Sportandfashion-news PGA: From a Honda to a Cadillac, It Only Gets Better

It is safe to safe that, three days later, the excitement has finally calmed down at PGA National. The pros put on quite the show this week as we saw a rare event take place late Sunday afternoon; a four man playoff.

Going into the final round, I would have bet all my chips on Rory McIlroy to bring home another Honda Classic win. In fact, I tweeted that I thought he should easily win by at least three strokes. Rory seemed to have all the confidence in the world heading into the final round and I honestly thought he was past his Sunday downfalls. Needless to say, Rory showed extreme regression, especially on the back nine, and hacked his way to a final round 74.

With the door open, the dogs leading the field did not shy away. Ryan Palmer, Russell Knox and Russell Henley all posted scores qualifying them to join Rory in the sudden death showdown. When all the dust settled, the young Henley stood alone, holding his second PGA tour win. I don’t mean to make it sound like Henley did not deserve this victory, as he golfed his brains out all week to fight for this win.

His signature shots included a par save from the water, chip-ins for birdie and hole out from the fairway for eagle, that even he did not think went in. The nickname for Henley is ‘The Human Highlight Reel’ and it could not fit any better. Russ regressed following his first victory last season, but I hope he learned from that and keeps up the solid play. He is fun to watch and plays with the intensity the Tour needs. Also, I would, and may, bet a lot of money that he will be paired with Jordan Spieth come Masters’ Thursday.

For the next stage of the Florida swing, the best in the world will shift their attention to Trump’s newly renovated stage at Doral. Since last season, the course as undergone wholesale changes under the ownership of The Donald, but all signs point to a great test ahead. The course architect, Gil Hanse, stated the changes are similar to when you arrange your living room. The horizon remains the same but the location from which you are forced to look at it from has changed, making everything a bit different.

Historically, this has been Tiger’s tournament to lose but he may be a non-factor this week, with continued back issues. We have always had star studded leaderboards where at the WGC-Cadillac Championship, including a top six last year of Tiger, Steve Sticker, Sergio Garcia, Graeme McDowell, Phil Mickelson and Adam Scott. A majority of pundits will look to Rory to bounce back from last week with a win here, but I don’t see it that way.

Give me Dustin Johnson. DJ has the perfect game to tackle this beast. His length off the tee is no secret but his consistency in this 2014 season is outstanding. He finished in a tie for 12th here last year and grabbed a second place rank in 2011. Johnson leads the tour in par 4 and 5 scoring, along with GIR; all categories that could catapult him to that win he has been so close to for weeks.

Although he only carded 4 birdies last week, I also like Phil Mickelson to have a good showing this week, in preparation for Augusta. Hanse’s new course layout has showcased the bunkers, which have always been a strong point for Phil. Also, he won this event in 2009, so he knows what it takes to beat Doral.

Lastly, keep an eye on Kiradech Aphibarnrat. He looked strong here in the early rounds here last year and played well in a losing effort a few weeks back at WGC-Match Play. Aphibarnrat took Justin Rose to the brink and seems to have no nerves when the pressure is applied. He is of course a deep sleeper but could be fun to follow.

Will we have another four man playoff this week? Probably not. But, that doesn't mean we won't see some fireworks.

Bryan

Sportandfashion-news PGA: Bubba Leads the Tour to Arizona for a Match Play Showdown

As the sunset over the beautiful clubhouse at Riviera on Sunday, Bubba Watson won the day, he won the weekend and he won the 2014 Northern Trust Open. Bubba fueled himself to victory behind two consecutive rounds of 64 on Saturday and Sunday. Most notably, he did not card a bogey at all on the final 39 holes of his tournament. Bubba looked lethal with the putter, which could be a dangerous companion to go along with his distance off the tee. As most know, this was Bubba’s first victory since his famous win at Augusta but it may be a sign of things to come.

A player knocking on the door is Dustin Johnson. He got himself another runner up finish last weekend. DJ keeps competing and his impressive Sunday rounds are bound to lead him to breakthrough one of these weeks. Keep an eye on Johnson, especially on the longer courses where he often finds himself putting for eagle while the rest of the field has to take an extra approach shot into the green.

