Buick Open

June 26 - 29, 2008
Warwick Hills Golf & Country Club
Grand Blanc, MI
Par: 72 / Yardage: 7,127 yards
Purse: $5 million with $900,000 going to the winner
Defending Champions: Brian Bateman

List of Champions & Scores

Results & Scores 2007 Buick Open

Box Score of 2007 Buick Open

Tournament facts:

Tournament information:

The tournament was a success. The combination of big-named golfers, paired with a paltry $1.00 admission price, brought fans out in droves to see the event. The Buick Open was hosted at Warwick Hills through the 1969 tournament. After the 1969 tournament, Buick pulled out as title sponsor. The loss of Buick's sponsorship money, coupled with the low monthly dues, left the tournament in deplorable financial condition. The only option was for the tournament to take a sabbatical, which it did through 1972. The Buick Open's next stint was tournaments held at other courses, with very limited sponsorship from 1972 through 1977. Following that, more reorganization led to a break with Buick making a return in 1978. Since 1978, the Buick Open has been held at Warwick Hills and has flourished.

Course information:

Lenz's Tudor Mansion was to be the clubhouse while much of the surrounding land would be covered by the golf course and course-side estates. With the location of the club set, it was time to find a golf course architect. The shareholders in Warwick Realty entrusted James Gilmore Harrison, a golf course architect from Turtle Creek, PA. He laid out the plans for the course within 60 days and by the end of summer, 1956, construction on the course had commenced. Less than a year later, in June of 1957, the course was open for play. The only other major change to the course came in 1967, when architect Joe Lee overhauled most of the course to the tune of $180,000. Comparable to $1.5 million today, the renovation transformed a solid course at best, into the venue that earned it "20th best in State" for 1997-1998, according to Golf Digest.

From the championship tees, the par-72 Warwick Golf & Country Club course is one of the most difficult in the state of Michigan. Playing at 7,127 yards, it has a course rating of 74.1 and a slope rating of 132. The tees and fairways are a combination of creeping Bent Grass and Poa Annua, cut at 3/8" and 7/16" respectively. The rough is part Kentucky Blue Grass, part fescue. It is cut between 4" and 6", depending on the hole. As for the greens, they are fairly straight and measure between 10.5 and 11.5 on the Stimpmeter. The 1/8" creeping Bent Grass and Poa Annua mixture provides putters with a quick, but fair putting surface that will allow the "hot" putters to go low, as evidenced by Billy Mayfair's record 9-hole score of 27 in 2001.

Warwick Hills eases golfers into competition. On the front 9, the majority of the holes are predominantly long and straight. The first hole, a 567-yard par 5, seems intimidating because of its length; however, it typically plays as one of the easiest holes on the course because it provides an easy birdie hole for the longer hitters. The back nine, though shorter, incorporates more water, trees, and dog-legs. It is capped off by the two of the most difficult holes on the course. Number 17, a 195-yard Par 3, is known for its difficulty. The front left of the green is protected by water while there are three greenside bunkers (left, right, and front) that can come in to play. Along with its notoriety for difficulty, 17 has become known for its raucous crowds that line the back of the green and chant for their favorites. Number 18, a 435-yard Par 4, provides, arguably, the most difficult test on the golf course. It is lined throughout by trees, fairway and greenside bunkers, and a water hazard.

The Buzz:

Lots of healthy players in the field, including last week's winner Stewart Cink as well as Rocco Mediate, who took Tiger Woods to 19 holes in the U.S. Open playoff before losing. Also making a comeback is Brandt Jobe who was T18th at the U.S. Open. Jobe is coming back from almost slicing off his left index finger and thumb almost a year and a half ago.

Now a quick look at some of the injured players. We mentioned a couple of weeks ago that Shaun Micheel was having shoulder surgery near the U.S. Open,. We have now found out that the June 10th surgery to repair a torn labrum turned into a bigger deal as the surgeon had to remove some bone off of his shoulder. So his return to tour won't happen this year as he won't be able to hit any full shots for at least four months with the earliest to be playing 18 holes coming around Christmas. Micheel's PGA Championship exemption runs out this year but he should be granted a medical exemption for 2009. Another major champion that is hurt is Masters champion Zach Johnson, who is playing this week after taking a few weeks off for a sore wrist. Things are supposed to be better for him, but I would stick him in a caution folder for a possible flair up in the feature.

