TOUR Insider: Zurich Classic

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After briefly assuming first place in the middle of the third round of the Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by MasterCard only to fall back with a quadruple bogey, Nick Watney was asked if he is becoming a veteran.

Nick Watney prepares for his title defense in New Orleans. (Miller/Getty Images)

Power ranking

Rank Player 1 Retief Goosen 2 Lucas Glover 3 Anthony Kim 4 Steve Stricker

"Slowly, I would say, yeah," Watney said, forcing a smile.

Well, if you stick around long enough in this game, you're going to experience your share of both highs and lows -- even, as Watney found out, in the same round.

Whatever lessons the California native learned at Bay Hill Club in Orlando, where he ended up tied for 21st, perhaps he will be able to apply to his title defense this week at the $6.2 million Zurich Classic of New Orleans. The sixth-year professional last year registered a three-stroke victory over Ken Duke at the TPC Louisiana for his first PGA TOUR title and become the fifth man in six years to break his maiden in New Orleans.

A resident of Las Vegas, Watney, 26, was the second man in as many years to break through at the TPC Louisiana, following Tim Petrovic in 2005. Damage to the course from Hurricane Katrina forced a return to English Turn Golf & Country Club in '06.

Watney says his life hasn't changed much since his victory, but his game has, to some degree. "I think the biggest change is my game plan," he said. "I'm picking pretty good spots to be aggressive, and then if the situation is not very conducive, then I'll try to play safe. That's my game plan."

Thus far, the maturation process hasn't translated into noticeable improvement. His scoring average of 70.83 is virtually the same as last year (70.79). Only his putting has improved significantly from a year ago, a product of working with instructor Butch Harmon.

Watney, who has two top-10 finishes since his victory, including a tie for fifth at the Mercedes-Benz Championship, comes into the week 122nd in the Official World Golf Ranking, making him the second-lowest ranked player to defend a title thus far in 2008; Charley Hoffman was 127th when he defended his Bob Hope Chrysler Classic title in Week 3.

Five of the top 20 players in the world, including reigning Masters champion Zach Johnson, head up the field of 156 players competing at the 7,341-yard, par-72 TPC Louisiana, which was designed by Pete Dye with an assist from TOUR players Steve Elkington and Kelly Gibson -- both who are scheduled to play as well.

FEDEXCUP POINTERS:

• Former Masters champion Mike Weir, who is playing in New Orleans for the first time since 2001, was seen having a long conversation with Dr. Bob Rotella on the practice putting green at Doral Resort & Spa on the eve of the World Golf Championship-CA Championship. He tied for 20th at Doral, his best finish since tying for 14th at Pebble Beach.

• Louisiana native David Toms missed his first World Golf Championship event last week since the 2000 Bridgestone Invitational, which might have been a blessing in disguise with his bad back acting up. He is scheduled to make his 16th start in Zurich Classic of New Orleans, where he won in 2001. In his two appearances at the TPC Louisiana Toms tied for 44th last year and missed the cut in '06.

• Don't put too much stock in Ernie Els's dismal finish at the CA Championship. The No. 3 player in the world had become ill with the flu last weekend -- after withdrawing from the Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by MasterCard before it even started. Winner of The Honda Classic, Els is pointing towards getting himself and his game healthy for the Masters.

• Two-time U.S. Open champion Retief Goosen, coming off his first top-10 finish since the 2007 Masters Tournament at the CA Championship, where he tied for second with Jim Furyk after a return to an old putter, is scheduled to make his second career start at the Zurich Classic. He tied for 25th in the 2005 edition.

• Furyk, experimenting with several center-shafted putters prior to the CA Championship without making change, also is heading to the Zurich Classic with a bit of momentum from his second-place finish at Doral. He hasn't played in New Orleans since 1996 and will be making just his fourth start in the tournament. His best showing was 11th in '94.

• Watch out for Ken Duke this week; he heads to New Orleans after a season-best tie for sixth at the Arnold Palmer Invitational. Now, after withdrawing from the Puerto Rico stop to rest up, Duke returns to the TPC Louisiana, where he enjoyed a career-high tie for second last year.

• Steve Stricker started a four-week run that culminates with the Masters Tournament by shooting a closing 9-under-par 63 at Doral's Blue Course to finish tied for sixth at the CA Championship. The No. 4 player in the world, Stricker has just one top-10 finish in New Orleans, but he's been a steady performer there with seven of his nine appearances resulting in 26th place or better.

• Australian Nick O'Hern, disqualified from the Arnold Palmer Invitational after inadvertently missing the pro-am as an alternate to John Daly, made up for that disappointment by tying for sixth at the CA Championship. Ryuji Imada, also affected by the Daly no-show at Bay Hill, didn't do quite as well at Doral, tying for 34th, but at least he got 72 holes in, and he is playing this week in New Orleans.

• Among the 22 first-time entries into New Orleans is 2005 U.S. Open champion Michael Campbell, who is making his '08 PGA TOUR debut. Campbell has made just one cut in five European Tour events this year and has slipped to 240th in the world rankings. Campbell also competed in his native country at the HSBC New Zealand PGA Championship, co-sponsored by the Nationwide Tour, and missed the cut.