PGA: 2006 Tour Championship Preview

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By Jonathan Wall via TheSandTrap.com

I don't know who's going to step up and win this week, but chances are that it will probably not be Woods or Mickelson.

The 30-man Tour Championship field is short three players this week. It's just too bad two of those three players happen to be Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson. Both are sitting out the week after complaining of fatigue from playing multiple weeks to finish the year.



I'm sorry, but when do these two guys get a free pass to miss one of the most prestigious tournaments on tour?

Last Year
Bart Bryant had never been in the position he found himself in on Sunday afternoon at East Lake. With 14 holes remaining on Sunday, Bryant was able to relax during his final round with Tiger Woods breathing down his back.



After birdies on three of the first four holes, Woods, who was Bryant's nearest competition, never could find the groove on Sunday while watching the unlikely tour traveler capture the most prestigious tournament of his career.



The victory was the second of the season for the 42-year-old Bryant and the third of his career. All of his wins came in the last 15 months of the tour season.



The Course
The East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta again hosts the Tour Championship this week for the top 30 on the money list.



The par-4 fifth hole measures 520-yards and is the first of two par fives that were shortened to par fours for the Championship. While there is a nice slope to carry the ball if you hit the tee-shot well, the downhill lie will be a tough one to handle to a small green. This is a hole that could yield a high score for the smaller hitter.



At 469-yard, the par-four 10th hole is the second of the two altered par fives the East Lake Golf Club will offer. Unlike the fifth hole, the fourth has a very difficult slop to it that will really force some golfers into three-putts from the fringe of the green.



East Lake is one of only a handful of courses left in existence that uses a par-3 to finish the course. The par three lives up to its billing, however. At 235 yards, the hole has enough length and wind to make even the best player play to the left side of the green. The tee-shot is a long one over a lake that could be an issue if any golfer misses short.



The key to winning the Tour Championship this week is not trying to shoot low; the actual key to winning really lies in the player's ability to get through the week without getting caught up in the festivities. The tournament is guaranteed money, and it's the last tournament of the year. If you can get through this week and win with the prospect of a long break on the horizon, then you're a pretty damn good golfer.



Who Will Win
Jim Furyk is having the next best year next to that guy named Tiger Woods. While he hasn't played a lot since the Ryder Cup, he does have the most consistent game of any golfer in the field. Accuracy is a premium at this course, and while there are a lot of great names in the field, Furyk is the best of them all.

Davis Love III finally won again on tour this year and made it back to the Championship. The good thing for Love III is that he has had the best luck of any player in the field at the Tour Championship. In his last eight appearances, Love III has only finished lower than eighth once. He loves the East Lake Golf Club, plain and simple.



TV Coverage Times
All times eastern (ET) unless otherwise noted.



Thu, Nov. 2 ESPN 11:30 - 5 pm
Fri, Nov. 3 ESPN 11:30 - 5 pm
Sat, Nov. 4 ABC 3:30 - 7 pm
Sun, Nov. 5 ABC 1 - 5 pm

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