Now, I feel I have made it pretty clear that this week’s event is one of my favorite on the calendar. The top touring pros will shift down to Arizona for the WGC-Accenture Match-Play Championships. This tournament also hits close to home as it was first one I covered last year with Sportandfashion-news and successfully predicted Matt Kuchar’s victory. But enough about me, let’s get to the golf.

There will be 64 pros teeing it up on Wednesday in a one of kind, head to head tournament. There are a few players who have proven to strive in this type of format; Matt Kuchar, Ian Poulter, Steve Stricker, and Keegan Bradley to name a few. Dove Mountain will play host to these elite talents, and hopefully the weather will be cooperative, as opposed the Arizona snow we saw here last year.

I, along with many others, have filled out the whole bracket and see a pretty clear cut final four. I like Justin Rose, Rory McIlroy, Keegan Bradley, and Brandt Snedeker to make it out of their respective draws and face off at weeks end. Along the way, I also see a few upsets; including a first round defeat for Sergio Garcia, Gary Woodland making it to the elite eight and Billy Horschel taking out Jason Day in the second round. Just like in the NCAA March Madness brackets, upsets are easy to predict but are not justified until they really happen. As for your champion, I am feeling confident about my pick.

I see Justin Rose catching an early season groove and winning his first WGC-Accenture Championship. In order for Rose to win, he would have to battle through the likes of Jason Dufner, Jordan Spieth, Kuchar, Bradley, DJ, or Zach Johnson but I think he has what it takes. He only won a single match here last year but turned it on right after the Match-Play to notch four consecutive top 10’s. I like Rose to show his major talent and get his first win of 2014.

When golf ceases the opportunity to provide that cutthroat environment other sports offer, it provides for some pretty awesome entertainment. Tune in this weekend to check out golf strategies like you may have never seen it and a whole different style of play.

Bryan's Bracket... 

Sportandfashion-news PGA: Jimmy Walks to a Win, Completing Early Season Hat-Trick

I guess now would be a good time to admit the obvious; I would have never guessed I am typing Jimmy Walker won his third tournament this year, especially considering it is only February! It was not pretty coming down the backstretch but a win is a win. Walker started the Sunday at Pebble Beach with a six-shot lead over the likes of Hunter Mahan and Richard Lee, but he squeaked his way to a one-shot victory. The rain, fog and cold weather made it tough to find birdies out there but Walker’s performance in the early rounds gave him the edge he needed. In round one and two, it seemed he made any putt attempted from within 15 feet. As I mentioned before, I don’t know if Walker contends in a major this year but he can no longer be ignored. His talent and consistency is real.

Besides congratulating the winner, there were many other takeaways from the west coast following the National Pro-Am. Dustin Johnson played his first three rounds among one of the most interesting cast of characters we could get together on the links. His ‘amateur’ partner was his future father in law, also known as ‘The Great One’, Wayne Gretzky. They were paired up with the beer guzzling team of Kid Rock and John Daly. I admit, the latter two did not exhibit impress golf skills, but they were sure fun to watch.

Now, this upcoming week we will not have the luxury of NFL quarterbacks and notable celebrities walking the fairways, but we have yet another pivotal event in route to the FedEx Cup. Riviera in Los Angeles will play host the Northern Trust Open. This par 71 is known for long rolling fairways, and an iconic 18th hole punctuated by a beautiful clubhouse atop the hill. With John Merrick as your defending champ, I am confident in saying that I don’t believe we will see a repeat.

As in previous weeks, the eyes of the golf world will be focused on the scorching Graham DeLaet as he continues to search for his first career win. DeLaet finished no worse than eighth in his last five tournaments and got himself a tied for 21st here last year. That type of momentum is dangerous but I am looking to other names to win this week.

I like the calm, cool, and collected Bill Haas to grab his first win on 2014 this week. Bill already notched two top 10’s on the season and holds an impressive recent resume here at Riviera. Haas just missed a playoff here last year, finishing in third when it was all said and done, and won the playoff/tournament the year prior. Although he relies on consistency throughout, Haas is one of the better ball strikers you will see on Tour. If Bill does not get out to an early or mid-round lead, I don’t think he can come from behind, but watch from him to contend this week.

