Vijay, Freddy and Riviera CC

[Indy Anna Jones]

Did any of you guys watch the Northern Trust Open at LA's Riviera CC this past weekend? It was a pretty fun tourney to watch, IMO. Riviera is one of America's premier classic courses and has hosted a yearly PGA tour event since 1926 as well as being the haunt of many of Hollywood's classic actors/actresses golfers for decades.

This year's tourney was won by Aaron Baddeley, an Aussie, but the most fun was in watching "oldsters" Freddy Couples (51) and Vijay Singh (48) trying to come back to win. Neither were my favorites at their peak (I liked Norman, Love III and Pavin better) but I was really pulling for these guys. Baddeley had his "A" game on while Freddy made a couple of killer mistakes (dropped 3 strokes on 2 holes and never recovered) mid-round. He led after 2 rounds, was a stroke back entering yesterday's final round and we were hoping he could pull it off. Vijay finished second and Couples was T7.

I thought tv coverage was excellent this weekend. Without Woods, they showed a lot of different golfers, their information about the course was quite informative, and there was a relative palcity of commercials. Good job CBS.

[sandwedge]

Agreed, it was quite an event. Fred Couples is a crowd favorite and when he is in contention, it heightens the drama a notch. Have never been able to root for Vijay - too many things he has said and done have rubbed me the wrong way. Great talent though and certainly in the Tiger era a little under appreciated - has won quite a lot at an age when most are hanging on for the Champions Tour. Riviera is just a great course - would love to play there someday. I was quite happy with the result - actually was rooting for the MacGregor Man - hope we are finally going to see him have a year. Golf is fun to watch nowadays with many who can compete and contend. I certainly want to see Tiger return to his days of success, but I don't think the Tour is suffering for lack of talent with him still working his way back to the top of the leaderboards.

[SteveHorn]

Its aways fun and more interesting a tourny if the over 50 crowd that makes it occasional appearence be in contention. Fred is a crowd favorite where ever he plays.

[Polslad]

You got to think how many chances are these guys going to get again, ever.
Like Tom Watson in the Open 2 years ago, and Greg Norman at Birkdale.
Hogan in the 65 US Open.
Every once in a while one of the 'elder' statesmen gets a last chance for a moment in the sun, they must know it's unlikely they will ever get close again.
Be great if one could win one against the young bloods.

[Indy Anna Jones]

Agree Polslad; I think that makes Jack's last green jacket at 46 in '86 all the more remarkable and sweeter. I think Hale Irwin was 45 when he won the 1990 US Open 20 years ago, making the playoff with Mike Donald and winning the tournament with a couple of phenomenal putts. After losing the '90 Masters on the 2d playoff hole to Nick Faldo, the 47-year old Raymond Floyd said he really didn't feel too bad about losing, went to bed that night and slept well... until about 2am when he awoke sobbing his eyes out in knowing how close he'd come to winning his second jacket, how badly he had wanted to win, and the bitter realization that he'd probably never come that close again. (He didn't.)