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spt_PGAChampionship_handicap[i++] = new Array("","Phil Mickelson","","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/msnbc/Components/Photos/060809/060809_pga_mickelson.standard.jpg","","", "", "", "", "", "right", "Kevin Lamarque", "Reuters", "298", "208", "#000000", "", "", "", "");
spt_PGAChampionship_handicap[i-1].body = "It’s easy to forget given the current landscape (i.e., Tiger Woods’ dominance), but for the first 143 holes of the 2006 major championship season, the left-hander was the best player on the scene.
Granted, Woods had been sidetracked by his father’s health, but let’s not overlook just how composed, how prepared, how efficient Mickelson was for such a demanding stretch of time.
Over two brutally tough golf courses, Augusta National and Winged Foot, Mickelson was 3-under for 143 holes.
The fact that he went 2-over on the 144th hole and threw away the U.S. Open title –- and in the process made it easy for people to forget about the second green jacket he had won -– shouldn’t detract from the foundation he has poured.
Despite missing the cut at the International because of a faulty putter, Mickelson knows how to prep for these major affairs, at least the ones not played on a links.
Even better, the defending champion is the one marquee guy who relishes the chance to take on Woods at his best, because he’s aloof enough to think he can do the job.
It says here, he may be right.";
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spt_PGAChampionship_handicap[i-1].body = "
Age: 30
Country: U.S.
PGA appearances: 9
Best finish: 1st ('99, '00)
Major titles: 11('97, '01, '02, '05 Masters; '00, '02 U.S.; '00, '05, '06 British; PGA '99, '00)
’05 PGA: 4th-tie
’06 majors: Masters (3rd-tie), U.S. (missed cut), British (1st)
World ranking: 1
Ryder Cup standing: 1
Don’t even think of having a major championship Sunday without his name in the mix.
Woods is in that zone right now and while people still go way overboard with their assessments of his wild shots with the driver (you swing it that hard and tell me how easy it is to be off line), I’m not sure he’s ever had a better stretch of iron play and putting that he’s had at the Western Open, British Open and Buick Open.
What of the comfort factor he’ll have at Medinah, based on his 1999 win?
It exists, I’m sure, but honestly, the man would be comfortable in the Reykjavik Open at 8:30 a.m. on a January Sunday. (There probably isn’t a golf tournament in Reykjavik in January, but if there was, Woods would win it.)";
spt_PGAChampionship_handicap[i++] = new Array("","Geoff Ogilvy","","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/msnbc/Components/Photos/060809/060809_pga_ogilvy.standard.jpg","","", "", "", "", "", "right", "Brian Snyder", "Reuters", "298", "219", "#000000", "", "", "", "");
spt_PGAChampionship_handicap[i-1].body = "
Age: 29
Country: Australia
PGA appearances: 3
Best finish: 6th-tie ('05)
Major titles: 1 ('06 U.S.)
’05 PGA: 6th-tie
’06 majors: Masters (16th-tie), U.S. (1st), British (16th-tie)
World ranking: 8
The Aussie has established himself as a big-time player, and not just because he won the U.S. Open.
Check out his last seven finishes in the majors, going back to the 2003 PGA Championship -– T-27, T-24, T-28, T-5, T-6, T-16, won, T-16.
In his Masters debut in April he shot 70-75-73-71, an indication that he can adapt quickly, because few courses require local knowledge like Augusta National.
Strong and long, Ogilvy has reigned in his temper and that, in turn, has made him even more of a threat to get into the hunt.";
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spt_PGAChampionship_handicap[i-1].body = "
Age: 36
Country: U.S.
PGA appearances: 11
Best finish: 6th-tie ('97)
Major titles: 1 ('03 U.S.)
’05 PGA: 34th-tie
’06 majors: Masters (22nd-tie), U.S. (2nd-tie), British (4th)
World ranking: 3
Ryder Cup standing: 3
If you’re looking for someone not named Woods who is arguably playing the best golf in the world, try this consummate pro.
A ball-striking machine, Furyk prefers his tournaments played on a major championship stage and when you consider only the ones contested on American soil, his numbers are impressive –- 33 starts, one win, 10 top 10s, only three missed cuts.
Hey, he even figured out links golf and finished fourth at last month’s British Open after having missed five straight cuts over there.
Furyk’s a whopping 44-under over his last 24 rounds and note his last four finishes: 2nd, 4th, T-4, T-2.
Yes, he’s playing well and when the ’99 PGA Championship was held at Medinah, Furyk tied for eighth.";
spt_PGAChampionship_handicap[i++] = new Array("","Luke Donald","","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/msnbc/Components/Photos/060809/060809_pga_donald.standard.jpg","","", "", "", "", "", "right", "Stuart Franklin", "Getty Images", "298", "222", "#000000", "", "", "", "");
spt_PGAChampionship_handicap[i-1].body = "
Age: 28
Country: England
PGA appearances: 3
Best finish: 23rd-tie ('03)
Major titles: None
’05 PGA: 66th-tie
’06 majors: Masters (42nd-tie), U.S. (12th-tie), British (35th-tie)
World ranking: 11
Ryder Cup standing:> 5
It’s not often you could say an Englishman was at home amid a park-land golf course in Chicago, but such is the case with this talented 28-year-old who graduated from nearby Northwestern.