I also cannot ignore the impressive early season efforts of Sportandfashion-news favorite, Pat Perez. It seems hard to ignore that he could be Duf’s older brother, and how can you not love that. Perez finished eleventh or better in the last three starts, starting with a second place finish at his hometown track, Torrey Pines. Pat dominates the par 5’s, with the help of his spin control. Look for him to continue to find the birdies and go low to stay in contention.

Although I am looking forward to tuning in this week, next week is one of the highlights of the year; the WGC-Matchplay Championships. Keep an eye on the players looking to gain the momentum going down to the desert for one of the most exciting weeks of the year.

-Bryan 

20 Questions about the 2014 PGA Season

Bryan Reynolds begins our PGA season. He came on Sports News on Tap in February or March last season so this will officially be his first full season with Sportandfashion-news. Look for all sorts of PGA coverage in the coming weeks and months. We begin with me asking Bryan all sorts of questions about the upcoming season. 

1.) The question till he does it, does Tiger Woods get a major this year? 

No. There, I said it. I think Tiger is the greatest golfer in the world. It is stupid to question that. But with the resurgence to young talent on tour, I will take the field every time. Tiger will be close but I will be the fool that bests against him.

2.) What should our expectations be with Jordan Spieth this season?

I think we should expect him to be a young gunslinger out there. He has all the talent in the world but on his journey to success, he is going to stumble on some failure. I will give him another win in 2014 but if he misses a cut in a major, I would not be surprised.

3.) Out of the four major winners last year, which one could you see winning another major this season?

What a question. If you want to think about how exciting golf is now, this is the perfect way to get the ball rolling. There is no right or wrong answer, in my opinion, but I am going to say Justin Rose. The English golfer seems to have more discipline than the others and I think that consistency will stay true into 2014.

4.) What are your five favorite non-major tournaments?

WGC-Match Play, John Deere Classic, The Players, At&T National, and WGC- Cadillac. The match play is my favorite, even over some majors. I love the head-to-head action and the pressure it puts on every hole. For those who do not understand match play, get to know it; it does not get much better. John Deere is a favorite for me as I have played Deere Run many times myself. It is pretty awesome to see the pros walking the fairways that you once have. It is like Lebron James playing pick-up basketball at your high school gym. Maybe that’s a stretch, but you hear what I’m saying.

5.) If someone wanted to get into the PGA more, what would be your suggestion to them?

Be patient and enjoy the Sundays. I am a scoreboard watcher so I am constantly in tune with what is going on in each tournament. That is a lot to ask of yourself, especially if watching the tour is new to you. If you check the standings Saturday night, then flip on the coverage early Sunday afternoon, you will have a pretty good idea of what is going on. Unlike some other sports, it does not always come down to the last two minutes. Watching the potential winner play his/her back 9 is pretty darn awesome.

6.) Besides the man in Sunday red, who has the most pressure to win a major this season?

Zach Johnson. Many will forget that he has won the one that matters most, but since his victory at Augusta, he has yet to put another exclamation point on his career. Zach returned with a vengeance last year, but with the exception of The Open Championship, he was a dud in the majors.

7.) Is this year the United States finally wins the Ryder Cup overseas?

Yes! I love the chemistry the United States has developed. When you can run out pairings of Tiger and Stricker, and they are not even your number one weapon, you know the other squad is in trouble. The only weakness is their inexperience/age but I think they could overcome that.

8.) Between Golf Channel, ESPN, CBS and NBC who has the best golf coverage?

I think the collaboration that Golf Channel and NBC has established is outstanding. GC does a great job in the early rounds, getting cameras out there, and letting you have a chance to watch every shot if you want to. ESPN does not seem as dedicated as others for my taste. When it is their turn to televise a tournament, they drop everything but in general, most of the crew there could not care less.

9.) Who is the one golfer you can see having a breakout year?

Justin Rose. I guess I do not know if we could consider it a breakout year since he got the major last year but Rose has everything you need to be a stud on tour and it is falling together at the right time. He constantly hung around last season, and I would expect no different come 2014.

