The Players Championship aka 'The 5th Major' : 8-11th May

[Beanie]

Yeah 75 obv isnt a good start, but Friday and Saturday are the moving days(from +3 it really has to be Friday that they get busy in order to make the cut.)

The majority of the field is still well bunched - Sergio's putting can implode at any point, and if it does, then its really something to behold. Those at -4 and -3 aren't consistent winners/challengers, and there's plenty par 5s as well as double bogies lurking out there to keep things interesting.

Anyone firing a -4 or -5 tomorrow which is deffo possible in good conditions will be well in the mix, even if starting back at +3.

[mrmuzeman]

My man Chad Campbell could have been that man Beanie, as he was -5 for his round after 12, then preceded to give all 5 shots back by the end

Kenny Perry overnight leader on -6. I had a 100/1+ shortlist of 5 players written down pre tourny (I can see it here on my desk). I backed Bryant, Campbell and Gay and took Verplank for a top 10. You can probably guess who the guy I discarded was Please not a repeat of last years US Open Angel Cabrera debacle, I couldnt take it

Anyway enough whining, Im gona do a halfway round up to see how my 8 players are getting on.

To Win e/w

Bryant - Evens
Campbell - +1
Gay - +2
Leonard - Missed cut

Top 10

Elkington - +1
Kelly - +2
Snedeker - Missed cut
Verplank - Missed Cut

Hmm not the best. A Top 5 spot is currently -4 and a Top 10 spot -2, so i guess its not beyond the realms of possibility someone could sneak into a place

[Beanie]

I had Perry down as a possible too until quite late on - but I dont think it will matter. He was holing absolutely everything today - if his putter hadnt been hot he'd be at -1 or thereabouts. I knows 'ifs' are pretty redundant but putting is the one thing that its virtually impossible to keep up and I can't see him building on this round tomorrow, and will do well to hang tough at -6 being in the final group.

Harrington was another that fell to bits on the run in today - +7 for his final 10 holes and very unlike him, altho looks like he has a bit of tendonitis.

Will put up my system picks in the morning.

[Beanie]

A few system picks to start the weekends trading...

3pts Kim @ 7.2
1pt Stadler @ 110
1pt Goosen @ 50
0.2pts Coceres @ 1000
0.2pts Watney @ 1000
0.2pts Sterne @ 1000

From off the pace I'm not only looking at those that fit the criteria, but also those that are creating enough birdie chances to enable them to put together the -5 or -6 needed to get them into contention, should they keep the bogeys off the card. The 1000s on offer looks a tad generous given that the field is split by only 9 strokes.

So not really players that should play well, but those that could be spectacular.

Sterne, Watney and Coceres all look aggressive enough to do just that - they've all dropped plenty strokes this week, but all 3 have the capability of a low round from off the pace.

Towards the middle, Retief Goosen has been very consistent, not making many mistakes but not quite converting on as many birdie opportunities as he should have. If the putter gets hot today, he's close enough to be in big contention over the final day.

Kevin Stadler is -2 but yesterdays round was a good couple of shots better than that - and the way he saved bogey on 17 after being in the water, and a tough par at 18 shows that I think he can kick on again.

Kim has been in great for a while now - the only question mark is mental fatigue. That aside, he's making the chances, sinking the putts, hitting the greens, and has the mentality to push on from here, something which will be lacking in quite a few of the other names near the top.

[mrmuzeman]

Gl Beanie, Kim does look extremely live. Coceres was one I thought of backing pre tourny for a Top 10 Finish as he was a huge 40/1 to do so, despite finishing 5th here last year and being practically the straighest shooter on tour. But I decided against it cos he really is playing totally pants this year

Along the same sort of lines as Beanie im going for a couple of the mob tied 7th on -2 in the chasing pack, those which I believe can mount a challenge and fit my pre tourny criteria also.

Ben Crane 50/1 EW
Stephen Ames 25/1 EW

Ames especially could easily get right in there. Hes shot the most birdies (11) so far in the tourny culminating in a 68 yesterday and has a history of shooting low on this course (66/67 in 2006 when winning the championship & 67/69 when finishing 2nd in 2002). Hes being super accurate off the tee as well, up at 82%.

[mrmuzeman]

Ames +2 for his round after 3 holes and Crane +3 for his after 5 holes Do I not like that! RIDICULOUS

Bit of a gap forming on the top 4, could old Bernhard Langer do it? Im surprised he hasnt fallen apart by now hes so old and craggy lookin

[mrmuzeman]

Ames and Crane 5th and 6th just outside the ew top 4 Ames' double bogey on the 18th really pissed me off!

Amazing how tough the course ended up playing. Anyway enough talk got the sweet playoff to watch

[Beanie]

Get in Serge you wee beauty! Had a lot of critics(and rightly so) for his putting this year, but was brill with the short stick today. He was in tears at the end - hopefully he can kick on from here

UL with that pair muse - Ames in particular who just lost concentration at the last if I remember rightly.

Kim fell to bits yesterday, had an idea a mental collapse would come but didnt expect it to be in round 3...as it was the top 3 were miles clear in the end...tough course and the lowest winning score for a long while.

Roll on the US Open!

[mrmuzeman]

Yep nice to see Garcia do the biz. If ever theres a pair of holes set up to bottle it under the pressure its the 17th/18th there, I certainly didnt fancy him to come in par/par like he did.

Waiting on Tiger for the US Open, any news there on his op? Its being held at Torrey Pines this year which is home to the Buick Invitational on the tour and Tigers won it the last 4 years on the trot! As long as hes fighting fit (and itd be nice for him to prove as much in a tourny or two beforehand) what a cracking bet thatll be at around 6/4.

[FC Basher]

Sergio Garcia has been using various types of Taylor Made putters from their range,different head shapes and shaft postions,did he use a belly putter at one stage?

He now use a Scotty Cameron Newport putter this is a very traditional looking Heel to Toe looking putter,the shaft is angled so at address the hands are slightly ahead of the putter head,im not sure if Garcia started his carear with this style of putter and has gone back to it,but its a far cry to what he has been using.A very similar version of the putter Tiger Woods uses,I dont think Woods has ever changed his putter.