On Monday, Brett Quigley revealed that he has a stress fracture in his left shin and is going to take some time off. Finally, over in Europe, Ian Poulter is still having problems with his wrist that forced him to withdraw from the U.S. Open and this morning Luke Donald withdrew from the French Open, also trying to recover from a wrist injury suffered in San Diego. It will be interesting to see if both wrists can get better in time for the British Open, which is only three weeks away.

Speaking of the British Open, we have some news on one of its past champions, Ernie Els. He has ended a 18-month relationship with caddie J.P. Fitzgerald and rumors are that he will be back with Ricci Roberts, who he won his three major championships with. Seems that Els is on a firing trend, first it was his coach David Ledbetter, he also says that he is moving his home base from London to Florida. Lots of changes for Els.

This year's Buick Open, which is in the second year of a move from August to June, is again lacking some of the familiar faces due primarily to untimeliness. In the past, the Buick Open was sandwiched between the British Open and the PGA, making it a perfect tune-up tournament. Unfortunately, it's now in a time zone that most of the top players are resting for the long stretch between the British Open and FedEx Cup playoffs. For example, in 2006, the last time it was played in the August time slot, four top-10 world ranked players were in the field. This year only two of the top-25 players in the world are attending with Jim Furyk being the highest ranked player (he is 12th). Last year could of been a warning sign on the degradation of the field with Brian Bateman winning. In the past the Buick was always an amalgam of proved players. Just look at the winners between 1997 and 2006, Tiger Woods and Vijay Singh combined to win the event five times with other players like Rocco Mediate, Kenny Perry and Jim Furyk winning. At the same time the event has served as a jumping off point for numerous professionals, serving as the venue for 12 first-time winners on tour. This year, more than in the past, the Buick Open looks like it could potentially be a glimpse of tomorrow's best, rather than today's best.

Here are some things to look for this week:

Photo: © Michael Cohen/Wire Images The 17th hole at Warwick Hills Golf & Country Club, home of the 2007 Buick Open.

The focus of the tournament has changed a bit with less marquee names attending. Still the timing is good with players getting ready for the British, PGA Championship and the FedEx Cup. So the field may not be a hit like past years but there is a lot to play for.

• Key stat for the winner:
  Length is a big advantage at Warwick Hills. In looking at the list of champions, long drivers like Tiger Woods, Kenny Perry, Vijay Singh, Woody Austin, Fred Couples and Dan Forsman have won in the last decade.
• Warwick Hills is a par 72 and at 7,127 yards you have to go low and dominate the par 5s. I can guarantee you one of the reasons Tiger Woods likes to play in this event because the course is perfect for him, he loves to dominate par 5s. Since 1997 the average score on the par 5s of the winners is 8 under, last year Bateman played those holes in 7 under in his victory.
• Warwick Hills isn't considered a pushover by any standards, but it's getting pretty close. Last year it was the 11th easiest course on the PGA Tour. In 2006 it was the ninth easiest course on the PGA Tour with the hardest hole ranked 315th hole on the PGA Tour. In 2005 it was the 13th easiest course on the PGA Tour, with no holes in the 50 hardest holes on tour. Between 1978 and 1989 of the 877 players that completed 72 holes 678 of them (77.3%) shot under par. Between 1990 and 1999 of the 759 players that completed 72 holes, 664 of them (87.4%) of the were under par. Since 2000, 604 of the players that completed 72 holes, 568 of them (94.0%) were under par. In 2005 only four of the 79 players that completed 72 holes were under par while in 2006 75 of the 79 were under par. In 2007, 72 of the 78 players that finished 72 holes were under par with four of them being even par and only two players over par. Translation: par doesn't get you much at Warwick Hills.
• The course also favors shotmakers and good putters. Again, look at some of the past champions. You won't find any better putters than Justin Leonard, Tom Pernice, Jr. and Jim Furyk plus shotmakers like J.J. Henry and Joe Durant, who are ranked 1 and 2 in ball striking this year..
• The players that make a lots of birdies will do well because scores tend to be on the low side. Since 1990 the average score of the winners on the PGA Tour is 15 under, at the Buick it's been 19 under.
• Twelve first-time winners have made mark at the Buick Open. Since 1995 Woody Austin (1995), Justin Leonard (1996), Tom Pernice (1999) and Brian Bateman (last year) became winners for the first time at Warwick Hills. This is important because with the limited marquee names in the field the chances are better for a first-timer.
  
• One of the rare tournaments on the PGA Tour in which until three years ago there was only one multiple winner and that was back in the 60s when Tony Lema won back to back. That was broken in 2005 with Vijay Singh and Tiger Woods in 2006 became the third multiple champion.
  
  • Previous
  • For the Buick Open picks, next page