Aaron Baddeley looks for repeat in FBR Open at TPC Scottsdale

From WorldGolf.com News Services

Aaron Baddeley believes he's going to have to go low to have any chance of becoming the first player in 21 years to repeat as champion of the FBR Open.

Last year, Baddeley shot back-to-back rounds of 64 on the weekend and birdied three of his last four holes to edge John Rollins by a single stroke. The 26-year-old Australian said history has shown that it will probably take a similar performance for him to become the first player to defend his title at TPC Scottsdale since Johnny Miller in 1974-75.

"Even if the rough is up, you've got to shoot a good score this week," Baddeley told reporters. "The weather is usually perfect. I think the forecast is pretty good. I mean, you're going to have to shoot 20-under probably to win.

"It's just go out there, play hard and hit it straight and make some putts. That's the key. It's making putts, really, because everyone is going to hit fairways, everyone is going to hit some greens, but it's making those putts."

Baddeley did just that last year, making just one bogey in his final two rounds. Still, it took a closing run of three consecutive birdies to get the lead heading to the 18th tee and a par on the final hole to notch his second career PGA Tour victory.

"I pretty much played those holes exactly how I wanted to," Baddeley said. "So I was very pleased at the way that I was able to execute every shot the way I wanted to."

The win in the tournament - formerly known as the Phoenix Open - was the best showing of the season for Baddeley. He finished 2007 with seven top-10 finishes in 23 events played, earned more than $3.4 million and ended 18th in the FedEx Cup chase.

Baddeley is off to a decent start this year, tying for 12th in the Mercedes-Benz Championship and tying for 13th in last week's Buick Invitational.

"I would say I just felt like I was trying to build on last year," Baddeley said. "I felt like last year was a good year. My consistency was a lot better last year than it had been in my previous years and I felt my game was going in the right direction that I've been wanting it to go in for a while."

While Tiger Woods is skipping the tournament — he hasn't entered the event since 2001 — to play in the European Tour's Dubai Desert Classic, plenty of fan support is once again expected, especially with the Super Bowl being played Sunday in nearby Glendale, Ariz. The FBR Open has drawn more than 500,000 spectators each of the past four years, and tournament officials anticipate 150,000 fans on Saturday.

Of course, the biggest draw for fans at TPC Scottsdale is the famous 16th hole. The par 3 features stadium seating and rabid fans that wildly cheer good shots and boo poor ones.

Tournament officials are attempting to chill the atmosphere a bit at No. 16 this year. Fans are being limited to purchasing two beers per trip to the concession stand.

Still, Baddeley doesn't expect the atmosphere at the 16th to change much.

"It's special to this tournament, it's special to this town," Baddeley said. "Everyone knows about it. People around here who don't know anything about golf know about the 16th hole at Phoenix.

"It's the shortest, easiest, most intimidating hole in the world because it's not a difficult hole, but when you've got 17,000 people ready to boo you if you hit a bad shot, it's a little bit intimidating."

Phil Mickelson, who opened the season by tying for sixth in last week's Buick Invitational, said he always looks forward to playing in the tournament. He has won the event twice (1996 and 2005), shooting a second-round 60 for the win in 2005.

"I love playing here in the (FBR) Open because it was a special place for me living here for 12 years and coming out and competing in this event, having won it twice," Mickelson said during a press conference. "I think coming down the final four or five holes there's a feeling in this event that you don't get at any other tournament, and I think it's one of the more exciting events that we have on the PGA Tour.

"I would love to be in contention and have a chance again on Sunday."

So would Baddeley.

"It's going to be a great week," Baddeley said. "I always look forward to this week. This year is going to be special being defending champion, and I just love playing here in Phoenix because it feels like my hometown."

FBR Open

SITE: Scottsdale, Ariz.
COURSE: TPC Scottsdale (7,216 yards, par 71).
SCHEDULE: Thursday-Sunday.
PURSE: $6 million (winner's share: $1.08 million).
FEDEX CUP POINTS: 25,000 (winner's share: 4,500).
TV: Golf Channel (Thursday, 3-6 p.m., 8:30-11:30 p.m. EST; Friday, 2:30-5:30 a.m., 3-6 p.m., 8:30-11:30 p.m. EST; Saturday, 2:30-5:30 a.m. EST) and CBS (Saturday-Sunday, 3-6 p.m. EST).

January 31, 2008