What to Expect When You're Expecting (to win Sawgrass)

Nothing in golf journalism drives me more crazy then when people write things like the following on PGATour.com – “…Woods is healthy and at the top of his game heading into TPC Sawgrass.” Not to sound too much like Saturday Night Live’s Weekend Update, but REALLY? Tiger is at the top of his game? Tiger is healthy? Tiger wants to win this week? Couldn’t a homeless guy with an IQ of Uncertain, Texas’ senior class tell me these things? You’re honestly going to tell me that a golf “expert” is going to devote an entire column to the idea that Tiger Woods, THE Tiger Woods, is heading to the fifth biggest tournament of the season with the hopes of winning?

Enough with the paragraph of questions, the Players Championship is upon the golf world and the best player in the world is probably going to win. I also understand that at Sawgrass, anyone can hoist the trophy if they don’t let 17 or 18 ruin their week. Don’t believe that, look at the past five champions – Stephen Ames (an extremely poor man’s Mike Weir), Fred Funk (must have been an off week for the Champions Tour), Adam Scott (remembered to bring his putter to the tournament), Davis Love III (I had to check two sites to make sure that was correct), and Craig Perks (five sites to make sure that was legit).

No matter the opportunity of the week, Sawgrass if fun if not just because 16 and 17 are two of the most exciting holes on tour. Nobody ever finishes watching the Players wishing they had tuned to ESPN’s bowling telecast (unlike most non-majors of the season).

I think K.J. Choi Tiger is winning. I don’t understand why he won’t win. I’m not going to elaborate on my prediction because it isn’t a prediction it is common sense. Anyone picking anybody else is trying to go out on a limb that just got struck by lightening.