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PGA - Buick Open Preview
From The Sports Network
| DATES: Thursday, July 30th through Sunday, August 2nd |
| SITE: Warwick Hills Golf & Country Club, Grand Blanc, Michigan |
| COURSE ARCHITECT: James Gilmore Harrison (1957), Joe Lee (1969) |
| Hole-By-Hole: | 1 - Par 5 567 Yds | 10 - Par 4 401 Yds | |
| 2 - Par 4 431 Yds | 11 - Par 3 190 Yds | |
| 3 - Par 3 187 Yds | 12 - Par 4 340 Yds | |
| 4 - Par 4 401 Yds | 13 - Par 5 544 Yds | |
| 5 - Par 4 437 Yds | 14 - Par 4 322 Yds | |
| 6 - Par 4 421 Yds | 15 - Par 4 457 Yds | |
| 7 - Par 5 584 Yds | 16 - Par 5 580 Yds | |
| 8 - Par 3 199 Yds | 17 - Par 3 197 Yds | |
| 9 - Par 4 434 Yds | 18 - Par 4 435 Yds | |
| ------------- | ------------- | |
| 36 3,661 Yds | 36 3,466 Yds | |
| Annual: | 50th (45th official) |
| Television: | Golf Channel - Thursday/Friday -- 3-6 p.m. (et), |
| | Thursday/Friday -- 8:30-11:30 p.m. (et) - replay, |
| | Saturday/Sunday -- 1-2:30 p.m. (et), |
| | CBS - Saturday/Sunday -- 3-6 p.m. (et) |
| Defending Champion: | Kenny Perry (Not defending) |
| Runner-Up: | Woody Austin, Bubba Watson |
| Tournament Record: | 262 (Robert Wrenn, 1987) |
| 54-Hole Record: | 194 (Kenny Perry, 2001; Vijay Singh, 2005) |
| 36-Hole Record: | 128 (Robert Wrenn, 1987) |
| Course Record: | 61 (Billy Mayfair, 2001; Tiger Woods, 2005) |
| 9-Hole Record: | 27 (Billy Mayfair, 2001) |
| Total Purse: | $5,100,000 |
| Shares: | 1st Place - $918,000; 2nd Place - $550,800; 3rd Place - $346,800 |
| 2008 Finish |
| Player | Score | Player | Score |
| Kenny Perry | 269 | Matt Jones | 271 |
| Woody Austin | 270 | Brian Gay | 272 |
| Bubba Watson | 270 | Lucas Glover | 272 |
| Ken Duke | 271 | Dudley Hart | 273 |
| Bob Tway | 271 | Fredrik Jacobson | 273 |
| | John Rollins | 273 |
| Past Buick Open Winners |
| Year | Winner (Score) -- Runners-Up |
| 2008 | Kenny Perry (269) -- Woody Austin, Bubba Watson |
| 2007 | Brian Bateman (273) -- Jason Gore, Justin Leonard, Woody Austin |
| 2006 | Tiger Woods (264) -- Jim Furyk |
| 2005 | Vijay Singh (264) -- Tiger Woods |
| 2004 | Vijay Singh (265) -- John Daly |
| 2003 | Jim Furyk (267) -- Briny Baird, Chris DiMarco, Geoff Ogilvy, Tiger Woods |
| 2002 | Tiger Woods (271) -- Fred Funk, Brian Gay, Mark O'Meara, Esteban Toledo |
| 2001 | Kenny Perry (263) -- Chris DiMarco, Jim Furyk |
| 2000 | Rocco Mediate (268) -- Chris Perry |
| 1999 | Tom Pernice, Jr. (270) -- Tom Lehman, Ted Tryba, Bob Tway |
| 1998 | Billy Mayfair (271) -- Scott Verplank |
| 1997 | Vijay Singh (273) -- Tom Byrum, Russ Cochran, Ernie Els, Brad Fabel, |
| Joe Ozaki |
| 1996 | Justin Leonard (266) -- Chip Beck |
| 1995 | *Woody Austin (270) -- Mike Brisky |
| 1994 | Fred Couples (270) -- Corey Pavin |
| 1993 | Larry Mize (272) -- Fuzzy Zoeller |
| 1992 | *Dan Forsman (276) -- Steve Elkington, Brad Faxon |
| 1991 | *Brad Faxon (271) -- Chip Beck |
| 1990 | Chip Beck (272) -- Mike Donald, Hale Irwin, Fuzzy Zoeller |
| 1989 | Leonard Thompson (273) -- Billy Andrade, Payne Stewart, Doug Tewell |
| 1988 | Scott Verplank (268) -- Doug Tewell |
| 1987 | Robert Wrenn (262) -- Dan Pohl |
| 1986 | Ben Crenshaw (270) -- J.C. Snead, Doug Tewell |
| 1985 | Ken Green (268) -- Wayne Grady |
| 1984 | Denis Watson (271) -- Payne Stewart |
| 1983 | Wayne Levi (272) -- Isao Aoki, Calvin Peete |
| 1982 | Lanny Wadkins (273) -- Tom Kite |
| 1981 | *Hale Irwin (277) -- Bobby Clampett, Peter Jacobsen, Gil Morgan |
| 1980 | Peter Jacobsen (276) -- Bill Kratzert, Mark Lye |
| 1979 | *John Fought (280) -- Jim Simons |
| 1978 | *Jack Newton (280) -- Mike Sullivan |
| 1977 | Bobby Cole (271) -- Fred Marti |
| 1976 | Ed Sabo (279) -- Randy Erskine |
| 1975 | Spike Kelley (208) -- Randy Erskine, Jim Marshall, Mike McCullough |
| 1974 | Bryan Abbott (135) -- Joe Porter |
| 1973 | Wilf Homenuik (215) -- Jim Ferriell |