10.) What golfer is poised to win his first major this season?

Dustin Johnson. The dude just got engaged to Paulina Gretzy, daughter of ‘The Great One’. Maybe it’s hopeless optimism, but I would think some of the talent and luck will rub off on the big guy. The clock is defiantly ticking on DJ, who will be celebrating his 30th birthday this season. He has been close and this is finally going to be his year.

11.) Who has more pressure on them to be good this season, Dustin Johnson or Sergio Garcia?

Well with my previous answer, I almost have to put the pressure on Johnson. Sergio has just always kind of disappointing, that is what we have grown to expect from him. Dustin still has time, for now, and I think he can live up the expectations.

12.) What golfer could you see taking a step back this year from his 2013 success?

Phil Mickelson. Like many others on tour, he is getting up there in age. I am not saying he is old by any means, but at some point, this is going to take a toll on him. Also, it would not take much to regress from the year he had in 2013. Phil was outstanding and I do not see him living up to that.

13.) Who would be your ideal foursome to play with, current or past golfers?

Fred Couples, Payne Stewart, Tiger Woods, and myself. Freddie has always been around and he has always been great. When Freddie hangs ‘em up in the future, we are going to look back and admire one of the greatest golfers and personalities the game ever saw. When Payne passed away, I was too young to understand the impact he made on the game. The man was a legend; it would be an honor to play with him or against him. I am not always a fan of Tiger but you have to respect him from what he has done. He has brought golf to the forefront and is one of the finest athletes we have in sports. If you get the chance to play with the best, you take it.

14.) Who is the best golf WAG? (Wife or Girlfriend)

I think I got to go Jason Dufner here and his wife Amanda. Duf had himself a handful on the 18th green after winning his first major. Is that not the dream?

15.) Last time the U.S. Open was at Pinehurst, the winner was three over par, much of the same this year?

It is so hard to say. When the U.S. Open at Merion was approaching, much of the talk was how the players would tear it up. That turned out to be far from the truth. Predicting the scoring at this time of year is too tough, especially considering the role weather plays in scoring. I would say No, the players will find the birdies out there, but I could be wrong.

16.) This works with 16.), do you like when PGA golfers look like the rest of us golfing the course or would you prefer higher scoring?
I like when they look like the rest of us because I like to see them recover. That is the difference between them and us. If they double a hole, they should not lose focus; they could birdie the next two. We do not have that luxury. When a course is beating them up, it is a true test of what kind of player they are.

17.) Who is the one golfer nobody is talking about that needs more attention?

Steve Stricker. I do not know if he counts or if this is what we are after with the question but I am ready to see something out of Steve. We all know how good he can be but I am ready for him to win. Recently, he seems he has been a coach like figure to both Tiger and Spieth. I want to see Steve put the pedal to the medal and get himself a major.

18.) To you, what's the most crazy storyline that could realistically happen?

Adam Scott repeats at Augusta. I mean this storyline kind of speaks for itself but he has to be one of the favorites. He has been continuing to play well as of late, and he has everything you need to win the jacket. It helps to have Stevie on the bag, whom has a little experience winning there.

19.) Besides Augusta (That's everyone's number one), what's your top five courses that you would want to play on.

Whistling Straits, TPC Sawgrass, St. Andrew’s, Pebble Beach, and Doral. Kind of a hodgepodge list as I would be satisfied playing any course on tour but these are the big ones for me. Sawgrass is an obvious one; I would like to think I could better Sergio’s effort but who knows how many I would plunk in the water. It would not have to be St. Andrew’s but playing a links style, tour level course is defiantly on the list.

20.) What should we watch for in the first couple months of the season? 

Watch for consistency. Guys like Phil, Justin Rose, and Matt Kuchar, all got out to consistent starts last year and that lead them to big seasons. Being consistent does not mean they have to win, just expect them to remain close and have control of their games. Golf is different than almost all other professional sports in that winning does not define success at all times. Winning makes you great but being consistent is enough for people to remember that you deserve to be there.

Bryan