay Hill since his birdie putt in the dark to win in 2009. Totally unrelated fact: Robert Gamez is in the field. In case you're under 35, he's the guy you'll be seeing a lot of replays of from 1990, when he holed out from 176 yards to beat Greg Norman. In case you're under 25, Norman's the guy who makes really nice golf shirts.

2. The disaster in Japan sparked Ryuji Imada to draft this letter: "Dear Players: As you may know last week there was an earthquake disaster in my home country of Japan. To support the many people affected by the earthquake. I have decided to donate $1,000 per birdie I make at this week's event. I would be thankful for any of my fellow competitors to join me in support with any donations. Ryuji Imada." Unfortunately, Imada didn't make a single birdie on Thursday and just two on Friday before missing the cut, but his letter inspired players to give back. Bubba Watson donated $50,000 on Sunday to go along with the $100,000 that K.J. Choi pledged earlier in the week. Several other players also pitched in.

3. Imada's Japan-based caddie was found safe. "The guy who caddies for me when I play in Japan, Takahide Sasaki, is a good friend of mine," Imada said. "He actually caddied for Daisuke Maruyama on the PGA TOUR when Daisuke played over here. Takahide went missing for four days. They actually found him [Wednesday] in one of the evacuation areas. But he was actually out of contact for four days. Nobody really knew where he was."

4. The world's best players continue to find time on their schedule for Copperhead. It's tough to play all four weeks on the Florida Swing. And yet, the field in the Transitions Championship is better every year. Why? Players show up to play good golf courses. World No. 1 Martin Kaymer went so far as to call it, "One of the best I've played in America." It's another reason Gary Woodland won't be a one-and-done TOUR winner. Copperhead's list of winners (Choi, Singh, Goosen, Furyk) shows what it takes to win there.

5. Former starter-reliever-really good golfer John Smoltz will play on the Nationwide Tour's South Georgia Classic Pres'd by First State Bank and Trust Company. Did you know he's a pro and not an amateur? Turned pro awhile back. If he makes any money on the 7,800-yard Kinderlou Forest Golf Club, he'll earn every penny. Pitch and putt.

6. Rookie Scott Stallings somehow overcame a double bogey late Sunday to finish third at Copperhead. Stallings, who had made just one cut on TOUR after graduating from q-school, was aided a great deal by Kenny Perry, who helped secure him a sponsor's exemption into the tournament. Stallings, who was next to last on the reshuffle list before Tampa, now has a spot in the Shell Houston Open in two weeks. He's another guy who can really move it off the tee. And he's already made an ace on TOUR.

7. Yeah, maybe Webb Simpson shouldn't have hit driver on the 72nd hole Sunday. But in reality, Simpson was fortunate to even be near the lead after missing a ton of greens in the final round. Simpson's career is on the upswing, and hiring veteran caddie Paul Tesori, who split with Sean O'Hair after last year, has worked wonders for his game.

8. Chris Couch has just five starts this year, and three top-10s. At 37, Couch doesn't have many good body parts left. His elbows and shoulders are shot, which is why he carries more magnets than your refrigerator. He will be tough at Arnie's place this week, too. Fun fact: The aforementioned Tesori was Couch's roommate at the University of Florida.

9. Rory Sabbatini's 10-week stretch of playing consecutive tournaments on the PGA TOUR is over. Sabbatini phoned in his withdrawal from the Arnold Palmer Invitational. Sabbatini had six top-25s in the 10 tournaments, including his win at The Honda Classic. We're betting that Sabbatini, who turns 35 next month, won't play 10 straight again. By the way, Sabo, can I have your Marriott points? Wait, you have an RV. Never mind.

Forward Spin

The Florida Swing concludes with the Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by MasterCard, where Ernie Els is the defending champion. Els is still looking for his first top-10 of the year, as is six-time Bay Hill winner Tiger Woods. There have been a lot of great moments on the 18th green from a lot of great players, but this is an unpredictable tournament, especially when the wind is blowing.

Next Kodak Challenge hole

THIS WEEK: Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by MasterCard HOLE: The par-4, 449-yard 18th at Bay Hill Club and Lodge ABOUT THE HOLE: The 2011 Kodak Challenge will continue at Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by MasterCard with the 449-yard par-4 18th at the Bay Hill Club and Lodge. Kodak Challenge standings