| 1972 | Gary Groh (273) -- John Mahaffey |
| 1971 | Not Held |
| 1970 | Not Held |
| 1969 | Dave Hill (267) -- Frank Beard |
| 1968 | Tom Weiskopf (280) -- Mike Hill |
| 1967 | Julius Boros (283) -- Bob Goalby, R.H. Sikes, Bert Yancey |
| 1966 | Phil Rodgers (284) -- Johnny Pott, Kermit Zarley |
| 1965 | Tony Lema (280) -- Johnny Pott |
| 1964 | Tony Lema (277) -- Dow Finsterwald |
| 1963 | Julius Boros (274) -- Dow Finsterwald |
| 1962 | Bill Collins (284) -- Dave Ragan |
| 1961 | *Jack Burke, Jr. (284) -- Billy Casper, Johnny Pott |
| 1960 | Mike Souchak (282) -- Gay Brewer, Art Wall |
| 1959 | *Art Wall (282) -- Dow Finsterwald |
| 1958 | Billy Casper (285) -- Ted Kroll, Arnold Palmer |
| Note:Formerly called Buick Open Invitational (1958-69), Vern Parsell Buick |
|
Open (1972), Flint Lakes Open (1974-77), Buick Goodwrench Open
(1978-80). From 1973 through 1976 Satellite tournaments were held and
the events were unofficial.
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| Top Contenders in the Field |
| Player | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 |
| Woody Austin | T-15 | T-4 | T-21 | wd | T-19 | T-24 | mc | T-7 | T-2 | T-2 |
| Ken Duke | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | T-67 | --- | --- | T-34 | T-4 |
| Matt Jones | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | T-4 |
| Brian Gay | mc | T-47 | T-6 | T-2 | mc | T-24 | mc | T-15 | T-64 | T-7 |
| John Rollins | --- | mc | --- | --- | --- | --- | T-58 | T-20 | T-5 | T-9 |
| Fredrik Jacobson | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | T-10 | T-9 |
| Scott Verplank | mc | T-11 | T-14 | T-22 | T-24 | T-10 | T-39 | T-4 | T-5 | T-17 |
| Daniel Chopra | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | T-8 | T-12 | mc | T-49 | T-17 |
| Rod Pampling | --- | --- | --- | T-39 | --- | --- | T-66 | T-70 | mc | T-17 |
| Jason Gore | --- | --- | mc | --- | wd | --- | --- | --- | T-2 | T-25 |
| Rocco Mediate | T-9 | Won | T-43 | mc | T-45 | --- | T-22 | wd | T-62 | T-28 |
| Jim Furyk | T-9 | T-16 | T-2 | T-10 | Won | T-6 | T-6 | 2nd | T-5 | T-36 |
| Nick Watney | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | T-39 | T-53 | --- | T-36 |
| Billy Mayfair | mc | T-47 | T-14 | T-53 | mc | T-43 | T-45 | --- | --- | T-45 |
| Justin Leonard | T-25 | mc | T-10 | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | T-2 | T-55 |
| Jay Williamson | mc | T-21 | T-27 | T-53 | mc | T-43 | --- | mc | T-20 | T-66 |
| Chris DiMarco | mc | mc | T-2 | T-22 | T-2 | T-15 | T-12 | mc | T-70 | T-70 |
| Brian Bateman | --- | --- | --- | mc | T-68 | mc | wd | T-60 | Won | mc |
| Brandt Snedeker | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | T-10 | mc |
| John Daly | --- | --- | --- | --- | T-38 | 2nd | T-66 | T-50 | T-16 | mc |
| Tom Pernice, Jr. | Won | T-21 | T-4 | T-22 | T-24 | T-43 | mc | T-7 | T-20 | mc |
| Jeff Quinney | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | T-64 | mc |
| Nathan Green | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | T-50 | --- | mc |
| Tiger Woods | --- | T-11 | --- | Won | T-2 | T-3 | T-2 | Won | --- | --- |
| Rory Sabbatini | mc | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Sports Network Selections |
| Pick to Win - Tiger Woods |
| Darkhorse - Jerry Kelly |
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| Last Week's Pick to Win (Mike Weir) - Finished tied for 24th |
| Last Week's Darkhorse (Bob Tway) - Withdrew |
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| NOTES: |
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The PGA Tour heads to Michigan this week for the Buick Open. Only two of the
top-30 players in the world are in the field. However, those players are two-
time champion and world No. 1 Tiger Woods and 2003 champion and world No. 9
Jim Furyk. Woods is playing for the first time since missing the cut at the
British Open two weeks ago.
