How long does it take a Golfer to overcome the loss of a tournament they really should have won? Obviously it is different for each individual and you feel players like Tiger and Nicklaus have had the ability throughout their careers to just move on and compete the following week. However for Thomas Bjorn it seems to have taken nearly two years to erase the memory of The Open and that bunker at Royal St George's.
His failure to capture the Claret Jug that year has seen him throw a number of opportunities away when in contention and each time he has made mental errors. However at the British Masters he showed us all that those days are behind him with a fantastic win via a three-man playoff. His ability to hold key putts coming down the stretch will have given him a huge confidence boost and who knows, perhaps he can get that Claret Jug this year at St Andrew's, a course he knows very well.
The victory of Ted Purdy in the Byron Nelson Championship is also worthy of noting. He has been a journeyman pro for over ten years and has struggled to keep his playing rights on both the US PGA and Nationwide tours. However his dedication to his game paid off with a flawless five under par final round to win by a shot. Finally a special mention must be made about Annika Sorenstam who won her seventh event from eight starts on the LPGA. Who knows how many she will win this year?
And so to this week
The US PGA tour stays in the Lone Star state this week with the Bank Of America Colonial tournament, played at the Colonial Golf course in Fort Worth. This tournament has been played at Fort Worth since 1946 and the course has not changed much in that time. Therefore it is relatively short in modern terms but does test the shot making of players fully with its tight fairways and small greens. Add to this the prospect of foul weather this week and scoring may be very difficult indeed.
Selections:
Jim Furyk: has shown real signs of coming back to his best with a lost play off to Vijah two weeks ago and another solid showing at the Byron Nelson tournament. It is obvious to assume that this course will favour his 'fairways and greens' type of game and if he can hold some putts then he is an obvious contender this week.
Phil Mickelson: an obvious one I know but I think Phil will use this week to get ready for the US Open as this course is a similar test. If Phil backs the driver down a little and starts finding fairways then he will surely go close this week in a weaker than normal field.
Tom Lehman: a fantastic ball striker who is haunted by a consistently poor putter. However he has played well here before and I think he will contend this week at decent odds.
Others to mention: Steve Flesch, Zach Johnson and Loren Roberts.
The European tour heads to the Emerald Isle this week with the Nissan Irish Open being played at the Louth Golf Club outside of Dublin. This is the first year this course has been used for the event however it is regarded as one of Ireland's best links course and will provide a good test for all players, especially when it becomes windy. With poor weather forecast for the weekend in Ireland it may well be a war of attrition and luck in the draw may also be a factor. That said there opportunities around this course to make a score and good ball striking will be rewarded.
Selections:
Padraig Harrington: no Irish player won this event since 1982 but Padraig does have good form in this event. He was tied second last year and has already won this year on the US PGA tour. He is no stranger to links conditions and a good showing this week is likely.
David Howell: this player seems to be getting better every week he plays and he has too much talent to only have one professional win to his name. If he can overcome the disappointment of the play off loss last week he has the form to contend again this week.
Trevor Immelmen: the native South African is no stranger to playing links courses and also has form in windy conditions. Has played well in Ireland before and with good recent performances he could surprise the more fancied players this week, at a good price too!
Other to mention: Stephen Dodd, Richard Green, Simon Khan and Paul McGinley.
Until next week - May The Golfinggods Be With You!
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