Mercedes: Not exactly golf paradise apparently

Tuesday January 6, 2009 | 10:41:06 pm 229 words, 2607 views

It must be a bummer to have to go to Hawaii. Either that, or there really is such a thing as having too much money.

Imagine going to a tournament with no cut and a guarantee share of a $5.6 million purse among 35 players or so. The fact that it’s at Kapalua Resort’s Plantation Course in Maui, Hawaii isn’t a bad deal either, but apparently not good enough for the top four players in the world to play in the invitation-only Mercedes-Benz Championship this week (Jan. 8-11).

OK, I’ll give Tiger a pass on this one so he can further rehabilitate his knee. But he passed on the Mercedes last year, too, to spend more time with his young family. But No. 2 Sergio Garcia, third-ranked Phil Mickelson and No. 4 Padraig Harrington – what gives?

Harrington and Garcia are Euros, so maybe I get that, although they routinely play all over the world. Phil’s just a four-hour plane ride (in his own plane) away. Only thing I can figure is that these guys just didn’t want to go back to work this week like the rest of us. They’re all skipping the Sony next week, too, by the way. We probably won’t be seeing any of these guys until the FBR Open at the TPC Scottsdale Stadium Course Jan. 26-Feb. 1. So far, Mickelson’s the only commitment among the top four for that one.

3 comments

Comments, Pingbacks:

Comment from: Brandon [Visitor] · http://www.worldgolf.com/blogs/brandon.tucker

Finchem's request for the players to enter more tournaments was effective I guess...

Permalink 01/07/09 @ 02:57

Comment from: Jennifer Mario [Visitor] · http://www.travelgolf.com/blogs/jennifer.mario

The guy who comes in dead last still wins more than $70k!

Permalink 01/07/09 @ 18:43

Comment from: DSIMP [Visitor]

I think when a player with a free pass to a tournamentnnt does not play in it, there should be a fine and/or suspension. But,again, these guys have so much money, who cares ? Maybe the tour needs to look at "tiering" tournaments over the course of the year. Group weaker tournaments with stronger ones and group them together into three or four tiers. You have to choose which tier you want to play in. Or, you can choose two of the four or three of four tiers to play in. This way weaker tournaments would see bigger name players that they normally would not. For example, group the John Deer Classic with The Players Championship. I say create four tiers and make it mandatory for players to play in three !!!! Any other ideas ?

Permalink 02/05/09 @ 16:28

The Accidental Golfer

The Accidental Golfer (AKA Mike Bailey) has spent more than 15 years writing about the game that has brought him unbridled joy and temporary bouts of insanity. Now on staff at WorldGolf.com, Bailey is a former senior editor for PGA Magazine, senior writer for Golfweek's SuperNEWS and Turfnet magazines and past president of the Texas Golf Writers Association. He has covered every facet of golf, including the PGA and LPGA Tours, equipment and course architecture, as well as the bane of his golfing existence: instruction. The last has led to at least 30 different golf swings, which all feel different but appear to his playing companions to be the same.