As in that other big sports event that's going on, (you know the one), storylines are starting to develop.
All times are eastern.
Scott Verplank, Miguel Jimenez, Ross Fisher
Tee Time: 11:05 a.m.
Tee: No. 10
Total TOUR wins: 3
Why you should watch: Jimenez's co-leading 65 on Thursday may have surprised some, but the bottom line is that Jimenez is putting together a solid campaign on the European Tour. He won the UBS Hong Kong Open for his 14th European Tour title. He also drained a hole-in-one at the Dubai Desert Classic last month. The real question here is who is Ross Fisher, who sits three shots back on the lead at 4 under at the start of today's round. Fisher, a 27-year-old native of Ascot, England, is seventh on the European Tour's Order of Merit on the strength of a tie for second at the HSBC Champions in Shanghai.
| 2008 Stat Comparison |
| Verplank |
6 |
4 |
-- |
-- |
-- |
1 |
3 |
71.12 |
| Jimenez* |
6 |
6 |
1 |
-- |
-- |
1 |
1 |
70.50 |
| Fisher |
6 |
4 |
-- |
1 |
- |
1 |
2 |
71.70 |
|
Louis Oosthuizen, Paul Casey, Tiger Woods
Tee Time: 11:15 a.m.
Tee: No. 10
Total TOUR wins: 66
Why you should watch: Imagine this: You're in the field for this event, you just eeked out a 69 or a 70 and you're feeling pretty good about yourself as you enjoy your post-match beverage. You flick on the television and you hear Tiger Woods say, "I've got to trust what I see. I didn't do that enough times today, unfortunately." Oh boy. Meanwhile, Oosthuizen and Casey struggled a little bit. Oosthuizen finished at 2 over and Casey starts Friday at even par.
| 2008 Stat Comparison
|
| Oosthuizen* |
6 |
5 |
-- |
-- |
2 |
2 |
2 |
N/A |
| Casey |
4 |
3 |
-- |
-- |
-- |
1 |
2 |
70.41 |
| Woods |
3 |
3 |
3 |
-- |
-- |
3 |
3 |
66.35 |
|
Geoff Ogilvy, Niclas Fasth, Ernie Els
Tee time: 12:25 p.m.
Tee: No. 1
Total TOUR wins: 19
Why you should watch: I guess no one should be that surprised at Ogilvy's tournament-leading performance on Thursday. He always seems to step it up a bit in World Golf Championships events. The surprise here is the struggles of Els. He had five bogeys Thursday en route to a round of 74. Recent evidence (his win at The Honda Classic last month) seems to suggest that Els may make a run at things Friday. Fasth also had a rough go of it, making three bogeys, but tempering that with three birdies to end Thursday at even par.
| 2008 Stat Comparison |
| Rose |
4 |
3 |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
2 |
69.40 |
| Calcavecchia |
8 |
6 |
-- |
-- |
-- |
2 |
4 |
70.81 |
| Sabbatini |
6 |
6 |
-- |
1 |
1 |
2 |
3 |
69.85 |
|
Phil Mickelson, Craig Parry, Camilo Villegas
Tee time: 12:25 p.m.
Tee: No. 1
Total TOUR wins: 35
Why you should watch: Amazingly, Mickelson, meanwhile, is searching for his first top-20 finish in this event. He's off to a solid start this year. He begins play Friday two shots behind leader Geoff Ogilvy -- despite a double-bogey six on the par-4 third, his 12th hole on Thursday. Villegas starts the day at 1 under thanks to bogeys on the par-3 fourth and the par-4 14th on Thursday. Parry starts the day at one over.
| 2008 Stat Comparison |
| Mickelson |
6 |
5 |
1 |
1 |
-- |
3 |
5 |
69.05 |
| Parry |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
| Villegas |
6 |
5 |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
2 |
70.01 |
|
Vijay Singh
Tiger Woods
Wi, Charlie
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