Week 15 Approach Shots: Verizon Heritage

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Brian Gay carded just two bogeys at the 2009 Verizon Heritage (the fewest at the event since 1983) to record his second of three career wins on the PGA TOUR (2008 Mayakoba Golf Classic, 2009 Verizon Heritage, 2009 St. Jude Classic). Gay will be making his 11th career start at Harbour Town in 2010, with four prior made cuts (T42-2001, T9-2006, T16-2007, 1-2009).

TV/Radio (all times ET)

TV: GOLF CHANNEL (Thu.-Fri., 3-6 p.m.; Sat.-Sun. 1-2:30 p.m.) CBS (Sat.-Sun. 3-6 p.m.) RADIO: PGA TOUR NETWORK - Sirius 209, XM 146, PGATOUR.COM (Thu.-Sun. 12-6 p.m.)

Weather

The forecast calls sunshine all week, with a few clouds over the weekend. There is zero percent chance of rain. Winds should be between 7-9 mph. Updated weather info

Key links

• Expert picks | Tee times • Rankings | Fantasy Insider • Inside the Field | Course

His 264 winning score in 2009 broke the previous scoring record at the Verizon Heritage, which was set by Loren Roberts in 1996 (19-under 265). The 10-stroke winning margin was also a tournament record, besting Davis Love III's seven-stroke win in 1998.

Gay will enter Harbour Town having recently competed in the Masters Tournament for the first time, thanks to his win at the 2009 Verizon Heritage. Gay is a former resident of Louisville, GA, located approximately 50 miles from the Augusta National Golf Club.

LOVE'S STREAK: Five-time Verizon Heritage champion Davis Love III returns to Harbour Town for the 25th consecutive year, a streak which began with a T41 finish in 1986. He has recorded 11 top 10s, 13 top-25 finishes and just four missed cuts in his Verizon Heritage career. Twenty-five percent of his 20 PGA TOUR victories have come at the Verizon Heritage, with victories in 1987, 1991, 1992, 1998 and 2003.

Love turned 46 on Tuesday of tournament week (April 13). He has celebrated his birthday numerous times at this event but never won the title on his birthday. Three of his wins have come on April 19, while the others have been on April 20 and April 21.

AMATEUR APPEARANCE: Bud Cauley, a junior at the University of Alabama, is one of four sponsor's exemptions at the Verizon Heritage. The Jacksonville, Fla., native has received many honors in his collegiate career including being named a Walker Cup member. He earned his sponsors exemption by winning the 2009 Players Amateur, one of the top amateur tournaments in the United States. Cauley is skipping the 2010 SEC Men's Golf Championship (St. Simons Island, April 16-18) to compete in the Verizon Heritage.

CAN FURYK WIN AGAIN IN 2010?: Jim Furyk, the world's sixth-ranked player, who recently recorded his 14th career TOUR win (Transitions Championship), has enjoyed tremendous success at the Verizon Heritage but has yet to step into the winner's circle. Could this be the year? Furyk is making his 12th career start at the Heritage, with eight made cuts and four top-10s.

FOLLOWING A MAJOR: Since the Verizon Heritage moved into its slot after the Masters in 1983, just five players have won the event without having competed in the Masters the week before: Brian Gay (2009), Boo Weekley (2007), Aaron Baddeley (2006), Bob Tway (1995) and Davis Love III (1987).

PAST WINNER STATS: The Verizon Heritage has had 10 first-time winners: Hale Irwin (1971), Graham Marsh (1977), Doug Tewell (1980), Nick Faldo (1984), Davis Love III (1987), Glen Day (1999), Jose Coceres (2001), Peter Lonard (2005) and Aaron Baddeley (2006) and Boo Weekley (2007).

Just five players have won the Verizon Heritage in their first appearance: Stewart Cink (2000), Jose Coceres (2001), Bob Goalby (1970), Arnold Palmer (1969) and Boo Weekley (2007).

The youngest winner in Verizon Heritage history is Davis Love III. He was 23 years, 6 days when he won the first of his five titles in 1987. There have been three repeat winners at the Verizon Heritage: Payne Stewart (1989-90), Davis Love III (1991-92) and Boo Weekley (2007-08).

Bolton's Yahoo! selections

Fantasy columnist Rob Bolton will provide his Yahoo! picks as a starting point for you every week. Use the advice and opinion from his Power Rankings and Fantasy Insider to assist in determining lineups changes throughout each tournament. Group Starters Bench Group A Luke Donald Bryce Molder Group B K.J. Choi, Brian Gay Jim Furyk, Bo Van Pelt Group C Vaughn Taylor Matt Kuchar

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Columnists' predictions

Each week, PGATOUR.COM columnists will predict the winner. Here are their picks for the Verizon Heritage. Columnist Pick Comment Stan AWTREY HEATH SLOCUM: He's confident coming off a good ball-striking week at Augusta. Slocum has the smarts to play Harbour Town and came close to winning in 2002. Craig DOLCH BOO WEEKLEY: A return to Hilton Head, where he's won twice, may awake his slumbering game. Melanie HAUSER K.J. CHOI: Hottest player in the field. If he doesn't win this week, his next start. John MAGINNES JIM FURYK: Harbour Town is built for a guy like Jim Furyk. Relaxed and ready this could be win No. 2 on the year for Jim.

Did you know?

The defending champion Brian Gay will be looking to keep a 16-year streak intact. No defending champion has missed the cut at the Verizon Heritage since Davis Love III in 1993.

Kodak Challenge

This week's Kodak Challenge hole is the signature 452-yard par-4 18th at Harbour Town. A successful shot is one aimed toward the cherished lighthouse. The goal is the wide landing area jutting into Calibogue Sound. The long approach to the flag offers ample bailout to the right where the innocent-looking but insidious mounding has caused many a wanna-be champ to lose a sought-after par. More on Kodak Challenge

What the winner gets

A win this week at the Verizon Heritage will earn the following benefits: • Fully Exempt for the remainder of 2010 and all of 2011 and 2012. • 500 FedExCup points. It took 354 points to qualify for the PGA TOUR Playoffs for the FedExCup in 2009 and 494 to reach the Deutsche Bank Championship. • A spot in the following events in order of play: 2010 PLAYERS Championship, 2010 Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial, 2010 Memorial, 2010 AT&T National, 2010 PGA Championship, 2010 WGC-Bridgestone Inv. • A spot in the 2011 SBS Championship. • If a U.S. player, 1,026,000 points towards making the 2011 Presidents Cup team. • If it is a second victory for a player since last June 4, a spot in the U.S. Open.