Thumbs Down method - Newsletter2, Feb 07

On Super Bowl Sunday the final round of these pro tour events were played:

PGA TOUR
FBR Open
SCOTTSDALE, Arizona

Aaron Baddeley shot his second straight 7-under 64 and took advantage of Jeff Quinney’s collapse down the final four holes to win the FBR Open by one shot. Trailing by three strokes with four holes to play, Baddeley made three consecutive birdies from No. 15 to secure his second career PGA TOUR victory, completing the lowest weekend score in tournament history.

Formally the Phoenix Open, this tournament which finishes annually on Super Bowl Sunday enjoys a football game-like atmosphere. It’s louder and routier than any other event all year, with the only exception being the Ryder Cup, where the Golf Gods permit (and expect) heavy fan participation like this. The 16th hole is unique in all of golf, resembling a stadium where booing is permitted, but Noonan’s are not allowed. It’s also lined with corporate boxes which account for a majority of the tournaments revenue, loyal is the only other tournament that even this kind of more like a than golf.

It ain’t over till it’s over is a Yogi –ism, which has never played so true to form as it has so far this season on the PGA TOUR. With the exception of season opening Mercedes Championship, each week has seen the leader going into the final round falter and NOT finish the deal, even when it looked like they were going to win.

Quinney, a former US Amateur Champion and Nationwide Tour grad seemingly handed Baddeley the win. He had the opportunity to put it virtually out of reach but missed a short birdie putt on 15. Later, he hooked his tee shot into the water on 17, made a great chip within 4 feet, before missing the short putt and settling for bogey, then another on 18. He finished one shot behind John Rollins, who slipped into secondplace at 20-under after quietly shooting the round of the day with an 8-under 63. Rollins may have forced a playoff if he hadn’t gotten unlucky at the 18th. His approach shot was dead-on, but it hit the flag stick and rolled back off the front of the green, where he made par. In my recap of the Bob Hope Chrysler Classic I referred to Rollins as a “who is this guy?”unknown player. He’s owed more respect than that, as he’s playing very well this year so far. Here’s a trivia question: Who’s the current FedEx Cup leader? Answer: John Rollins.

Baddeley, meanwhile earned the victory when he made a 10-footer for birdie on 17 and pulled ahead by one shot. He closed with a routine par at the 18th to finish at 21-under-par to win the $1.08 million first prize.

EUROPEAN TOUR
Dubai Desert Classic
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates

Playing the final round in sandstorm conditions in the desert, Henrik Stenson won the Dubai Desert Classic. The Swede closed with a 4-under 68 to finish the tournament at 19-under-par. Third-round leader Ernie Els, finished second at minus-18. The three-time winner struggled early with three bogeys on the first six holes to shoot a 1-under 71.

Tiger Woods steadly moved up the leaderboard every day and had his chances to challenge Stenson, but had a frustrating day on the greens to finish two back. Woods birdied four of the final six holes to shoot 3-under 69, tieing for third place with Niclas Fasth, who shot a final round 68, at 17-under-par. Ross Fisher, who held at least a share of the lead after the first two rounds, closed with a 71 to finish in fifth at minus-16. Fisher joined Woods, Els, Fasth and Stenson as the five players who owned at least a share of the lead during the final round, before he finished with all bogeys from the 16th.

Peter Hanson shot 1-under 71 Sunday to take sixth at 14-under-par 274. Simon Dyson, Prom Meesawat and Jyoti Randhawa were one stroke further back at minus-13. Thomas Bjorn, shared 10th place at 12-under-par with Robert Karlsson, Maarten Lafeber and Miguel Angel Jimenez.

WOMEN’S EUROPEAN TOUR
Australian Women’s Open

Karrie Webb shot an even-par 72 in the final round of the Australian Women’s Open for asix-stroke win. Webb, who began the day with a four-stroke lead over Wei Yun-jye of Taiwan, never saw her lead drop below three shots to finish at 10-under. Wei shot 74 to finish second at 4-under.

Paula Marti of Spain and Minea Blomqvist of Finland, each with closing 69s, finished tied for third at 2-under. Brittany Lincicome of the United States and Shin Ji-yai of South Korea also finished with 69s and were another shot back tied for fifth. Katherine Hull of Australia shot a 7-under 65, the best round of the day, to move into ninth place at 1-over. Two of the highest profile golfers in the field had disastrous final rounds. Laura Davies shot 77 to finish at 13-over, while Natalie Gulbis had an 81 and finished at 14-over.

Hot off the presses:
U.S. Women’s Open Adopts Three-Hole Playoff

Beginning in 2007, the playoff format for the U.S. Women’s Open will be changed to a three-hole aggregate total immediately following the end of regulation play. Until this year, players tied after 72 holes faced an 18-hole playoff the day after regulation play to determine the winner, like last year at Newport (R.I.) Country Club when Annika Sorenstam defeated Pat Hurst. The 2007 Women’s Open is scheduled from June 28-July 1 at Pine NeedlesLodge and Golf Club in Southern Pines, N.C.