FBR Open - Golf News, Tips And Picks

FBR Open
By Tom Brew
Posted: 9:00 am PDT 2007-02-01

It's always a wild time at the FBR Open in Scottsdale, Ariz., where the golf is good, the beer flows freely and decorum is oftentimes tossed out the window.

In other words, it's just a weekend full of fun.

It's fun for the working class of the PGA Tour as well, because Tiger Woods isn't around this weekend. He's in Dubai, the other desert, so the regular guys have a shot at winning, something that hasn't been done by anyone but Woods in the past seven PGA Tour events he has played in.

The locals have their pick for a winner. Jeff Quinney, an Arizona State graduate and a local favorite, is playing well so far in 2007. The 2000 U.S. Amateur champion finally earned a tour card this year, and he has made a big splash so far.

Can this be breakthrough weekend? Maybe, since Quinney just came off a nose-to-nose battle with Woods last week and is currently 11th on the money list.

"I wanted to finish a little stronger, but I didn't necessarily blow up,'' said Quinney, who has finished T4 and T7 the past two weeks. "Drawing back on last year's Nationwide [Tour] experience, being in contention was a big help for me -- putting things in perspective, but not putting too much pressure on myself."

Quinney is looking forward to playing in front of friends and family at the FBR, where he appeared on a sponsor exemption in 2001 and missed the cut. Quinney said he will welcome the cheers of fans at the rowdy 16th hole and is planning to put the "Sparky" head cover on his driver that he used in 2001.

"The big ASU chant they have going -- I'll embrace it," said Quinney, who is +8000 to win on WagerWeb.com. "Some guys might talk negatively about it, but I'm all for it. It's going to be a lot more fun, a lot more people yelling than the last time. I've got just a huge amount of confidence to bring into this week."

Quinney has led or shared the lead during the final round of the past two PGA Tour events, the Bob Hope Chrysler Classic and Buick Invitational. He also won a Chrysler Sebring with his hole-in-one on the 17th hole in the final round at the Hope.

"It definitely is a little bit quicker than I imagined," Quinney said of his success in his first year on the tour.

Others might think it has happened later than expected, considering his stellar career at ASU and his U.S. Amateur victory, but Quinney disagreed.

"Everyone has their time," he said. "I just kept telling myself it was a matter of when, not if. I'm only 28, and that's probably when you start playing your best golf.

"There's a few guys that come right out of college, make a big impact at 23, 24, get their card and win. But I wasn't in a big rush. I was just making progress every year. I knew I was going to be OK."

Quinney, a Scottsdale resident, has paid his dues the past six years on mini-tours, including the Valley's Gateway Tour and on the Nationwide Tour, where he finished sixth on the money list last year to secure his PGA Tour card for the first time.

Although he didn't win a Nationwide title, he might have been that tour's most consistent player last year, with eight top-10 finishes and 16 in the top 25.

Here are some others worth watching:

MARK CALCAVECCHIA (+4000 on WagerWeb.com): He tied for eighth in the Bob Hope Chrysler Classic and fourth in last week's Buick Invitational, shooting rounds of 68-69 on the weekend on the tough Torrey Pines South Course. It marked the first time since 2002 that he has posted back-to-back top-10 finishes, which is a good sign for a Phoenix resident who's the only three-time champion of this event. The 40-something crowd already has two wins this year (Vijay Singh at Mercedes, Paul Goydos at Sony), so why not another?

CAMILO VILLEGAS (+225, field, on WagerWeb.com): It raised some eyebrows last year when the FBR Open gave a sponsor exemption to Villegas, but he validated the pick by tying for second and went on to a solid rookie year with four top-10 finishes. He ended up 38th on the money list, earning an invitation to this year's Masters. Good karma might lead to a big week again. Villegas doesn't expect last year's performance to have any bearing on this week. "It was fun," Villegas said of last year's coming-out party. "I played well, but it's a different week. Last year was last year. It will be a special week if I just do all the right things and try to enjoy it."

CHRIS DiMARCO (+3500 on WagerWeb.com): DiMarco hasn't played in a PGA Tour event yet this year, opting to start overseas. He has had success here as well and is primed to have a big year in 2007, when he might pluck his first major somewhere along the way. He won here in 2002 and finished second in '04.

PHIL MICKELSON (+600 on WagerWeb.com): Mickelson is Arizona State's most famous graduate on the tour, and he has had some success here, winning twice and most recently in 2005. He hasn't done much this year so far, finishing T45 at the Hope and T51 last week at Torrey Pines, and everyone still has concerns that he hasn't shaken last year's U.S. Open collapse. This could be a good time to get things in order. He likes the course, won't be penalized much for a few errant drives and doesn't have to worry about Tiger. This could be win No. 3.

EUROPEAN TOUR

The lure of lucrative appearance fees has made the Dubai Desert Classic a tournament to pay attention to over the years. This year is no different.

Tiger Woods has made the trip, and he has been hotter than blazing for half a year. He has won seven straight PGA Tour events and nine of 12 events worldwide since last summer.

He'll square off with Ernie Els this week. Els seems to be healthy again, bouncing back from a knee injury that derailed much of his 2006 season. He has won here three times (1994, 2002, 2005) and also looks like he's ready for a bounce-back season. Woods beat Els by a shot to win here last year.

"Tiger's been the best player ever since he's come out here, but I just want to get the best out of myself, and that is basically what I'm striving for,'' Els said. "The only way I can do that is to become No. 1 in the world, and right now it's a little far off to think about it, he's so far ahead.

"It will be great to see Tiger in Dubai, and I will just try and play as well as I can. If I can do one better than last year, it would be great.''

Woods is the overwhelming WagerWeb.com favorite at +125, while Els is second at +450

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