in Golf Articles

Right now, the PGA Tour’s top golfers are all hoping for the same thing: that Tiger and Elin Woods have another dozen or so children.

Woods has decided to opt out of this week’s Buick Open in order to spend time with his wife and newborn daughter, Sam. The couple’s first child wasn’t expected until July; the early (and reportedly healthy) arrival is excellent news for organizers of next month’s British Open, but not so much for this week’s stop at Warwick Hills Golf & Country Club in Grand Blanc, Mich.

With Tiger deciding not to defend his title – he won the Buick Open in 2002 as well as last year – the chalk has been passed to Jim Furyk. He’s the top-ranked player in this week’s field at No. 3 on the PGA Tour, and with three-time winner Vijay Singh also giving the Buick Open a miss, Furyk is the last person in the field to win this event. His 2003 victory was just one of six Top-10 results in a row at Warwick Hills, including last year’s second-place finish behind Woods.

Not that this year’s Buick Open is going to be a cakewalk. Warwick Hills, in sharp contrast to TELUS Skins Game victory in Canada, Daly has accepted a sponsor’s exemption for this week’s tourney. He’s a fan favorite and prone to overvaluation on the betting market, but he did finish second behind Singh at the 2004 Buick Open, and has an excellent track record at this very short course.

Daly will have plenty of company at the 19th hole. Although the absences of Woods, Singh and Phil Mickelson are notable, Warwick Hills invariably sees plenty of talent lining up for a shot at taming the 7,127-yard, par-72 course. The Buick Open is so ripe for the picking that the “field” will be getting unusually short odds this week, with a huge middle class of golfers priced competitively behind Furyk. That list includes former Buick Open champions Kenny Perry (2001), Rocco Mediate (2000), Tom Pernice Jr. (1999), Billy Mayfair (1998) and Woody Austin (1995).

What is it that makes Warwick Hills so inviting? For one, the greens are deliciously flat, so putting will be a picnic compared to what golfers had to endure at the U.S. Open. The weather forecast promises for even better putting conditions this week: thundershowers giving way to clear skies on Thursday. Navigating the short, wide-open fairways to reach these greens should pose little problem.

Then there’s the 17th hole. It might not have the signature degree of difficulty as the more famous No. 17 at Sawgrass, but it is the most difficult par-3 on the course – as well as one of the most beautiful. The 17th also features one of the most festive galleries you’ll find this side of Mardi Gras. Popular big hitters like Daly and Jason Gore will no doubt hear their names turned into raucous chants as they make the 197-yard trek from tee to green.

If you’re thinking of passing on Furyk and picking one of the many “medium shots” from this week’s list, take the time to consider Fred Funk. He’ll get lots of love from the gallery, but he’s also on a mission – to qualify for the U.S. Presidents Cup team. Warwick Hills is tailor-made for the lighter-swinging Funk; he’s second on the Tour in driving accuracy at 76 percent, and has six Top-10 finishes to his name at the Buick Open.

The fun begins on Thursday morning with the Golf Channel providing early-round coverage starting at 3:00 p.m. Eastern. CBS hops on board for the final two rounds, azgain starting at 3:00 p.m. ET.

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