NOLA Produces Some Weird Finishes and Champions

by Ryan Ballengee on Apr 22, 2010 12:28 PM EDT in Pro Golf

Just a quick lunch time thought today. Take a look at the last five winners of the New Orleans event on the PGA Tour - since Zurich stepped in to sponsor the event. Tim Petrovic, Chris Couch, Nick Watney, Andres Romero, and Jerry Kelly.

Petrovic beat James Driscoll in a rather bizarre playoff.

Chris Couch may well be in the top five all-time best fluke champions (still better than a lot of things) on the PGA Tour.

Nick Watney turned out to be pretty good.

Andres Romero came out of absolutely nowhere to win in '08. Then again, he came out of nowhere to nearly win the Open Championship in '07, right?

Jerry Kelly is no outlier. He's a great player. But Steve Marino really coughed it up last year and practically gave the tournament to Kelly.

That's all to say that we should expect something a little bit funky this week in NOLA - par for the city itself.

Tweet Comment 12 comments | 0 recs |

Do you like this story?

Comments

Too bad Tiger and Phil are

NOLA contenderes.

by TXQ on Apr 22, 2010 12:52 PM EDT reply actions

I agree with most of your post

except for Kelly…GREAT PLAYER? He may be above average, but not a GREAT player…check his record since he came on tour and it will bear that out…Nice Guy? absolutely, but that has nothing to do with greatness…Sorry..And TX..that was a good one…..STUB

by thinker on Apr 22, 2010 12:59 PM EDT reply actions

I'd sure like to see Kelly win, though.

He seems like such a regular Joe.

by TXQ on Apr 22, 2010 2:14 PM EDT up reply actions

He's a regular Jerry

I was fortunate enough to have spent part of one of my evenings Masters week with him and David Toms. A very FUNNY guy with great stories to tell.

"pain is only weakness leaving the body"

by progolf on Apr 22, 2010 7:10 PM EDT up reply actions

JazzFest this weekend too

Epic weekend in NOLA (as most are).

"It was almost like if Harry didn't call it, it wasn't real." - Jayson Stark
SB Nation

by Chris Haines on Apr 22, 2010 1:00 PM EDT reply actions

zurch classic

there is more than just a faint whiff of discontent here in new orleans with the tournament director’s inability to land a decent field in what is the 5th (i think) richest non-major event on the calendar.

after stricker and poulter dropped out of the field yesterday, only sergio and choi remain of any of the top 50 in the world.

with new orleans being a great destination for the players and their families (especially during the 1st weekend of Jazz fest), there’s simply no excuse.

Casually.

by CasualHoya on Apr 22, 2010 2:52 PM EDT reply actions

“no excuse” ?? What does that mean ? This isn’t the Euro Tour where they have to pay players not to run to the US PGA Tour.

Let’s have a look at the schedule. Most of the top 50 have been very busy the last 6 weeks. Doral – Transitions – Bay Hill – then there is that weak “Masters” thing – followed by Heritage and now Zurich. The top guys don’t play every week. They concentrate on majors, WGC’s, and invitational fields first.

I’m looking at the leaderboard at 4:00 – I see David Duval, Charles Howell III, David Toms (a huge favorite down there), and Brad Faxon in the top 10. Daly is there, Fred Funk, Jerry Kelly, Bubba Watson…all under par. Last week’s new emotional favorite, Brian Davis, is also under par.

60 players under par, and another 32 are even par. They are seeing some good golf down there.

"this ball will fit in that fairway"

by courtgolf on Apr 22, 2010 4:07 PM EDT reply actions

speaking of the European Tour…looks like all those big stars who aren’t in New Orleans because of the tournament director, according to you, are in Europe collecting big appearance checks.

Are you SURE it’s the tournament director’s fault ?

Can’t be the 5th richest non-major – there are 4 WGC’s, The Players, The Tour Championship. three playoffs, Quail Hollow, and several invitational fields ahead of New Orleans.

"this ball will fit in that fairway"

by courtgolf on Apr 22, 2010 5:35 PM EDT up reply actions