Tour Report: Wilson on the TOUR’s youngsters (PGATOUR.com)
Tour Report: Wilson on the TOUR’s youngsters (PGATOUR.com)
By Mike McAllister, PGATOUR.COM HONOLULU – Mark Wilson enters this week’s Sony Open in Hawaii as the defending champ. Of the 26 rookies on the PGA TOUR this year, 24 are playing at Waialae, including nine who are making their TOUR debuts. You might think one of them would want to pick the brain of, oh, a guy who’s had success here before. Wilson So far, not yet. “I haven’t really had any of that,” Wilson said with a smile. “These young kids coming up, they just sweat confidence. I can understand why they would not ask me, a grizzled veteran, what I think about something because they think they can do better, which is fine.” Or perhaps they’re just reluctant to ask. Wilson acknowledged that he didn’t approach any veterans when he was a rookie pro. “I wasn’t that comfortable with it,” he said. Obviously, that didn’t prevent him from figuring out Waialae on his own. Webb: Caddie switch made difference By Mike McAllister, PGATOUR.COM HONOLULU – Webb Simpson and William Kane grew up playing golf together during their teens. When Simpson became a pro golfer, he asked Kane to be his caddie. Outside of being Simpson’s caddie in a couple of amateur tournaments, Kane had no caddie experience. When Kane decided to pursue a career in the ministry late in 2010, Simpson needed a new man on his bag. Through the recommendation of friend and fellow pro Nick Watney, Simpson signed on veteran Paul Tesori, who had worked for Vijay Singh and Sean O’Hair. Simpson The move worked out. Simpson won two tournaments in 2011 and finished second in the FedExCup race to Bill Haas, and he continued his strong play at the 2012 season-opening Hyundai Tournament of Champions, where he finished tied for third. On Wednesday on the eve of the Sony Open in Hawaii, Simpson acknowledged that he wouldn’t have had as much success as he did in 2011 had Tesori not been on his bag. “I don’t think I could have,” Simpson said. “And I think William would sit up here and tell you the same thing. “Paul was so helpful with my golf swing but also with course management. There’s so many intangibles that he has that I feel like so many caddies don’t.” Simpson relayed an example of the difference: If he can hit an 8-iron 163 yards, but faces a 173-yard shot, “most people, including William, would say it’s a 7-iron, all day,” But if Simpson has adrenaline flowing, “well, Paul understands that wen you’re pumped, it’s just for some reason, you know you can hit an 8-iron that far. He’ll give me the confidence I need to be able to pull it off.” He said it’s a by-product of Tesori having played 21 TOUR events in the late ‘90s. “There’s so many great caddies out here,” Simpson said, “and I don’t mean that in a negative way, but he’s played the game and he played out here for a year and he understands what I’m feeling when I’m on the second to last hole in contention.” Fantasy mailbag: What about Lee? By Rob Bolton, PGATOUR.COM Fantasy columnist For 24 of the 26 PGA TOUR rookies, this week’s Sony Open in Hawaii is their first Opening Day in the big leagues. While they’ll try to go about their business following the old credo that it’s just another golf tournament, it’s anything but. By the same token, while fantasy gamers are itching to ride the likes of Bud Cauley, Harris English, J.J. Killeen, Jason Kokrak, Seung-yul Noh, Sang-moon Bae and Ted Potter Jr., my advice is to sit on your hands for at least one week. Consider these numbers taking into account the last three editions of the Sony: > 27 of 53 rookies have made the cut at Waialae since 2009 for a cuts-made split of only 50.9 percent. > Of the 27 who have made the cut, 12 settled for an MDF finish (meaning they completed only 54 holes). > Of the 27 who have made the cut, the average finish is just outside the top 50. > The only top 10 by a rookie since 2009 was Matt Weibring’s T8 in 2009. Danny Lee One rookie I didn’t include above is 21-year-old Danny Lee. He was the youngest champion at the time he won both the U.S. Amateur in 2008 and Johnnie Walker Classic on the European Tour in 2009. He also competed for New Zealand in the World Cup in 2010. And in 2011, he led the Nationwide Tour in birdie average, scoring average, birdies or better on par 4s and the bounce-back stat. Yet, as my stance was for all rookies, I opted not to put Lee in my Power Rankings