Oct. 6, 2009
By Ryan Smithson, PGATOUR.COM
The Turning Stone Resort is back with arguably the best field in the tournament's brief history: Its position directly ahead of The Presidents Cup attracted Adam Scott, and the field is also loaded with players who barely missed qualifying for THE TOUR Championship presented by Coca-Cola (Brandt Snedeker, Mark Wilson, Rory Sabbatini).
The Atunyote Golf Club at the Turning Stone Resort is the longest course on the property, and while big-hitting Dustin Johnson won in 2008, the course is also kind to plinkers like Steve Flesch (winner in 2007) and Nick O'Hern and Joe Ogilvie, who each finished in the top 10 here last year.
Still, the course is in the 7,500-yard range, and with cooler weather expected to roll into the area this week, the big hitters will have the advantage, especially if rain comes in and softens up the fairways. The area had a similar weather pattern there last year, and big hitters like Johnson, Steve Allan, Robert Garrigus, Davis Love III and Charles Warren all had good weeks. MORE POWER RANKINGS: Audio | Champions | Nationwide
| Power Rankings: Turning Stone Resort Championship |
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Robert ALLENBY |
Allenby is highly underrated when it comes to driving distance (46th on TOUR) and he loves the challenge of a tough course. Allenby was one of two players who broke par in every round here last year. |
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Dustin JOHNSON |
Johnson tired down the stretch in the Playoffs -- he failed to crack the top 25 at either Cog Hill or East Lake -- but his power is a decided advantage this week. He's also an exceptional player in less-than-perfect weather. |
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Rory SABBATINI |
Sabbatini enjoys playing this time of the year -- he had a couple of strong finishes in the Fall Series in '08 -- and Rory is the type of player who can go low on any given week. He must get the putter going, though. |
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Davis LOVE III |
Love finished tied for third here in 2008, and obviously, his power is a real asset. His 66 in the third round last year was the lowest round of the day. Only one bad stat: He's had just two top-25s since May. |
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Woody AUSTIN |
Woodrow racked up 17 birdies last year on a difficult track. Austin has always played difficult courses well because his exceptional driving and iron play prevents him from making the double bogeys that derail other players. |
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Michael SIM |
This is Sim's first start on TOUR this season since earning a three-win promotion from the Nationwide Tour. He hits the ball reasonably long and very straight off the tee, and he's a deadly accurate putter. |
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Mark WILSON |
Wilson, who lives in the Midwest year-round, is one of the players in the field who will not be bothered when the temperature drops into the 50s this week in Central New York. This is his first start at Atunyote Golf Club. |
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Marc LEISHMAN |
Forget Leishman's remarkable run in the Playoffs. He absolutely bombs it off the tee, and he hits it surprisingly straight, hitting about 60 percent of his fairways. For someone in the 300-yard range, 60 percent is a high rate of hitting fairways. |
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Charles HOWELL III |
Charlie had a shot to win at Turning Stone last year before a final-round 73 sent him into a tie for third. Howell has enjoyed a fine 2009 -- he's had a shot to win several times, and he's missed only eight cuts. |
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Mathew GOGGIN |
Goggin, who was eliminated from the Playoffs for the FedExCup after a tie for 46th at the Deutsche Bank Championship, has finished in the top five at Turning Stone both times the event has been staged. |
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