Brennans Caddy Report-The Players Championship

This time of year is probably the best as far as I am concerned.  As we get deeper into the NHL Playoffs the excitement is definitely elevated.  It has been great for me so far as the Dallas Stars have been playing very well taking care of the Stanley Cup Champion Ducks, as well as the San Jose Sharks.  This next series versus the Detroit Red Wings will especially exciting as Mike is a big fan of the Wings fan.  There will be a lot to talk about over the next couple weeks as both of our teams will be fighting for a Stanley Cup Final birth.  Unfortunately last week Mike missed the cut at the Wachovia Championship, however the only positive was that I go home in time to see Game 6 Sunday night when the Stars won in four overtime periods. 

I would be lying to say that I stayed up for the entire game but the part I did watch was outstanding.  I am excited to see if the Stars can continue this run and make it to the Stanley Cup Finals.  I will be definitely be home for games 3 and 4 next week, and I hope the Stars will be in good shape at that point.  I am also really hoping that the Penguins can take care of the Flyers in the Eastern Conference Final as I think Crosby and Malkin are two of the best players in NHL today.  Not to mention all of the other Canadian boys playing in Pittsburgh this season:  Jordan Staal, Marc-Andre Fleury, Gary Roberts and Maxime Talbot, to name a few.

With all the playoff games it is important to stay focused during this part of the golf season as there is a highly prestigious tournament this week, which carries with it the richest purse in golf.  My guess is that it will be between 8 and 9 million dollars this week which is a lot of money, not that I am complaining.  There is also a 5 years exemption on the tour which highly contributes to the players' motivation to win.  The Players Championship is one of the hardest PGA Tour events to win as the field is one of the most competitive, not to mention one very difficult golf course.  The course is located in Ponte Vedra, Florida, just outside of Jacksonville.  The entire facility was reconstructed two years ago and the improvements are incredible.  From the clubhouse to the practice area, there are very few courses that rival TPC Sawgrass. 

One of my favorite things about coming to this event is that everyone rents condos across the street from the TPC at the Sawgrass Country Club.  Not only do we get to play a few holes each night, but there is also some incredible fishing right out the back door of the resort.  Once work is done I like to get some fishing in followed by playing a few holes of golf.  It is always nice to have something to keep you occupied between rounds and it makes the week a lot more fun.  The fishing on this golf course is some of the best bass fishing you can find anywhere.  Hopefully next week I will have some photos to back that up.  If not, I'm sure I'll have a story at least! 

TPC Sawgrass is known most for the great 140 yard, 17th hole that causes more headaches than any hole we play all year.  The green is surrounded by water and I would say it is one of the most famous holes in US golf.  There are more people around this hole than any other hole on the course and in all honesty I don't blame them.  That is exactly where I would be if I were attending the tournament as a fan.  Each year on the Wednesday of the event the caddies get to hit a shot on the 17th.  As the players go by they put some money in a jar that is sitting on the tee. The money, along with a gift from the tour goes to the caddy who hits the shot closest to the pin.  This year's prize from the tour is a laptop computer.  Unfortunately my shot today was a little strong and one hopped over the green into the water. It is always a lot of fun and one day I am going to win this closest-to-the-pin contest so I can talk about it when I am old and retired.  The winner when I left the course today was 1'3 from the hole, which I have a feeling won't be beat.  It is a great tradition and a lot of fun to be part of.

With the tournament being held in May the past two years rather than March the course is playing much better.  The Bermuda grass has filled in very nicely and I would say the course is in the best shape I have ever seen it.  I know that it gets a lot of play during the year, which makes it tough maintain but with the course being closed for the past few weeks it looks incredible.  The rough is just how I like to see it as well; penalizing but not so thick that you have to punch it out sideways.  You may have a chance to go for the green or you may have to play a more conservative shot short of the green, depending on the lie.  It makes you really think about the shot and you're often forced to take chances about how you think the ball will come out of the rough.  The greens are playing slightly slower than they use to, but they are so smooth that the ball still rolls great.  I would expect a lot of guys to putt well on these greens this week.

Mike has been working hard on his game and the key now is to just be patient and wait for the results.  Golf is such a tough game that when you have a few rounds where you don't score your best, you have to be able to shrug it off and move forward in order to rebound and find success. As we all know the game can beat you up very quickly so mentally you have to stay focused and keep rolling on as difficult as that may be.  I know he has been frustrated at times but you really only has one option, to work hard and keep playing your game.  I think this is a great week to really play well and build some momentum for the long summer ahead.  I am looking forward to have a good week at TPC Sawgrass as I enjoy this event for several reasons.  Let's hope the Stars can get by the Red Wings and I will have more hockey to keep me busy during my downtime!  This week I will skip the golf prediction and make my hockey predictions: Stars in 7 and Penguins in 6!