Below is the final round leader board for the PGA Tour’s opener, the Hyundai Tournament of Champions in Kapalua, Hawaii.
| Finish |
Player |
To Par |
R1 |
R2 |
R3 |
R4 |
Total |
|
1
|
Steve Stricker
|
-23 |
68 |
63 |
69 |
69 |
269 |
|
2
|
Martin Laird
|
-20 |
68 |
70 |
67 |
67 |
272 |
|
T3
|
Webb Simpson
|
-19 |
68 |
68 |
69 |
68 |
273 |
|
T3
|
Jonathan Byrd
|
-19 |
67 |
71 |
67 |
68 |
273 |
|
T5
|
K.J. Choi
|
-15 |
70 |
73 |
69 |
65 |
277 |
|
T5
|
Harrison Frazar
|
-15 |
74 |
69 |
66 |
68 |
277 |
|
T7
|
Chris Kirk
|
-14 |
75 |
66 |
70 |
67 |
278 |
|
T7
|
Bryce Molder
|
-14 |
71 |
70 |
67 |
70 |
278 |
|
T9
|
Johnson Wagner
|
-13 |
72 |
72 |
68 |
67 |
279 |
|
T9
|
Rory Sabbatini
|
-13 |
73 |
70 |
68 |
68 |
279 |
|
T9
|
Ben Crane
|
-13 |
72 |
71 |
68 |
68 |
279 |
|
T12
|
Scott Piercy
|
-12 |
72 |
71 |
69 |
68 |
280 |
|
T12
|
Nick Watney
|
-12 |
73 |
71 |
68 |
68 |
280 |
|
T12
|
D.A. Points
|
-12 |
71 |
69 |
71 |
69 |
280 |
|
T12
|
Kevin Na
|
-12 |
73 |
64 |
71 |
72 |
280 |
|
16
|
Keegan Bradley
|
-11 |
69 |
72 |
75 |
65 |
281 |
|
17
|
Sean O’Hair
|
-10 |
73 |
70 |
70 |
69 |
282 |
|
T18
|
Bubba Watson
|
-8 |
74 |
69 |
72 |
69 |
284 |
|
T18
|
Mark Wilson
|
-8 |
72 |
71 |
69 |
72 |
284 |
|
20
|
Bill Haas
|
-7 |
73 |
73 |
70 |
69 |
285 |
|
21
|
Aaron Baddeley
|
-6 |
75 |
68 |
74 |
69 |
286 |
|
T22
|
Michael Bradley
|
-5 |
68 |
75 |
75 |
69 |
287 |
|
T22
|
Scott Stallings
|
-5 |
74 |
69 |
74 |
70 |
287 |
|
24
|
Gary Woodland
|
-3 |
73 |
71 |
73 |
72 |
289 |
|
25
|
Brendan Steele
|
+3 |
76 |
76 |
72 |
71 |
295 |
|
26
|
David Toms
|
+4 |
76 |
74 |
75 |
71 |
296 |
|
27
|
Jhonattan Vegas
|
+6 |
75 |
73 |
76 |
74 |
298 |
Steve Stricker came into round three of the Hyundai Tournament of Champions tonight at Kapalua, Hawaii. That’s where he finished after the third round. Based on how solid his play is, I doubt anyone will catch him. Keep in mind, that there’s one more round to go, MONDAY finish. Yes it will be tough to watch the live golf in prime time tomorrow night since the BCS National Championship game between Alabama and LSU taking place, but that’s what DVRs are for.
