HONOLULU -- Now this is what I'm talking about!
I joked prior to last week's Mercedes-Benz Championship about needing to carry my 2007 PGA Tour media guide around with me, just to identify some of the champions from the previous year. But in reality, after a day or two at Kapalua, I could pretty easily tell John Senden from Eric Axley, and D.J. Trahan from Will MacKenzie.
So forgive my enthusiasm, but it's nice to arrive at the Sony Open and see some unfamiliar faces -- or at least some that I couldn't recognize right away. Just got back from the practice range and putting green after checking out the likes of Jason Dufner and Paul Sheehan for a few minutes each, which is a golf geek's version of checking out spring training baseball games.
Can't say I saw much in the limited time I was out there that would lead me to say whether some rookie would be a bust or a journeyman is ready for a breakout season. Still, I almost got chills knowing that those stories are out there; we just have to wait for them to develop. (And yes, you can get chills in 82-degree weather.)
Last week was nice, a small gathering of 34 champions from the year before, but this week is a PGA Tour event at its best (though certainly not the best PGA Tour event).
There are 144 players in the field this week. Many you (and I) don't recognize. Some will struggle on tour, fade away and never be heard from again. Others will find success, make names for themselves and become recognizable faces.
I can't wait to find out who's who.
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