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Fry's Electronics Open
October 18 - 21, 2007
Greyhawk Golf Club
Scottsdale, AZ
Par: 71 / Yardage: 7,108
Purse: $5 million with $900,000 going to the winner
Defending Champion: Inaugural Event
Tournament facts:
Inaugural Event
Tournament information:
For the second consecutive week, Fry's Electronics is the title sponsor for a PGA Tour event.The inaugural Fry's Electronics Open will be operated by The Thunderbirds, the same organization that hosts the fellow-Scottsdale-based FBR Open in February.The Fry's Electronics Open will be held in Scottsdale, AZ for one year only. In 2008, the event will move to its permanent venue at the Institute Golf Course in Morgan Hill, CA. The Institue Golf Course is currently under construction, adding a new clubhouse in preparation for next year's event
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Course information:
The Raptor Course at the Grayhawk Golf Club was designed by Tom Fazio and opened in 1995. The Par 72 course plays at 7,135 yards. It has a course rating of 74.0 and a course rating of 141. As for the course itself, the tees, fairways, and rough are comprised of Tifway 419 Bermuda Grass while the Greens are Mini-Verde Bermuda Grass. The tees are cut to 0.35", the fairways are cut to 0.425", and the rough is cut to 2". The greens are cut to 0.11", which helps explain the high stimp measure of 12 feet.The Raptor Course is built on a flat, desert landscape. The course boasts a natural creek that runs into a man-made lake between Number 10 and Number 18. The natural creek has created between 15 and 20 canyons throughout the layout of the course. The mountainous backdrop provides the beauty Par-3 8th, the most scenic hole on the course. It is affectionately known as "Aces and Eights" because of its propensity for being a hit or miss hole.
In preparation for the inaugural Fry's Electronics Open course maintenance staff have replaced the bentgrass greens with Mini-Verdi, moved a rock cropping on Number 15 from the left side of the fairway to the right side to change the angle of entry shots, and added a tee box across the cart path on Number 10 to make room for corporate tents.
The Raptor Course played host to the Andersen Consulting World Match Championship in 1997, the Williams World Challenge in 1999 and the Tommy Bahama events.
The Buzz:
What a perfect spot to play this event, Scottsdale, Arizona has the second highest amount of PGA Tour pros living in this area behind Orlando, Florida so the field will be good. It even has some marquee names led by Phil Mickelson who has a lot to do with Grayhawk. Other big names include Mark Calcavecchia, Stewart Cink, Mike Weir and this year's FBR Open winner Aaron Baddeley.
With all of this, good field, great weather and good location it would mystify us if this tournament goes through with it's overall plan in which to move next year to Fry's Electoronics CEO John Fry's private course, the Institue in Morgan Hills just outside of California. That course has been the site of a lot of controversy with tax questions and enviromental problems so it will be interesting to see if all of these concerns can be addressed in time for next year.
As for this year the big news is that Phil Mickelson is the highest rated player (#2) to participate in a fall series event. He is one of six former U.S. Amateur champions in the field (Colt Knost, 2007, Ryan Moore, 2004, Jeff Quinney, 2000, Justin Leonard, 1992 and Billy Mayfair, 1987.
Now the big news is those looking to get into the top-125 of the money list, of the 132 players in the field, 58 are presently out of the top-125 and looking to make a move. There are only three tournaments left for players to get inside the top-125 on the money list and keep their card for 2008. Alex Cejka currently sits at No. 125, however, less than $46,000 separates Cejka from Cameron Beckman, who is No. 128 on the money list.
The folks that run this event are the Thunderbirds that also run the FBR Open. Don't be looking for the same 100,000 people coming out on Saturday and Sunday, smaller crowds are planned with daily ticket sales capped at 17,000.
Here are some things to look for this week:
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Here are some of the secrets that it will take to play well this week at the Fry's Electronics Open:
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Key stat for the winner:
Course is a classic risk and reward course, but water only comes into play on three holes, 10, 16 and 18. The three par 5s are reachable and with par at only 70 scoring won't be as low as many are use to for desert courses. - Raptor's fairways mostly are generous; however, strategically placed fairway bunkers can transform an offline drive into a scramble for bogey. With sparse rough hitting greens will be easier. Most of the greens are large with a fair amount of undulation.
- Course features elevated greens with deep bunkers around them. Look for a good scrambler to have the advantage during the week.
- The biggest key of the week will be hitting a lot of greens and making a lot of birdies, the person that does that will win.
- Last week a player that was struggling to stay in the top-125 (George McNeill) won in Las Vegas. He made it look easy with his win and the question will be, can another player not in the top-125 do it? The course won't cater to long hitters even though it's a desert course so that may answer some of those questions.
- Nine of he top-50 players in the world are playing this week, #2 Phil Mickelson, #20 Aaron Baddeley, $23 Stewart Cink, #25 Arron Oberholser, #30 Tim Clark, #39 Robert Allenby, $41 Mark Calcavecchia, #45 Stephen Ames and #48 Mike Weir.
Who to Watch for at the Fry's Electronics Open:
Best Bets:
| Phil Mickelson |
No matter how long it's been since he played last and how serious he takes this, you have to think that once he gets going he will play very well.
| Mike Weir |
T10th in Las Vegas last week, great Presidents Cup all of this adds up to him about ready to win again.
| Aaron Baddeley |
Looking for that Arizon double, defending champion of the FBR Open. Hasn't played in a month since the Tour Championship but leading into that event did finish 5th at Deutsche Bank and 2nd at BMW which makes you think that he has his game together.
Best of the rest:
| Tim Clark |
Hasn't played since Tour Championship were he quietly finished T7th and T5th the week before in Chicago. Have to think he will play well this week.
| Jerry Kelly |
Good with his irons and solid putter, he could have a good week.
| Steve Flesch |
Has turned his year around the last two months. He's another one of these players that will contend this week.
| Justin Leonard |
A very streaky player, coming to an area that he has won before at. Justin could very easily win for the second time this year.
| Jason Gore |
Was in contention last week, and at Wyndham two months ago. Only a matter of time before he figures it out.
| D.J. Trahan |
Was second last week could that spell a victory for him this week?
Longshots that could come through:
| Bob May |
Finished T5th last week maybe the good start can carry over to this week.
| Bill Haas |
One of the hottest players on tour, yes he finished T21st last week but that was because of a 3rd round 74 in the wind. Look for him to be in contention this week.
