Inside Track: Doral

By Harry Emanuel Last updated: 10th March 2010

WGC CA Championship

Course: TPC Blue Monster, Doral Golf Resort & Spa
Location: Doral, Florida
Since: 1962
Yardage: 7,300
Par: 72
Low winning total: 264 (-24) Tiger Woods
Course Record: 61 Stephen Ames 2000
Field: 68
Cut: No Cut
Tee Off: Thursday 16.25 BST

Overview

This is the second of four World Golf Championship events in 2010 featuring 68 players from 19 countries.

The entry requirements ensure the best players from 2009 earn their way into the tournament with places for the top 30 from the 2009 FedEx Cup standings, the top 20 from the Race to Dubai and the top two players from the season ending lists of the Asian Tour, Japan Tour, Australasian Tour and the Sunshine Tour.

Players with good starts to the 2010 season have also earned their way into the field via the top 50 in the Official World Golf Ranking as of March 1st and March 8th, the top 10 in the Race for Dubai and the top 10in the FedEx Cup standings as of March 8th.

Of those who qualified for the CA Championship only Tiger Woods and Ryo Ishikawa are not competing.

Last Time Out

Phil Mickelson opened with a first round 65 and a share of the lead with Jeev Milkha Singh and Prayad Marksaeng. A second round 66 gave him the outright lead at the halfway stage by two strokes from Nick Watney.

Watney closed the gap with a third round 67 and the two locked horns over the final 18 holes with Mickelson prevailing by a stroke to secure his second win of the 2009 season and his first WGC victory.

Mickelson was bombing the ball from the tee and ranked second in driving distance, averaging 304 yards but putting was the key to his success and he took only 99 putts (the fewest of his 36 career victories).

Course

The Blue Monster Course, which has played host to PGA Tour tournaments since 1962, became part of the Tournament Players Club Network owned by the PGA Tour in November 2009 and is one of nine TPC clubs that host a PGA Tour event.

The Blue Monster Course is a typical Floridian resort course with wide palm tree lined fairways, raised undulating greens, light Bermuda rough and an assortment of water hazards.

This year new tees have been added to the second and seventh holes extending the yardage of each hole by 47 and 27 yards.

With six par fours measuring less than 420 yards and four par fives on the scorecard players are often faced with little more than a wedge for their approach shots and low scoring is common place.

Fairways

The Blue Monster ranks fifth in courses with the toughest fairways to hit on the PGA Tour. There are water hazards in play on 11 holes and over 100 bunkers so players will need to drive the ball well.

Frosts in early January all but killed off the Bermuda grass. Warmer weather has seen growing conditions improve but the rough this year is a little inconsistent and only 2 ¼ inches compared to 3 ½ inches last year.

Long hitters have an advantage on the short par fours (particularly the drivable par four 16th) and the reachable par fives (1st ,8th and 10th). The shorter rough should not inconvenience those who are slightly wayward off the tee.

Greens

The raised Bermuda greens are large, undulating and heavily protected by bunkers. Accurate approach shots are required to the right part of the green or players will be left with some very long and difficult putts.

The greens are firm and fast running at around 12 on the stimpmeter and good putters will thrive.

They said

"It's a golf course I've not necessarily played my best golf on. Can be very, very tough out there. I know the rough is down from what I've seen of it so far this week. So it will still be very playable, even if the wind does pick up." - Paul Casey

"I love the golf course. It's a big golf course. You've got to drive it well, and usually quite a low score wins. You can go for your shots and be aggressive." - Rory McIlroy

"The feedback from the players has been fabulous. They really like the greens at the moment as they are firm and fast with a clean roll." - Thomas Trammell (Director of Agronomy)

Horses for Courses

There are four previous course winners taking part - Phil Mickelson (2009), Geoff Ogilvy (2008), Ernie Els (2002) and Jim Furyk (2000).

Furyk holds the best overall record with six top 10s in his last nine appearances and runner up finishes in 2003 and 2008. Last year he shot all four rounds in the 60s and finished in third place.

Ogilvy is the only player besides Tiger Woods with at least three WGC wins and the 2008 champion was third on his debut in 2007 but finished in 40th place when defending his title last year.

Key Holes

The finishing hole at Doral is one of the most intimidating on the PGA Tour and it was toughest hole on Tour in 2004 and 2007.

It is very similar to the 18th at The Players Championship requiring a long accurate drive over water to a very small landing area. The danger does not end there as the second shot often requires a long iron to the narrow green which is bordered by water on the left hand side.

In 2009 it was the second most difficult hole the players faced all year with an average score of .479 strokes over par. There were only 11 birdies recorded and 125 bogeys or worse.

Weather

The forecast is mixed with a good chance of thunderstorms over the first few days before a more favourable outlook for the weekend.

The Blue Monster may show more teeth this year with winds in the region of 10-20mph expected on all four days.

Conclusion

With a limited field and no cut it is possible for players to make up ground after a poor start but in the last three years the second round leader has gone on to lift the trophy.

The strong winds forecast will make playing conditions tougher but with much less rough this year we should once again see low scores.

Long drivers can be at an advantage but accurate approach play to the big Bermuda greens and a hot putter are the keys to success.

Harry Emanuel