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The West Coast Swing always has provided drama for the start of the PGA Tour season and this year had some memorable moments. Whether it was a first-time Tour victor like San Diego native Charley Hoffman winning in a playoff at the Bob Hope Chrysler Classic, Tiger charging back over the weekend to capture the Buick Invitational for the fourth time, or Phil Mickelson giving away the Nissan Open on the 72nd hole, there was no shortage of drama. Here are some of the winners and losers on the West Coast Swing: WINNER: Charles Howell III Two second-place finishes and a victory at the Nissan Open could make Howell the biggest winner on the West Coast Swing. Howell also got some revenge on Riviera Country Club, which broke his heart in 2003 when he lost in a playoff to Mike Weir. Now Howell has his second career victory and lots of confidence. LOSER: Phil Mickelson Throw out Mickelson’s victory at Pebble Beach and his West Coast Swing was not very productive. He tied for 45th at the Bob Hope, tied for 51st at the Buick Invitational and missed the cut at the FBR Open. Then he wins at Pebble Beach and looks like he is going to win at Riviera, but some poor shots coming down the stretch cost him and makes you wonder if course management is an issue again. WINNER: Paul Goydos One of the nicest guys in golf managed to win his first event since the 1996 Bay Hill Invitational, capturing the Sony Open. It was vintage Goydos, who, once he won, let his dry wit come out. “I set some goals and one of my goals was to win every decade, and so far I’ve accomplished that,” the Dove Canyon resident said. LOSER: Michelle Wie Not only did she not even come close to sniffing the cut at the Sony Open, where she got yet another sponsor’s exemption, she was upstaged by another teenager, Tad Fujikawa, who became the youngest golfer to make a PGA Tour cut in 50 years and contended all the way to the final day. Wie shot 78-76 and missed the cut by 14 shots. WINNER: Tiger Woods Woods played in his only event on the West Coast prior to the Match Play Championship — the Buick Invita-tional — and won by two strokes. He also continued his PGA Tour victory streak, which at seven stood as the second longest behind Byron Nelson’s 11. LOSER: The FedEx Cup There might be some drama with this system the Tour has put in place to try and get the star players to attend events, but so far it has been more promotion than anything else. WINNER: George Lopez The comedian revitalized the Bob Hope Chrysler Classic while at the same time honoring the comedian whose name is on the event. Lopez worked well as a host, got better celebrities, such as Clint Eastwood and Jimmy Kimmel, and will have a better field next year with more time to prepare. LOSER: The Classic Course It was hard to tell what howled more, the wind on the final day at this course, or the golfers who were stuck in it. The home course for the Hope is on the wrong side of the freeway and there is no protection from the wind. More players might skip the event if this course continues to host the Sunday final. WINNER: Charley Hoffman The golfer who needs a haircut buzzed the field at the Hope and picked up his first career victory. The San Diego native became the second Southern California golfer to win a tour event when he outlasted John Rollins in a one-hole playoff. Hoffman got into the playoff when he birdied the 17th hole and then eagled his final hole in regulation. LOSER: Mercedes Benz Championship This used to be one of the most popular events on the schedule, with only winners from the previous year allowed to come play in Maui. The weather was incredible, the perks unbelievable and the purse one of the richest on the West Coast Swing. That mattered little to Woods and Mickelson, who both skipped the event. WINNER: The Nissan Open No Tiger, but more importantly, no rain. The tournament that seems to be waterlogged every year was mostly cloudless for the week, though a dark one hung over the event when Woods said he wasn’t showing up. No problem, eight of the top 13 golfers from the Official World Golf Rankings entered, including Ernie Els, Sergio Garcia and Mickelson, who hadn’t played here since 2001. SG |
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