The Arnold Palmer Invitational Wrap-Up
The Arnold Palmer Invitational concluded last week, with reigning U.S. Open Champion Bryson DeChambeau narrowly defeating a 47-year-old Lee Westwood. The final round offered plenty of excitement as Westwood, whose last tour win came at the St. Jude Classic back in 2010, fought tooth and nail with DeChambeau right down to final hole, only to lose by a single shot. Both men put on gutsy performances with everchanging gusty winds that made each shot a potential disaster. Jordan Spieth was once again in the mix on Sunday, continuing his run of solid play, but faltered on the back nine with bogeys on three of the last four holes. Still, he posted his third top five finish in his last four events (the other being a T15) and keeps knocking on the door in pursuit of his first win since the Open Championship in 2017 at Royal Birkdale. On a side note, Saturday’s round included a curious incident as tour veteran, Justin Rose, who started the day tied with Spieth and within four shots of the lead, suddenly walked off the course after making a nine on the par 4 third hole, leaving Jordan to play on alone. Rose later cited a back flare up as the reason he withdrew from the field mid-round. With DeChambeau’s victory, he catapulted to the top of the FedEx Cup standings, and heads to the Players Championship brimming with confidence.
The Players Championship
The Players Championship is one of the premier events on the PGA tour, often referred to as the “fifth major”. The Stadium course at TPC Sawgrass is an incredibly difficult test of golf, requiring not only power and precision, but a great deal of patience as well. Since the PGA Championship was moved from August to May, The Players will once again take place in March, the position it held in the tour schedule until 2007, when it was moved to May. Prior to 1982, when the TPC at Sawgrass became the permanent home, The Players was held at a number of different venues, including the Atlanta Country Club, Colonial Country Club, Inverrary Country Club, and Sawgrass Country Club. Some of the most memorable moments in golf history have occurred at The Players, including Gary Koch’s famous faux pas, “Better than most!” as Tiger Woods sank one of the greatest putts of all time on the Island Green 17th hole, Fred Couples raising his fist in celebration after making a lengthy eagle putt on the sixteenth hole en route to his second Players championship, and Fuzzy Zoeller famously wiping Greg Norman’s forehead with his towel following Norman’s victory with a record score of -24. The Players is a very special event, and it takes a special player to win it. I can’t wait to see what is in store for us this year.
The Field
As always, the field for the Players will be the strongest and deepest on tour, with the possible exception of the major championships. In addition to the Arnold Palmer Invitational champion, Bryson DeChambeau, the field will include Rory McIlroy (reigning Players champion), Dustin Johnson, Brooks Koepka, Justin Thomas, Collin Morikawa, Jon Rahm, Patrick Reed, Xander Schauffele and Patrick Cantley. While the eventual winner will no doubt be among the leaders in total driving, he will also be the player who keeps his cool when things get dicey—as they always do at some point on this Pete Dye masterpiece.
TPC at Sawgrass
The Tournament Players Club at Sawgrass, (TPC at Sawgrass for short) is located in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida near Jacksonville. Established in 1980, the magnificent facility features two 18-hole Pete Dye layouts (the Stadium Course and the Valley Course) as well as one of the finest practice facilities in the country. TPC at Sawgrass is also the headquarters of the PGA Tour. The Stadium course was designed by legendary architect Pete Dye, with his wife Alice, a fine architect in her own right. Modifications were later made by PGA Tour architect Steve Wezloff. The Valley course was designed by Pete Dye along with Jerry Pate and Bobby Weed in 1987. The Stadium course carries a rating of 76.4 with a slope rating of 155. The inspiration for TPC Sawgrass began with Deane Beaman, long time Commissioner of the PGA Tour, who wanted to create a bold and distinctive venue for The Players Championship that would stand the test of time. The TPC at Sawgrass is open to the public and partnered with the Sawgrass Marriot Golf Resort & Spa. When you prepare your golf destination bucket list, be sure to list it right at the top.
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