FBR Open preview: Sabbatini and Leonard can shine in the desert sun

It’s okay guys, it’s safe to come out and play now, he’s over in the Gulf giving the European boys some grief instead.

So we can all relax and look forward to a rowdy four days of warm-up to the Super Bowl in the desert with hopefully more of a golfing competition than last week. What intrigued me most in the aftermath of the Buick was that television ratings were down 18% on the previous year. Not everyone is captivated by a Tiger Woods masterclass it seems.

Fortunately it looks as if we are to be spared the bad weather that spoiled things for a lot of top players last year. The foul stuff has already been and gone, dumping enough rain to leave the course playing soft and long. But plenty of sun and mild winds seem to be the order of the day, as much as you can trust the weather people after last week. So again it looks like anyone who brings a half decent all-round game and ignites his putter will find himself around pole position come Sunday. With some players on top form and several former champions on the track it could prove to be an absorbing contest. So who is up to dazzle TV audiences this week?

Phil Mickelson: he will be anxious to wipe out the memory of last year’s weather-induced missed cut and seemed to start finding his rhythm last weekend. He is also a former resident and double winner and, after Tiger’s emphatic win last week, will likely be looking to make a statement of his own this week. Judging by his voice, though, he is still not completely over his illness, which is a slight niggle.
Aaron Baddeley: A couple of useful top 20s so far (we’ll gloss over the missed cut at the Hope) as he defends his title on his home turf. He was a little fortunate last year, but one great attribute when he is on song is a coolness under fire. He’s also performing well with the putter. One negative is the stat I saw that no one has won back-to-back here since 1975.
Rory Sabbatini: one of two hot streak players I fancy for this one. He has been hammering on the door since the get-go this season and I imagine he’ll be psyched up for this. The only real minus is his past record here, with just one top ten since 2000.
Justin Leonard: If the Hope Classic had been four days he’d already be a winner this season, and last week proved his resilience in the face of that disappointment. Although he too missed the cut last year, he has also prospered here. His putting is first class and he tops my all-round game chart.
Steve Stricker: I’ve gone against him, even though he’s posted two top fives already this year, simply because he’s never cracked top 20 here.
K J Choi: doesn’t seem to have stopped partying yet after his Sony win and he’s missed the cut four times in five appearances here.
Vijay Singh: a double winner here and invariably top 20, but it really looks as though age is starting to wither him.
Stewart Cink: He’s finished top 20 here more often than not without setting the fairways alight. Although he lost the plot last Sunday he still managed to finish 3rd to the rampant Tiger and the stats have him at the top of his game.

Some others to think about:

Jeff Quinney: a forced miscalculation off the tee cost him victory last year, but he started to warm up last week and will no doubt be buoyed by the intriguing sponsorship deal he has won with the Phoenix Coyotes hockey team.
Camilo Villegas: missed the cut in last year’s poor weather, but was 2nd the year before and looked in useful form last week.
Stuart Appleby: not a regular here but 8th last week puts him in the frame.
Ryuji Imada: A very handy showing from him to snatch second place last week and he was 14th at Scottsdale last year. His putter looks hot.
Troy Matteson: 14th last year, 11th last week, if he can only get his putter going he’ll be in with a shout.

Blimey, I see Tiger’s already two strokes ahead of the pack in Dubai when he finished round one. That’s a few more tele sets switched over at the weekend then.