Last year, Kenny Perry closed with a six-under 66 in the final round to win
the Buick Open, his second of three wins in 2008. He completed the event at
19-under-par 269 for his second title at this tournament, having previously
won in 2001. Woody Austin traded the lead with Perry several times on the back
nine on the final day, but a bogey at the last cost him a chance at a playoff.
Austin was joined in second by Bubba Watson, who hit a great recovery shot
from the trees at the 18th, but missed the 12-foot birdie putt that would have
forced extra holes at Warwick Hills Golf & Country Club. Perry will not be on
hand this week to defend his title, as he is spending time with his cancer-
stricken mother.
Perry became the oldest winner in Buick Open history last year at 47 years, 10
months and 19 days old. Julius Boros was the previous oldest winner when he
won in 1967 at 47 years, three months and eight days.
In 2007, Brian Bateman poured in a 12-foot birdie putt on the 72nd hole to
claim his first PGA Tour win at the Buick Open. Bateman, who fired an opening-
round 65, closed with a three-under 69 to end at 15-under-par 273. Bateman
became the first winner of the Buick Open not to play in the final group on
Sunday since Tom Pernice, Jr. in 1999. He also was the first player to win
this event with a birdie on the final hole since Rocco Mediate in 2000.
In 2006, Woods shot four rounds of 66 for a three-stroke victory over Furyk at
the Buick Open. Woods' second title at this event also gave him 50 wins for
his PGA Tour career. At the age of 30, he became the youngest to reach that
plateau and seventh all-time to reach the mark. Woods also won this crown in
2002.
Furyk has had solid success at this event, making the cut in all 14
appearances and posting seven consecutive top-10s from 2001 to 2007, winning
in 2003. Furyk has eight career top-10s in the Buick Open, which is the most
in tournament history. Forty of his last 41 rounds at Warwick Hills have been
under par and 30 rounds have been in the 60s.
In 2005, Vijay Singh made history as he won the Buick Open by four strokes.
Singh, who also won this title in 1997 and 2004, became the first three-time
champion of this tournament as he successfully defended his title. Singh
opened with rounds of 65-66-63 to match Perry's 54-hole record from 2001 of
194. He closed with a two-under 70 to finish at 24-under-par 264. The Fijian
joined Tony Lema (1964-65) as the only two players to repeat as champion here.
Despite tying for 14th in 2001, Billy Mayfair set a new course record with a
final round of 61, which included a nine-hole mark of 27. Mayfair established
a PGA Tour all-time record for best birdie-eagle streak at nine-under par (B-
E-B-B-B-B-B-B) and low nine-hole score in relation to par (nine-under 27).
Woods matched Mayfair's course-record 61 in 2005.
Trailing by eight shots heading into the final round in 1990, Chip Beck
recorded the biggest final-round comeback in tournament history when he shot a
Sunday round of 65 for a one-shot win.
This event has been held at Warwick Hills since 1978 and was held at Warwick
Hills from 1958 through 1969. Buick became the first title sponsor of a PGA
Tour event in 1958 with the first playing of the Buick Open at Warwick Hills.
There have been eight playoffs in tournament history, the last coming in 1995
when Austin defeated Mike Brisky for the title.
This is the 45th official tournament in the event's history. From 1972 through
1976 the event left Warwick Hills and became an unofficial tour event. This
year's purse was increased by $100,000 from last year. Not only does the
champion receive the $918,000 first-place prize, but also a new Buick.
The PGA Tour travels to Akron, Ohio next week for the WGC-Bridgestone
Invitational at Firestone Country Club, where Vijay Singh will defend his
title. The rest of the PGA Tour will be in Reno, Nevada for the Legends Reno-
Tahoe Open, where Parker McLachlin captured the 2008 event.
07/28 17:17:24 ET
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As of July 28, 2009, at 05:17 PM ET
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