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