Tiger Returns to Golf Next Week

Tiger Woods will return to golf at next week’s World Golf Championships event, more than two months after withdrawing from the Players championship with knee and ankle injuries.

Woods, who originally was injured during the Masters in April, missed the U.S. Open in June and British Open in July, stalling his pursuit of Jack Nicklaus’s record of 18 major titles.

Woods announced his plans to play in the U.S. PGA Tour event at the Firestone Country Club in Akron, Ohio, in a statement today on his website. The tournament starts Aug. 4.

“I’m excited to get back out there,” Woods said in the statement.

The Bridgestone Invitational is the last U.S. event before the PGA Championship, golf’s final major of the season.

Woods will play in the tournament without longtime caddie Steve Williams, who was fired by the golfer on July 20 after 13 years together.

Longtime friend, Bryon Bell will be his caddie.

Woods, 35, hasn’t played in a tournament since May 12, when he pulled out of the Players championship in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, after nine holes.

Tiger Woods Out of Players Championship After Nine Holes

Tiger Woods withdrew after nine holes at The Players Championship on Thursday because of leg injuries that sent him limping off the course toward the lockerroom and towards an uncertain future.  When will he be healthy and play again?

Woods shot a 42 on the front nine, walking some 20 yards behind his playing partners, holding his club for support and limping more noticeably with each passing hole.

After taking a bogey on the par-5 ninth, he handed his card to PGA champion Martin Kaymer, then walked back to inform Matt Kuchar that he was leaving early.

It was his first competition since the Masters, where Woods said he hurt his left knee and Achilles' tendon while hitting from pine straw in the third round. He described it as a "minor injury" and skipped the tournament last week to give his leg time to heal.

McIlroy Holds Big Masters Lead, Can He Be Caught?

Rory McIlroy, of Northern Ireland, shot a 2-under-par 70 yesterday at Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Georgia, to reach 12-under par at the season’s first major championship.  He holds a four-shot lead, the biggest going into the final round since 1997 and Tiger Woods.   McIlroy, who turns 22 next month, is seeking to become the second-youngest Masters champion after Woods.

Angel Cabrera of Argentina, the 2009 Masters champion, is four strokes behind McIlroy, as are Charl Schwartzel of South Africa, K.J. Choi of South Korea and young Jason Day of Australia.
Cabrera, who also won the 2007 U.S. Open, will be paired with McIlroy in today’s final round.

McIlroy’s 54-hole lead is the biggest since Woods held a nine-stroke advantage 14 years ago. Woods went on to claim the first of his four Masters titles by a record 12 strokes, a win that came 3 1/2 months after his 21st birthday.

McIlroy was seven years old at the time and said he recalls watching  Woods' victory with his father.  Now he has the chance to duplicate the feat.  After struggling on Saturday, Woods is seven strokes off the lead, but don't count him out.

If Woods gets off to a strong start, the players ahead of him will start to feel the pressure and anything could happen.  Watch out for Cabrera though, this is the type of situation where he tends to play well, and K.J. Choi played well on Saturday.

Those two will keep McIlroy within their sights and hope to catch him on the back nine.

Fantasy Golf Buy, Sell, or Hold For WGC - Cadillac Championship

 

Another World Golf Championship event this week with the Cadillac Championship.
This begins an important stretch of tournaments leading up to The Masters in a little less than a month.

One of the strongest fields of the year will tee it up Thursday this week at TPC Blue Monster at Doral. Ernie Els is the defending champ and Phil Mickelson won in 2009. There also is a certain player named Tiger Woods who before all his troubles had great success on this course.

Selections will be tough this week with many good players to choose from.

Here is this week’s buy, sell, and hold.

Buy:

Phil Mickelson (A) - How can you not go with the 2009 champ this week? Phil has two top-10’s already this season and the course will play to him.

Graeme McDowell (A) - Playing some superb golf so far in 2011. His T-6 at the Honda is a good sign he will play well here.

Bill Haas (B) - After a hot start to the season, Haas has cooled off a little. He has rested for a couple weeks and he should be ready to make more noise. Played well here last year finished T-6.  Is currently third on the Tour in GIR.

Steve Stricker (B) - Stricker hasn’t missed a cut in 2011 and has two top-10’s. He finished in a tie for 16th here last year. As a B-level player, Stricker is a must start here.

Mark Wilson (C) - The Wisconsin native has been the best C-level player by a mile so far in 2011.  With two wins and over $2 million in earnings so far this year, he's playing his best golf.

Zach Johnson (C) - Each and every week, Johnson is one of the most consistent players on the tour.  That makes him a good C-level pick most weeks.  Hasn't missed a cut so far in 2011.


Sell:

Kevin Streelman (C) - Not a great C-level selection with the strong field this week.

Charley Hoffman (A) - Has been inconsistent so far in 2011.  Had one good round, then a bad round.  With three missed cuts already this season, stay away from Mr. Hoffman this week.

Bo Van Pelt (B) - Has been awful so far in 2011.  Has only made one cut and his scoring average is the highest its been in 5 years.

Hold:

Adam Scott (C) - Has played well so far in 2011. Do you want to select Scott at an elite event like this? Didn’t play well last week at the Honda where he missed the cut. The course sets up well for him, but can he put four good rounds together?

And don't forget to check out this week's "flyer" of the week at the end of the AudioBoo above.



Fantasy Golf Buy, Sell or Hold for Northern Trust Open

 

A strong field is expected as the 2011 Northern Trust Open tees off at Riviera.  This tournament has a rich history, dating back to 1926 when the Los Angeles Junior Chamber of Commerce puts up a $10,000 purse for the first LA Open, it was at the time, the richest prize in professional golf.

The list of winners here reads like a who's who of golf.  Ben Hogan Sam Snead, Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer, Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson all have been winners here and Steve Stricker is the defending champ. 

Tiger, Phil and Steve are all in the field as are Dustin Johnson, Matt Kuchar and two-time winner this year, Mark Wilson.

Who will win this year?  We'll find out in a few days, but in the meantime here is this week's buy, sell and hold.

Buy:

Matt Kuchar (A) - Kuchar is back playing this week.  He has three top 10's in three events so far this season.  He'll be looking for a fourth this week.

Steve Stricker (B) - With the weather forecast calling for rain later this week, you would do well to have an experienced player like Stricker on your team.  He is the defending champ and was runner up here in 2009.

J.B. Holmes (C) - Three top 7 finishes in his last three starts at Riviera.  His game is waking up.  He had a T-5 at Phoenix and a T-13 at Pebble.

Marc Leishman (A) - May be a surprise start  to many as an A-level player, but he's a good scrambler and is playing well.  Had a T-15 here last year and should improve on that this year.

Sell:

Ernie Els (A) - Els has withdrawn from the Northern Trust, don't put him on your team this week.

Shaun Micheel (B) - Two missed cuts in three events in 2011.  No need to select him this week.

Rich Beem (C) - An awful start to 2011 for Beem.  What has happened to his game?  His results so far this year...+9, +10 and +1.  Don't look for him to make the cut here.

Hold:

Jhonattan Vegas (C) - Has Vegas cooled off after his hot start?  Let's see how he fares this week.  Hold him out this week if you can.


Don't forget to listen to the AudioBoo for the flyer of the week.