Just a note on the SENIOR PGA Championship this week as players are playing the back nine as their front nine, on the Pete Dye course at FRENCH LICK - so that 'great finishing hole' as described earlier is the ninth this week, just to confuse us - as if Pete Dye didn't try to confuse us enough.

http://news.travel.aol.com/2014/02/14/french-lick-indiana-a-visit-to-larry-birds-hometown/

The Crowne Plaza Invitational from Colonial Country Club in Fort Worth, Texas.


The third event of Adam Scott’s "Texas Slam" - after the Valero Texas Open from TPC San Antonio, Shell Houston Open (SHO) from Humble outside Houston and now the 68th time Colonial Country Club in Fort Worth plays host to the Crowne Plaza Invitational - The first part of another TEXAS TWO STEP, with the AT&T Byron Nelson from TPC Four Seasons Resort in Irving to follow next week.

THIS week we again honour Ben Hogan at Colonial C.C. - designed by Perry Maxwell and John Bredemus - it's also known as “Hogan’s Alley” after the legendary 5 times champion with narrow fairways and dramatic dog-legs shaping this course from the tee, it goes down as a classic shot-maker's layout without question.
Not to be confused with the 6th hole in Carn-nasty or Riviera Country Club in Pacific Palisades  - The PGA Players voted this as one of their top 5 courses to play on TOUR.


Flooding has been a big concern for Dallas this week, and the trend will continue as we head into Memorial Day weekend holiday in the USA.
Normally a warm week for Dallas area with several days making a run at 90 degrees F. The Texas winds usually stand up as the first line of defence on this par 70 but only moderate breezes are expected throughout the week. The very wet conditions with preferred lies have completely changed the outlook to pick a winner.


Another Par 70 course with only two Par 5s - the 1st Hole and 11th hole. The course opens with a friendly Par 5 which is usually the easiest hole on the course.
However that’s where the birdie chances also ends - then the fun starts - from Hole 3 onwards, with a 247 yard Par 3 fourth hole and the extremely tough 481 yard 5th hole, likely to take back any shots that were gained earlier.
It is a tight tree lined track with small greens, numerous doglegs, very well placed fairway bunkers and water in play on six holes.
This is a real test of ball striking and driving accuracy is even more important this week. Course management in finding those small greens will also be crucial (within the Top 30 in GIR will be required) as will scrambling stats when the greens are missed. Strokes Gained Putting another important stat as those putts must drop.

Remember US OPEN places are still up for grabs...for the top 60 in the Official World Golf Rankings.

Hunter Mahan may still be stuck in ‘nappy land’ as he’s scored nothing better than T20 since his son was born in early Feb. A Texas winner of the 2012 'SHO' it may be time to put the foot down with sweet Kandi, the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader, and as callit says ‘leave her do the night feeds’. He’s played eight weekends from 11 starts here but only one finish has been T26 or better and that was a T10 in 2011. Will take some more time for that haze to clear me tinks.

A six time tour winner and has a couple of WGC Championships, maybe he's one for the US Open shortlist - generally 66's but been nibbled on Betfair to 47.

Mahan has some good finishes in US Opens.

4th in Merion in 2013.
6th in Bethpage in 2009.

The way he is striking the ball he is a contender.

This is much more like it from Shane today.

If he can grab a couple of birdies on the 3 Par 5s then he is nicely in this.

Lesser Irish lights,Peter Lawrie,Mc Grane and newbie Niall Kearney not too far off the lead at the moment either here.

That's the first of the birdies taken care of.

75 players at +1

-13 could easily win it if we get some wind at the weekend.

Francesco does not strike me as player to really kick on and he could stumble across the line over the weekend.

Grillo is as likely to bogey as many times as birdie when Sunday pressure kicks in.

Other than that, it would take a very good couple of rounds from some others (assuming the likes of Rory is -6 or worse at end of day) to trouble the -13 score.

Yeah, if winning score is any lower than 13 under, then it would really look like Molinaris. 10 under winning total would suit me fine at the moment.

3.8ish as far as i remember Reb,looks like he may have the weekend off and judging by his demeanor won't be too bothered either.

Thanks pa, that sounds right.

I asked because I was in a bookies, locally, on wed evening chatting to the cashier. This guy, about 50, came over and enquired, "What price is Rory for the golf". Cashier checked and told him 5/2. "I'll have 2 on it so", he said, and took 200 out of his pocket (I thought he was going to take out 2 euro!). When I got home, I checked the price on Oddschecker and saw that he could have had his bet on at 11/4 if he'd walked about 250 metres to the next bookies. Foolish man, given the level of his stake and regardless of whether his bet won or lost.

Not really surprised at all that Rory didn't dig in. Next week on the horizon, playing a track that doesn't suit....by the 9th hole today a weekend off would have seemed a much better idea than another 36.

Not too sure he will be hugely overbet Pa. I think he will be a bigger price next week than this.....after extra days off, no transatlantic flight, on a track that will suit much better, and in a field that will likely be slightly weaker. This was the week where he was definitely too short.

Kevin Na seems very short stateside.

Rory knows RCD well ,pa . Plus the Walker Cup was there before he turned pro , although he did not play particularly well in the Walker Cup as it happened . The greens will be good though , the unknown factor will be the wind if any . If the weather is rough anyone can win next week provided they stay out of major trouble . Calm weather would suit Rory , but reckon that is probably asking too much for Ireland in May .

Thanks Kelly.
Wouldn't be a Na fan either statesside,forecast is breezy with thunderstorms today and tomorrow though they are out early today to try and counter that(Na 3.10 GMT).
Small interest at treble figures on Nick Taylor for me,hasn't really done a lot since taking last Autumns Sandersons Farm,but near enough on the leaderboard to hopefully be at least fighting for a place.

Just looking at Poulters card.

He had a 16ft for birdie on the 10th, and managed to make Double Bogey!! Happy Gilmore would have got it in the hole quicker. Missed from 3ft, then 2ft. Feckin gypsy!!

Another good round from Shane today, just a shame he was so adrift after Thursdays effort. Hopefully can finish off with another 67 or better. At least nick the top 6. Leaderboard looks frail, he might get some help from the top.

Looking at the weather forecast I'd say it is unlikely they will get the final round completed today.

Lots of rain and thunderstorms.

http://www.weather.com/weather/hourbyhour/l/USTX0474:1:US

Hats off the An.

He's been threatening to win the last few months and what a stage to get it done.