Donald still keeps a residence in Chicago and like U.S. Open champion Geoff Ogilvy, Donald has proven his worth in the majors, having made the cut in eight straight.
Keeping it in the fairway and finding greens in regulation is the call to duty at Medinah and that suits Donald quite well, thank you.
In 17 starts on both sides of the pond this season, Donald has missed just two cuts, and in addition to his one win, he’s finished in the top 10 six other times.
In other words, he knows how to find the leaderboard.";
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spt_PGAChampionship_handicap[i-1].body = "
Age: 36
Country: Australia
PGA appearances: 3
Best finish: 14th-tie ('03)
Major titles: None
’05 PGA: Missed cut
’06 majors: Masters (16th-tie), U.S. (32nd-tie), British (35th-tie)
World ranking: 28
Yet another of the impressive crew of Aussies who know how to get into contention, this 36-year-old is showing better form in the major championships.
Pampling’s one of 13 players who has made the cut in each major thus far in 2006 and while his finishes (T-16, T-32, T-35) didn’t make front-page headlines, it’s noteworthy that he’s made the cut in all but one of his last 18 starts.
Steady and unheralded, he was tied for 14th in his PGA Championship debut in 2003 at Oak Hill and earlier this season he earned his second win, at the Bay Hill Invitational.";
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spt_PGAChampionship_handicap[i-1].body = "
Age: 42
Country: U.S.
PGA appearances: 12
Best finish: 7th-tie ('01)
Major titles: None
’05 PGA: 34th-tie
’06 majors: Masters (16th-tie), U.S. (missed cut), British (31st-tie)
World ranking: 34
Ryder Cup standing: 20
His best finish in 12 previous PGA Championships came in 2001, when a Ryder Cup berth was at stake. Verplank tied for seventh at the Atlanta Athletic Club and earned a captain’s pick from Curtis Strange.
It’s a similar scenario this time around, because Verplank is 20th in the standings and needs a high finish to get into the top 10, though a strong performance could be enough to convince captain Tom Lehman that he belongs on the team (which he does).
He’s put up sub-70 numbers in nine of his last 10 rounds, so he’s in form and with its premium on accuracy, Medinah should fit him nicely.";
spt_PGAChampionship_handicap[i++] = new Array("","Vijay Singh","","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/msnbc/Components/Photos/060809/060809_pga_singh.standard.jpg","","", "", "", "", "", "right", "Robyn Beck", "AFP", "298", "205", "#000000", "", "", "", "");
spt_PGAChampionship_handicap[i-1].body = "
Age: 43
Country: Fiji
PGA appearances: 14
Best finish: 1st ('98, '04)
Major titles: 3 ('00 Masters; '98, '04 PGA)
’05 PGA: 10th-tie
’06 majors: Masters (8th-tie), U.S. (6th-tie), British (missed cut)
World ranking: 4
A rare occurrence a few weeks ago as the big Fijian was out of form and missed his only cut of the season.
The fact that it came at the British Open was even more notable, for Singh had made the cut in 15 consecutive majors.
He bounced back nicely at the Buick Open (tie for 11th) and I’d put more stock in the fact that he’s been in the top 10 in seven of the last eight majors than I would in his performance at Royal Liverpool.
Relentless in his ball-striking pursuits, Singh is fearless and will figure out how to make enough birdies to wriggle into contention at Medinah.
The question is, will his putter keep him there?";
spt_PGAChampionship_handicap[i++] = new Array("","Camilo Villegas","","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/msnbc/Components/Photos/060809/060809_pga_villegas.standard.jpg","","", "", "", "", "", "right", "Shannon Stapleton", "Reuters", "298", "228", "#000000", "", "", "", "");
spt_PGAChampionship_handicap[i-1].body = "
Age: 23
Country: Columbia
PGA appearances: None
Best finish: First appearance
Major titles: None
’05 PGA: Did not play
’06 majors: Masters (did not play), U.S. (59th-tie), British (did not play)
World ranking: 102
When we last paid any attention to Medinah, a young man who spoke Spanish and had a flair for the dramatics nearly stole the show.
Sergio Garcia is still on the stage, but it’s another young man who speaks Spanish who is muscling his way into view.
Villegas is up over $1.5 million in this, his rookie year on Tour, and while the flaws have been easy to spot, he’s had enough bright spots to convince you he’s going to stick around.
There’s plenty of raw power, though the course management composure is seriously lacking.
At 24, he’s a bit older than what Garcia was in ’99, but it isn’t hard to envision him doing similarly."; spt_PGAChampionship_handicap[i++] = new Array("spt_0808_PGAChampionshipWinner","VOTE: Who will win?","","","","", "lv2", "", "", "", "right", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", ""); // END editorial data