PGA Opener at Kapalua
This year’s PGA Tour opener was held at Kapalua Golf and Beach Resort – Hawaii. The Plantation Course at the resort is home to the season opening event of the PGA Tour. This year, the leading champions at the tournament are Jonathan Byrd and Carl Pettersson. Byrd is an American golfer who turned professional in 2000. In his first season at the PGA Tour in 2002, Byrd attained victory at the Buick Challenge and won the title of “PGA Tour Rookie of the Year”. He went on to win the B.C. Open in 2004 and the John Deere Classic in 2007. Byrd has 5 professional wins so far out of which 4 have been PGA Tour wins. He seems to be continuing his winning streak with Carl Pettersson as his closest competitor and shares the lead with him at 7-under 66.
On the other hand, Pettersson is a professional golfer from Sweden. His professional career closely maps that of Byrd as he too turned professional in 2000 and has 5 professional wins out of which 4 are PGA tour wins. Featured in the Top 50 of the Official World Golf Rankings, Pettersson won his first PGA Tour title in 2005 at the Chrysler Championship. This victory made him the third Swede to win the PGA Tour. Pettersson attained his second PGA Tour title in 2006 at the Memorial Tournament at Muirfield Village.
However, the fierce characteristic wind of the Plantation course was missing this season as the players witnessed calm weather conditions for a change. The wind, however, was not completely absent and changed directions each day making it difficult for the players to get accustomed to it.
Nonetheless, wind was not the only thing that was missed at the event; defending champion for the past 2 years, Geoff Ogilvy had to miss the game due to an injury to his hand. Ogilvy is an Australian golfer who has won 3 World Golf Championships and the 2006 U.S. Open. He became the first defending champion, in many years, to miss the opening of the PGA Tour. Due to Ogilvy’s absence, Jim Furyk paired up with Scott Carroll.
Furthermore, adding to the case of missing phenomena at the tournament, Stuart Appleby was short of a putter and a caddie had to fetch him one from a nearest golf shop. A phenomenal player, Appleby belongs to Australia and he has attained 15 professional wins in the golfing arena since turning professional in 1992. Nonetheless, he was able to stick to his game regardless of the missing putter.
Another player doing well at the tour was Rocco Mediate. The 48-year-old American golfer has had trouble with his game due to back problems. However, he came out stronger than ever at this tournament and powered through his ailments. Considered one of the best putters in golf, he has featured in the Top 20 in the World Golf Rankings. Last time Mediate was at Kapalua, in 2003, he finished second and his swing looked better than ever before. The highlight of Mediate’s career was when he took on Tiger Woods at Torrey Pines in the 2008 U.S. Open and lost out very closely. One of the few players to beat Woods in the 1990’s, Mediate calls that as the coolest time of his career. Adding to his coolness factor, Mediate got his arm tattooed with the initials of his three sons. He considers this tattoo to have a strong emotional value for him. With so many strong players at the tour it remains to be seen who ultimately takes the trophy home.
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