Tag Archives: Kapalua Plantation Course

Jan
9
2012
Commish Finchem: It’s Always Sunny in Kapalua
By Stephanie Wei under PGA Tour

Nice tan, commish!

PGA Tour Commissioner Tim Finchem popped by the interview room at the Hyundai Tournament of Champions for an annual chat with the media. He answered questions regarding all the (over-hyped) fuss over the no-show winners at Kapalua this year, the possibility of changing the locale and timing of the Tour’s season opener, the Monday finish decision, his fondness for Steve Stricker, Tiger’s win at Chevron, the Olympics and more.

Finchem made some very valid points, especially regarding– what I view as –the overreaction to the quality of the field and the missing players. Here are the highlights/excerpts from the presser (aka the parts where my eyes didn’t glaze over):

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Jan
11
2011
Coming Down the Stretch With Graeme McDowell
By Stephanie Wei under PGA Tour

Graeme McDowell: New clubs? New ball? No problem.

Ed. note: I know this is a few days late, but better than never, right? Right.

Leave it to Graeme McDowell to steal the show on Sunday at the Hyundai Tournament of Champions. He’s been making a habit of creating excitement in the final round — staring down Tiger Woods at Chevron to beat him in a playoff, draining a huge putt in singles against Hunter Mahan to clinch the Ryder Cup victory for Europe, grinding it out at Pebble Beach to win the US Open, etc.

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Jan
10
2011
The Byrd Is the Word
By Stephanie Wei under PGA Tour

Jonathan Byrd beat Robert Garrigus in a two-man playoff on the second extra hole at the Hyundai Tournament of Champions to take home his fifth-career PGA Tour victory. It was Byrd’s second consecutive win, as well as his second straight victory in a playoff — his walkoff ace in the three-way playoff at the Justin Timberlake Shriners for Children Hospital Open was arguably the shot of the year (wait, who did he beat in that again? Oh, right, Martin Laird and Cameron Percy). Clearly, you don’t want to play Byrd in sudden death.

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Jan
9
2011
Garrigus Ends Round With Big Bang
By Stephanie Wei under PGA Tour

Sequence of Robert Garrigus reacting to the huge putt for eagle he drained on 18

Robert Garrigus knocked in a 56-foot putt on the 18th hole for eagle and a share of the third-round lead with Steve Stricker and Jonathan Byrd at the Hyundai Tournament of Champions. The ball hopped up a few inches in the air before plopping in the cup and then Garrigus jumped with joy. His reaction was epic, as it should have been. He did one huge fist-pump and followed it with a deserving second.

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Jan
7
2011
Jason Day Shows No Fear…Even After a Duffed Drive
By Stephanie Wei under PGA Tour

During the second round of the Hyundai Tournament of Champions, Jason Day took one of the worst swings of his career, hitting about six inches behind the ball off the tee on No. 13. The shot barely made it off the ground and just made the fairway. His reaction? He couldn’t help but laugh. Same with Justin Rose, who was playing with him.

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Jan
7
2011
Missing Putter? No Big Deal for Appleby. (Update)
By Stephanie Wei under PGA Tour

Stuart Appleby is the only player to have won the Tournament of Champions three times at Kapalua

Before the first round of the Hyundai Tournament of Champions, Stuart Appleby and his caddie Scott Sajtinac discovered the putter was missing. Luckily, Appleby isn’t neurotic about his equipment. As a three-time champion of the event at Kapalua’s Plantation Course, he also feels comfortable on the greens.

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Jan
6
2011
Jonathan Byrd to Be Mic’ed Up for Golf Channel Coverage
By Stephanie Wei under PGA Tour

Jonathan Byrd shot a 7-under 66 in the first round at Kaplua's Plantation Course

First round co-leader Jonathan Byrd agreed to wear a microphone on Friday during the second round of the Hyundai Tournament of Champions. After he shot 66 on Thursday, Byrd hit some balls at the range while wearing a mic to ensure it wouldn’t interfere with his swing.

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Jan
6
2011
(Belated) Balls in the Air: Hyundai Tournament of Champions
By Stephanie Wei under Balls in the Air

Welcome to Balls in the Air, where I size up my Fantasy Golf picks of the week, featuring guys to watch (or not) and interesting story lines. Disclaimer: Don’t yell at me if my picks suck. There’s no mathematical formula to my attempt at predicting something as random as golf scores.

Dustin Johnson bombs a drive from the 18th ladies tee during the long drive contest on Wednesday

First of all, my apologies for the delay of the opening “Balls in the Air” column of the PGA Tour season. I’m such a slacker and I’m sure you were all panicking when it didn’t pop up on Wednesday. Due to various assignments I have with SI this week, I’m a little behind, so I hope you’ll forgive me. This will be an abbreviated version since the guys have teed off already, anyway.

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Jan
5
2011
Sadlowski Lets It Rip, Throws Caution to the Wind
By Stephanie Wei under PGA Tour

Jamie Sadlowski is the longest hitter in the world

Jamie Sadlowski showed up to the 18th tee at Kapalua’s Plantation Course a half hour before his three competitors — PGA Tour pros Dustin Johnson, Bubba Watson and Robert Garrigus — for the Hyundai Tournament of Champions Long Drive Challenge. He was raring to go — not that he had anything to worry about.

“We only have a chance if Jamie doesn’t get one in play,” DJ said.

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