WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS, W.Va. -- A historic group on a historic course went home after the second day of the second Greenbrier Classic, and you better believe that that's a good thing.
"Lefty" Phil Mickelson, Stuart Appleby - the fifth member of the 59 club - and Greenbrier Pro Emeritus Tom Watson, were fortuitously put
together during the first two rounds of the $6 million Classic.
I'm not picking on Tom Watson, because the golf club's pro emeritus had said, half-jokingly, he wasn't delighted with the lengthening of the Old White TPC. After a birdie-free first round on Thursday, we can see why.
I would have liked to see him move through the third and four rounds.
Tom is no longer a major player on the regular Tour, so his overall impact on the event moving forward isn't as large as most of the regulars.
I don't have a rooting interest in the success of the individuals, but I can tell you that Phil Mickelson missing his first cut since Aug. 29 of last year, and Stuart Appleby falling far short of his course-record last year, can mean good things for the future of the PGA's participation off Sam Snead Boulevard.
Four years remain on the Greenbrier's six-year contract, taking the final event of the current deal right into 2015. The Greenbrier hopes to snare the 2017 Presidents Cup, and making the course measurably more challenging will go a long way toward that goal.
"There are a lot more holes you need to play a bit more conservative on," said Charles Howell III, who has one Top 10 finish in his Greenbrier Classic appearances. "Find ourselves playing away from some of the pins, where before when it was more of a dartboard; we played a bit more aggressive into them."
The 2010 Classic, on the greens that were refurbished from 2004-06, resulted in Appleby's winning score of 22-under and Jeff Overton coming in at 21-under. There were 50 golfers who reached at least 10-under par.
There were only 19 over-par rounds among the 77 golfers - out of a total of 308 rounds of golf, or .062 percent - who played on the final day of last year's event. When you include every golfer in every round last year, there were 24 eagles, 1,801 birdies and only 931 bogeys.
Among the most important changes that doesn't get a lot of attention is the leveling out of some of the greens, creating opportunities for more hole locations.
Players face harsher penalties for missed approach shots.
"There are a lot of hole locations out there that need to be getting a little bit of respect," Howell said.
Through Sunday's final round, there were 91 rounds of par and above among the 75 golfers that made the cut - a total of 300 rounds (.303).
WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS, W.Va. -- A historic group on a historic course went home after the second day of the second Greenbrier Classic, and you better believe that that's a good thing.
"Lefty" Phil Mickelson, Stuart Appleby - the fifth member of the 59 club - and Greenbrier Pro Emeritus Tom Watson, were fortuitously put
together during the first two rounds of the $6 million Classic.
I'm not picking on Tom Watson, because the golf club's pro emeritus had said, half-jokingly, he wasn't delighted with the lengthening of the Old White TPC. After a birdie-free first round on Thursday, we can see why.
I would have liked to see him move through the third and four rounds.
Tom is no longer a major player on the regular Tour, so his overall impact on the event moving forward isn't as large as most of the regulars.
I don't have a rooting interest in the success of the individuals, but I can tell you that Phil Mickelson missing his first cut since Aug. 29 of last year, and Stuart Appleby falling far short of his course-record last year, can mean good things for the future of the PGA's participation off Sam Snead Boulevard.
Four years remain on the Greenbrier's six-year contract, taking the final event of the current deal right into 2015. The Greenbrier hopes to snare the 2017 Presidents Cup, and making the course measurably more challenging will go a long way toward that goal.
"There are a lot more holes you need to play a bit more conservative on," said Charles Howell III, who has one Top 10 finish in his Greenbrier Classic appearances. "Find ourselves playing away from some of the pins, where before when it was more of a dartboard; we played a bit more aggressive into them."
The 2010 Classic, on the greens that were refurbished from 2004-06, resulted in Appleby's winning score of 22-under and Jeff Overton coming in at 21-under. There were 50 golfers who reached at least 10-under par.
There were only 19 over-par rounds among the 77 golfers - out of a total of 308 rounds of golf, or .062 percent - who played on the final day of last year's event. When you include every golfer in every round last year, there were 24 eagles, 1,801 birdies and only 931 bogeys.
Among the most important changes that doesn't get a lot of attention is the leveling out of some of the greens, creating opportunities for more hole locations.
Players face harsher penalties for missed approach shots.
"There are a lot of hole locations out there that need to be getting a little bit of respect," Howell said.
Through Sunday's final round, there were 91 rounds of par and above among the 75 golfers that made the cut - a total of 300 rounds (.303).
On many of the holes last year, players were hitting driver off the tee and wedges into the greens, resulting in more birdie and eagle opportunities.
"I wasn't thrilled with the back tees on No. 2 and No. 13," said Garrett Willis, who finished the tournament 5-under par and matched his final-round 65 from last year. "Those were tough greens, but if I would have hit it further and straighter, it wouldn't be an issue."
More clubs were getting more action this year.
There might have been fewer spectators on Saturday and Sunday who had hoped Mickelson would be playing for the win on the final day.
Who knows, maybe it doesn't bode well for this year's tournament to have one of the PGA Tour's most noticeable figures leaving after Friday.
I think it bodes well for the future of the event.
Greenbrier Owner Jim Justice said, ultimately, the players will determine how the changes will affect the future of the event.
"I talked to Phil (Mickelson) at the Black Eyed Peas concert and he said it was one of the best events he'd ever been to in his life," Justice said. "He also said 'the course beat me up there today.' He said it's great, loves the improvements. Golfers, sometimes, they play bad some days."
Willis and Sergio Garcia give it two thumbs up.
"Much better overall," Garcia said. "You can see it in the scoring and overall. I think they mixed up the hole locations nicely, putting them up front two days and in the back two days. The course gives you a chance to play it differently."
"The greens were rolling awesome," Willis said. "They have been rolling well all week. They did a great job changing the surface."
The performance of many of the golfers went a long way toward moving the Old White TPC toward a possible Presidents Cup bid.
"The course is showing what it's all about," Justice said. "Player after player after player said they loved it. The greens will only get more lush and faster and better."
Contact Assistant Sports Editor Rich Stevens at richstev...@dailymail.com or 304-348-4837.
