Northern Trust Open
Monday Feb 16 – Sunday Feb 22, 2009

Groups we're watching: Northern Trust Open, Rd. 3

text size
Increase Text Size
Decrease Text Size
Email This Story Print This Story RSS
Feb. 16, 2008

Here's a look at the groups we'll be watching during the third round of the Northern Trust Open on Saturday:

lefty_three.jpg

Phil Mickelson, Jeff Quinney and Robert Allenby
Tee time: 1:15 p.m. ET
Tee: No. 1
Total TOUR wins: 36
Why you should watch: What a threesome. First you have Mickelson, a fan favorite everywhere he goes, but especially in California where he has residency. On top of that, the Northern Trust Open is the lone event on the West Coast Swing that Lefty has yet to win.

Joining Mickelson will be Quinney and Allenby. Quinney came close to winning a couple of times last season as a rookie on TOUR. Allenby won at Riviera in a playoff in 2001 with arguably one of the most clutch shots in the game's history. Every hole could be downhill with the number of fans that will likely be following this threesome.

2008 Stat Comparison
Player Events Cuts Made 1st 2nd 3rd Top 10 Top 25 Scoring Average
Mickelson 3 2 -- 1 -- 2 2 69.87
Quinney 5 4 -- -- -- -- 2 70.69
Allenby 4 3 -- -- -- -- 2 70.38
mccarron_three.jpg

Scott McCarron, Chad Campbell and Scott Verplank
Tee time:
1:05 p.m. ET
Tee: No. 1
Total TOUR wins: 11
Why you should watch: It would be great to see McCarron win. The three-time TOUR winner has been away from the game for the better part of 18 months after surgery to reattach a tendon in his right elbow. Also, he's a UCLA grad.

Campbell and Verplank turned their games up a notch last season. Verplank has also been the ultimate grinder, while Campbell hit a lull before picking up a win late in the fall at the Viking Classic.

2008 Stat Comparison
Player Events Cuts Made 1st 2nd 3rd Top 10 Top 25 Scoring Average
McCarron 4 1 -- -- -- -- -- 73.35
Campbell 4 3 -- -- -- 1 2 71.08
Verplank 2 2 -- -- -- -- 2 71.84
rory_3.jpg

Rory Sabbatini, Luke Donald and Zach Johnson
Tee time: 12:15 p.m. ET
Tee: No. 1
Total TOUR wins: 9
Why you should watch: Sabbatini is always fun to watch and was the winner of the Northern Trust Open in 2006. He's had a terrific start to the new season and seems to be continuing that trend this week.

Donald is making his first start on TOUR of the 2008 season and looks as if he's in mid season form, while reigning Masters champion Zach Johnson continues his solid play since that career victory last April.

2008 Stat Comparison
Player Events Cuts Made 1st 2nd 3rd Top 10 Top 25 Scoring Average
Sabbatini 4 4 -- 1 1 2 3 69.75
Donald -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --
Johnson 2 2 -- -- -- -- 1 71.52

.

Email This Story   Print This Story   RSS   Bookmark and Share
SHOP.PGATOUR.COM

Get the best deals on the best equipment all at the SHOP.PGATOUR.COM.

WATCH LIVE!

Watch Live
© 1995-2008 PGA TOUR, Inc. | Turner Sports Interactive, Inc. All Rights Reserved. PGA TOUR, Champions Tour, Nationwide Tour and the swinging golfer logo are registered trademarks.
TurnerPGATOUR.com is part of the Turner Sports and Entertainment Digital Network