PODS Championship preview: New date may suit distance players more

It’s all very well Tiger Woods prancing about the globe doing good deeds and becoming a father of children and golf tournaments, but it would be kinda neat if he picked up a golf club now and then and, you know, played the odd round. Only two US tournaments so far this season, one of them the matchplay, is hardly overdoing things.

It would have been nice, for instance to see him at this week’s PODS Championship, less than memorably named after a storage and removal company (give me 84 Lumber any day). But then you could say that about quite a few of our top-line players. Spectators could do worse than pack a Golf Who’s Not Who.

This year’s competition is in March instead of October, so fresh green overseeded grass has replaced the burnt features players have been used to. There’s a difference of opinion on how hard the rough will play, but there are plenty of other problems for wayward drivers. The longer hitters are likely to be favoured a bit more by the softer fairways though. With more water hazards there are similarities with last week’s PGA National, but the biggest is the wind, although forecasts suggest it won’t be as nasty as last week.

If you look at the form of last year’s top ten you will see anyway that some distance players managed to thrive, suggesting that good stroke play and, naturally, excellent putting are again going to rule the roost.

Likes

Vaughn Taylor: A pretty murky season so far, but his combined strengths with his irons and putter top this field and he was 13th here last year.
Vijay Singh: You just don’t know with the favourite, but he hasn’t been lower that 39th this season, including a win and two top twenties and his stats make a strong case. Only accuracy lets him down.
Steve Stricker: His stats suggest he needs to get tighten up his game off the tee but he put in a strong showing last week in tough conditions.
John Rollins: Although he’s never prospered here he leads my putting stats, is top 40 for everything else, and is having a half-way decent season with two second places already.
Charles Howell III: Having a monster season and only let down by wayward driving.
Boo Weekley: Would be a winner by now but for that awful putt on the final hole of regular play last week. Look back to 2002 and you’ll see he came 22nd here, so its a course he can play. But oh, that name!

AC/DC

K J Choi: He’s missed the cut as often as he’s won here (twice) and his stats are far from stellar. He’s had a so-so season, but maybe there’s something about this course that gets him going.
Bubba Watson: He’s in a bit of a trough, missed the cut here last year and accuracy is not exactly his forte. But he’s fifth for iron play, 23rd for putting and, given a possibly greater emphasis on distance this year, might be one to follow.
Joe Durant: Has three top fives here, but has missed his last two cuts.
Camilo Villegas: Was last week’s second place a flash in the pan or is he in fine Florida form? His stats say no but he may just be coming into form.
Sergio Garcia: Sixth in his last outing with a solid if not spectacular all-round performance. Doesn’t do it for me though.
Jesper Parnevik: Not having a hugely great season, but has form here.
Brett Wetterich: second here last year, eighth last week and just about every pundit screaming his name. Only his putting worries me.

Don’t like

It’s actually easier to see cases to back those at the top of the betting than not. Only one stands out to oppose:

Chad Campbell: He has some course form, but is having a brute of a season. People point to his strong matchplay showing, but that was matchplay, out in the desert, on a bomber’s course. This ain’t it.