this week. That drew this e-mail: Quite surprised that Danny Lee was not amongst your picks for Sony. Given his versatility of playing in the wide geographical and seasonal climates of the European tour last season combined with the Nationwide Tour, I would have thought he is one of the few that would adapt easily to the Pacific island location [Hawaii]. Furthermore, he qualified for both the PGA and the European Tours this year. Given his strong scrambling record in 2011 (seventh on the Nationwide Tour) and not forgetting his 9 top 10s (in 18 starts), I would have thought he would be in your top 10 pick. Must not forget that he also took time off for a wrist injury in the middle of the season. Am I being unreasonable in my estimation of his ability and ranking? — ARK Not at all, ARK. (And nice research!) It’s because of his success — never mind his age — that he checked in at 75th in my full-membership fantasy projections. Only Bae (35th) and English (59th) were slotted higher. Lee will most certainly emerge in the Power Rankings, but in due time. The data on rookies at Waialae over the last three years is simply too significant to dismiss. NOTE: My first version of the Rookie Rankings will publish on Monday. It will be updated weekly and serve as a subjective peek at how all 26 are performing relative to their peers. MORE BOLTON: Power Rankings | Sleepers | Fantasy Insider Rob Bolton is the PGATOUR.COM’s fantasy columnist. If you have a question for Rob, just fill out the form below or click here. You can also follow Rob on his Twitter account by clicking here Cauley, Bohn cheer on Tide By Mike McAllister, PGATOUR.COM HONOLULU – Bud Cauley and Jason Bohn, former University of Alabama golfers, were in a restaurant at their hotel in Honolulu on Monday to watch their Crimson Tide play LSU in the BCS championship game. Yes, they could be heard — loud and clear — as Alabama won 21-0. “I think everyone knew we were Alabama fans,” said Cauley, a PGA TOUR rookie this year. Was anybody else cheering for the Tide? “No,” Cauley replied, then added, “We converted a couple people by the end of the game.” Bohn played at Alabama in the early 1990s, but Cauley was at the school last year before turning pro in the summer and making enough money in eight starts to earn his PGA TOUR card. He was a student three years ago when Alabama previous won the national title, but was in Australia at the time and did not attend the game. “I have a knack for being far away when they play these games,” Cauley said. “Maybe that’s a good thing. If we get in the (BCS title) game another time, I might go to India or something, just get as far away as I can. “I think I might be bad luck.” Glover WDs from second straight A paddleboard accident nearly two weeks ago has prompted Lucas Glover to withdraw from the Sony Open in Hawaii. Glover fell off the board prior to last week’s Hyundai Tournament of Champions and sprained the medial collateral ligament in his right knee. He withdrew from the season-opener on Friday but was hoping to be able to play at Waialae this week in the PGA TOUR’s first full-field event. Glover was replaced in the field by Roland Thatcher. According to the Associated Press, Glover hopes to be able to compete at the Farmers Insurance Open in two weeks. Fujikawa, McLachlin in Sony field Local favorites Tadd Fujikawa and Parker McLachlin will be playing in the Sony Open in Hawaii after receiving two of the tournament’s sponsor’s exemptions. Fujikawa, the Honolulu native, who weighed just 31 ounces at birth and was given a 50-50 chance of survival, finished one shot out of a playoff for the final Monday qualifying spot in the Sony Open after shooting a 69. He received the sponsor’s exemption afterwards, joining Parker McLachlin in the field. Fujikawa, who tees off No. 1 at 1:20 p.m. (6:20 p.m. ET) with PGA TOUR rookies Tommy Biershenk and Richard Lee, will be playing in the Sony Open for the fifth time. He tied for 20th in his 2007 debut at the age of 17 – shooting consecutive rounds of 66 on Friday and Saturday — and shared 32nd two years later. McLachlin, who won the 2008 Reno-Tahoe Open, went to the Punahou School in Honolulu, which also happens to be the alma mater of President Barack Obama and LPGA star Michelle Wie. His father, Chris, was President Obama’s high school basketball coach. McLachlin will tee off No. 10 at 1 p.m. (6 p.m. ET) with Steve Wheatcroft and Miguel Tabuena.