| Position |
Player |
To Par |
R1 |
R2 |
R3 |
Total |
|
1
|
Steve Stricker
|
-19
|
68
|
63
|
69
|
200
|
|
T2
|
Jonathan Byrd
|
-14
|
67
|
71
|
67
|
205
|
|
T2
|
Martin Laird
|
-14
|
68
|
70
|
67
|
205
|
|
T2
|
Webb Simpson
|
-14
|
68
|
68
|
69
|
205
|
|
T5
|
Bryce Molder
|
-11
|
71
|
70
|
67
|
208
|
|
T5
|
Kevin Na
|
-11
|
73
|
64
|
71
|
208
|
|
7
|
Harrison Frazar
|
-10
|
74
|
69
|
66
|
209
|
|
T8
|
Ben Crane
|
-8
|
72
|
71
|
68
|
211
|
|
T8
|
Rory Sabbatini
|
-8
|
73
|
70
|
68
|
211
|
|
T8
|
Chris Kirk
|
-8
|
75
|
66
|
70
|
211
|
|
T8
|
D.A. Points
|
-8
|
71
|
69
|
71
|
211
|
|
T12
|
Johnson Wagner
|
-7
|
72
|
72
|
68
|
212
|
|
T12
|
Nick Watney
|
-7
|
73
|
71
|
68
|
212
|
|
T12
|
K.J. Choi
|
-7
|
70
|
73
|
69
|
212
|
|
T12
|
Scott Piercy
|
-7
|
72
|
71
|
69
|
212
|
|
T12
|
Mark Wilson
|
-7
|
72
|
71
|
69
|
212
|
|
17
|
Sean O’Hair
|
-6
|
73
|
70
|
70
|
213
|
|
18
|
Bubba Watson
|
-4
|
74
|
69
|
72
|
215
|
|
T19
|
Bill Haas
|
-3
|
73
|
73
|
70
|
216
|
|
T19
|
Keegan Bradley
|
-3
|
69
|
72
|
75
|
216
|
|
T21
|
Gary Woodland
|
-2
|
73
|
71
|
73
|
217
|
|
T21
|
Scott Stallings
|
-2
|
74
|
69
|
74
|
217
|
|
T21
|
Aaron Baddeley
|
-2
|
75
|
68
|
74
|
217
|
|
24
|
Michael Bradley
|
-1
|
68
|
75
|
75
|
218
|
|
T25
|
Brendan Steele
|
+5
|
76
|
76
|
72
|
224
|
|
T25
|
Jhonattan Vegas
|
+5
|
75
|
73
|
76
|
224
|
|
27
|
David Toms
|
+6
|
76
|
74
|
75
|
225
|
|
DNS
|
Lucas Glover
|
– |
– |
– |
– |
|
Steve Stricker, Johnathan Byrd and Robert Garrigus share the lead at the Hyundai Tournament of Champions in Kapalua, Hawaii. They all sit at -18 for the tournament. Unless someone else in the field shoots a serious lights-out score, one of these three should be collecting the winner’s check and the ticket back to this tournament in 2012.
Steve Stricker
Having watched all three rounds so far I have to say that Steve Stricker’s short game is as good as it gets. I’d love be have the simplicity of his swing and the accuracy he has under 100 yards.
Garrigus and Byrd both are obviously solid. It may come down to the player who makes one fewer bad swings. Just one.
Top 15 leaderboard through three rounds at Kapalua
| T1 |
S. Stricker |
F (-8) |
-18 |
| T1 |
J. Byrd |
F (-6) |
-18 |
| T1 |
R. Garrigus |
F (-4) |
-18 |
| 4 |
C. Pettersson |
F (-2) |
-15 |
| 5 |
M. Kuchar |
F (-7) |
-14 |
| T6 |
G. McDowell |
F (-5) |
-12 |
| T6 |
B. Haas |
F (-4) |
-12 |
| T8 |
J. Day |
F (-4) |
-11 |
| T8 |
B. Lunde |
F (-3) |
-11 |
| T8 |
I. Poulter |
F (-3) |
-11 |
| T8 |
J. Furyk |
F (-1) |
-11 |
| 12 |
A. Atwal |
F (-5) |
-10 |
| T13 |
C. Hoffman |
F (-6) |
-9 |
| T13 |
R. Palmer |
F (-5) |
-9 |
| T13 |
A. Scott |
F (-3) |
-9 |
I’ve been critical for the first two years of the PGA Tour “playoff” system, and for good reason. It was a bogey. Big name players like Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson were skipping playoff rounds. Last year Padraig Harrington won two majors but didn’t qualify? That is actually a double bogey.
Has the tweaking of the playoff system finally worked?
Perhaps the tweaking and refining the FedEx Cup system has finally paid off. During this weekend’s 2nd round of the playoffs, I watched every minute of all four days of television coverage. I usually only do that during major championships. Not only that, I was excited. I was rooting for players like Steve Stricker and Paddy and Sean O’Hair.
Or…. Have players like Steve Stricker made it more exciting?
Maybe the system’s tweaks aren’t why I’m interested more this year. Maybe the playoff is more exciting because of the players themselves? The playoff isn’t a runaway for Tiger Woods now that Steve Stricker has taken the lead and Tiger has moved to 2nd place. Now there’s some real pressure and excitement.
Whatever the reason, I hope playoffs in the years to come can be as exciting as this year’s.
I’m trying to watch the finish of the Northern Trust Open on my DVR without finding out who won… Phil Mickelson, Steve Stricker, Rory Sabbatini and Fred Couples are battling it out. Stricker is looking good (especially since he’s on my fantasy team).
I’ve never realized how bad Freddy’s putting can be on short putts. His real stroke is nothing like his practice stroke. I can now understand why he switched to a belly putter. Unfortunately I saw an incoming link to HOG which spoiled part of the outcome stating that Freddy came up short. However it didn’t say who won so I’m still not completely spoiled…
HOGWire – Golf Industry News
