A Look at the Top 10 at the Masters Midpoint

Through 36 holes, Augusta National has yielded some very good scores. Often, those at or near the top at the midpoint of the tournament are not the same names who are still there on Sunday evening. However, this leaderboard is very strong, so I would imagine that at least a few of the top ten will have staying power.

Here they are with number of PGA Tour and European Tour victories and major championships (unless otherwise noted):

Name / Victories / Majors
Chad Campbell 4 / 0
Kenny Perry 13 / 0
Angel Cabrera 5 / 1
Todd Hamilton 2 / 1
Tim Clark 3 / 0
Anthony Kim 2 / 0
Rory Sabbatini 4 / 0
Shingo Katayama 26 (Japan) / 0
Jim Furyk 13 / 1
Sergio Garcia 15 / 0

Though there are only three majors between these players, all of them save Anthony Kim (who is very young and had only played in five majors before this one), have multiple high finishes in majors. Famously, Sergio has been second in three majors.

Of the players within two shots of Sergio are major champions such as Vijay Singh (3), Geoff Ogilvy (1), Phil Mickelson (3), Tiger Woods (14), Padraig Harrington (3), and Sandy Lyle (2). Though I don't expect Lyle to slip on the green jacket, all of these top golfers are easily within striking distance of the lead.

Even though there are many multiple winners in the history of the Masters, it has become more and more difficult to predict the winner lately. Why? Many experts point to the changes made to the course, particularly the added length. I think that only has a minimal impact on the relative unpredictability of the winners. I would suggest that the worldwide parity in golf (excluding Tiger Woods' dominance) is greater than ever before, so many more players are capable of winning big tournaments.

Though I've rarely made a good golf prediction, if I had to wager money on two players tonight who currently reside in the top ten, I would bet on Tim Clark and Anthony Kim. Campbell and Perry haven't sold me yet, but I liked how they both birdied 18 today. No matter who wins, I just hope it's someone who makes on ton of birdies down the stretch, rather than backing into it while the rest of the leaders blow up around him.

Oliver Ross Fisher Wilson

I've been meaning to write about this topic for months, and since Ross Fisher is leading the Masters Tournament (after only 14 holes), I thought this would be the opportune moment.

I want to set the record straight about three British golfers that cause many people massive confusion. Unless you pay attention to the European Tour like I do, I can understand why people can't sort out these players.

They are:
1) Ross Fisher
2) Oliver Wilson
3) Oliver Fisher

Ross Fisher is the most accomplished player of the three. He's 28 years old, hailing from England. He's won twice on the European Tour and has had several high finishes in big tournaments, including a 4th at the recent WGC Match Play. He's currently ranked 33rd in the world. Somehow he was left off of the 2008 Ryder Cup team. He's a big guy who hits it a ton.

Oliver Wilson is the next best of the three. Also 28 and from England, Wilson has a storied amateur career and recently played very well in the Ryder Cup, going 1-1-0 in a losing effort. Though he has not broken through with his maiden victory, he's come heartbreakingly close on many occasions. I haven't counted, but I think he's been second in close to ten tournaments. It's a matter of time before the 39th ranked player in the world wins something.

Oliver Fisher is the youngest by far (he's only 20), and he may have the brightest future. He played on the 2005 Walker Cup at the age of 16 and has had some solid finishes in Europe, including a 2nd in Spain last year. He's ranked 266th in the world, but being that he's from England and has a name that's a combination of Ross Fisher and Oliver Wilson, he's going to need to play some special golf for casual fans to figure out who he is.

All three of these golfers are currently playing in the shadows of Paul Casey, Ian Poulter, Luke Donald, Lee Westwood, and Justin Rose. However, if you can keep them straight, following their careers can prove to be worthwhile.

Beechtree Is Closing - See Footage Here

Beechtree Golf Club in Aberdeen, MD is closing for good on December 7th. It is one of Tom Doak's early designs, and its conversion into a housing development is going to be a huge loss for the Mid-Atlantic public golfing scene.

I played it last week for the third and final time. We were able to sneak in 27 bittersweet holes before it got too dark to continue. I'm going to post some pictures of the course later, but for now, the following video will have to suffice. It contains footage our our day (as well as a few clips from another course), so for those of you who have never played Beechtree, this is a pretty good look at some of the holes.

One More Video of Me Golfing

This was my third crack at using my new software to edit video. I think it has some nice touches, and it's short enough that you won't be bored.

Anyone who is a student of the game will see that my swing has plenty of "issues." I've been working on not getting stuck at the top, and my game has improved since the time this footage was shot. Enjoy, and be thankful for the swing you possess. Or, be thankful that I haven't caught you on tape!

New Golf Highlights Video Posted to Youtube

I bought a new computer last week, so the first thing I did was load some golf footage I had taken since January. I have lots of B roll left over, so I'll be making some shorter videos later. I'm just getting the hang of the editing software, so expect more professional clips in the future. This first one has scenes from Atlantic City CC, Harbor Pines, Hilton Head, Swan Point, the Vineyards at Renault Winery, and the Atlantis.

Below is my first crack at becoming golf's answer to Cecil B. DeMille.

WGC, Firestone South, and Tire Companies

What's up with tire companies and golf? I realized today that this week's World Golf Championship event in Akron, OH is sponsored by Bridgestone and played at Firestone. Mix in the Goodyear Blimp, and it's all tires, all the time. Does anyone else find that to be a little weird?

Anyway, I played Firestone's South Course about three years ago, and it was decent. It gets a lot of attention because it has held so many big tournaments over the years. But for anyone who has seen/played a lot of good golf courses, it is lacking in several ways. First, it's not exciting. There's hardly any elevation change, and most of the holes are dead straight. All of the holes are tree-lined, and it becomes difficult to distinguish between holes after a while. There are some excellent green complexes, and the conditioning is immaculate, but that's about it. It's currently ranked 57th on my list of favorite golf courses I have played.

Incidentally, I played Firestone's North Course four years ago, and I found it to be more interesting and fun to play than the South. The property is much more varied, doglegs are sprinkled in (it's not just long and straight), the par 3s are superior, and they have some cool holes around and over water. Though I'd like to give the South Course another try, the North is superior in my mind. It's ranked 42nd on my list, and it very well could move up if I were to play it again.