| Right, Max. Hawaii, Max.It`s not just
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| | tournament. Hawaii`s a long flight from
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| that California`s had a run of really wet
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| | anywhere, fine, but it`s a guaranteed
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| weather lately (possibly forecasting the
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| | paycheck. And I have to figure the
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| rain-delayed 2005 West Coast swing that
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| | islands are sunnier than Ireland this
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| revivified the age-old debate about
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| | time of year. Hawaii, Padraig.There`s
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| indoor golf), it`s that the famous line
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| | always the flipside to the
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| from Annie Hall---"California, Max", as
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| | strength-of-field approach. Maybe the
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| in, "if we lived in California, we could
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| | favorites---Vijay Singh, Jim Furyk, David
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| play outdoors every day, in the
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| | Toms and Sergio Garcia---do look more
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| sun"---doesn`t apply this week because
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| | likely to win than 50-1 shots like Jason
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| the PGA Tour kicks off the 2006 season
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| | Bohn, Jason Gore and Ted Purdy. But given
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| with the Mercedes Championships at the
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| | that there`s no cut, the pressure is off
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| Plantation Course in Kapalua, Hawaii,
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| | slightly, and so is the intimidation
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| where the usual weather event comes in
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| | factor, which is significantly less a
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| the form of trade winds, not steady
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| | factor anyway because Tiger isn`t
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| drenching rains.Every year I talk about
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| | playing. Even if the world #1 was
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| what a great tournament this is: TV
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| | playing, though, I`d still look at other
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| cutaways to and fro, commercial breaks of
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| | golfers. Bart Bryant, an unknown, won
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| beautiful vistas, sun and sea from the
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| | twice last year: the Memorial and
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| course`s tall hills; a solid field of
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| | season-ending Tour Championship where he
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| last year`s Tour winners; 400-plus yard
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| | held off guess who? Purdy won the Byron
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| drives on the last hole; and the
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| | Nelson last May, fending off Singh.As for
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| possibility of long money on quality
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| | the course, there are the peaks and
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| golfers in a small field. Because Tiger
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| | valleys of Kapalua, and those trade winds
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| Woods, Phil Mickelson, Retief Goosen and
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| | (which are almost always at the players`
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| Padraig Harrington are not playing (or
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| | backs on the last hole, yielding those
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| Ernie Els, by the way, who didn`t win in
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| | 400-500-yard drives). The greens can be
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| his injury-shortened 2005) and because
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| | slick, which might be a factor for the
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| there were so many low-ranked winners on
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| | favorite, Singh. Two months doesn`t
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| Tour last year, this week`s Mercedes is a
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| | account for much of an offseason; who can
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| smaller (28-player), more bargain-filled
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| | say if Vijay`s come to a happy place with
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| field than normal. Mickelson and Goosen
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| | his putter?Jeremy Church covers Nascar
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| didn`t do the Silly Season tour like
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| | for Brian Gabrielle Sports.Jeremy Church
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| Woods and Harrington, and the latter`s
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| | is a documented member of the
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| decision to not play in Kapalua is
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| | Professional Handicappers League.
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| curious as he`s never played in the
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