Wachovia Championship Preview

[Louie]

The absence of Tiger Woods will truly be felt for the first time this season when the PGA tees it up beginning Thursday at Quail Hollow in Charlotte, North Carolina for the Wachovia Championship.

Woods won this event last year after setting a new tournament record by shooting 13-under par. However, Woods won’t be back to defend his tournament title after undergoing knee surgery following The Masters which will sideline him until at least the end of May.

With Woods out of the picture, the oddsmakers' favorite at Quail Hollow this week is Phil Mickelson at +1000. Lefty hasn’t recorded a win since February and his tie for fifth place at The Masters wasn’t as good as it appears because he faded badly on Sunday when he had a chance to make a run. Mickelson has never won the Wachovia but he has been in contention numerous times, including last year when he tied for third place.

Following Mickelson on the odds list is Adam Scott at +1400. Scott is coming off a win in last week’s EDS Byron Nelson Championship for his first PGA Tour victory of the season. Scott defeated Ryan Moore in a playoff after both finished 72 holes seven-under par. Moore is also returning to the links at Quail Hollow this week where he is a long shot at +8000.

Aside from Woods, only four other players have won the Wachovia, which first debuted on the tour in 2003. Three of those four players will be among the field at Quail Hollow this week, including 2006 winner Jim Furyk, 2005 titleist Vijay Singh and 2003 champ David Toms. Singh is the favorite out of that trio at +1600, while Furyk checks in at +2000 and Toms is a big underdog at +12500.

Bodog Odds to win the Wachovia Championship

Phil Mickelson +1000
Adam Scott +1400
Vijay Singh +1600
Jim Furyk +2000
Geoff Ogilvy +2000
Stewart Cink +2500
Steve Stricker +2500
Aaron Baddeley +3000
Sergio Garcia +3500
Luke Donald +4000
Trevor Immelman +4000
Anthony Kim +4000
Justin Rose +4000
Boo Weekley +4000
Stuart Appleby +5000
Lucas Glover +5000
Andres Romero +5000
Rory Sabbatini +6000
Paul Casey +6500
Brandt Snedeker +6500
Billy Mayfair +8000
Kevin Sutherland +8000
Stephen Ames +7000
Camilo Villegas +7000
Mike Weir +7000
Zach Johnson +7500
Nick Watney +7500
Robert Allenby +8000
Angel Cabrera +8000
Hunter Mahan +8000
Ryan Moore +8000
Kenny Perry +8000
Carl Pettersson +8000
Ian Poulter +8000
John Senden +10000
Woody Austin +10000
Tim Clark +10000
Ken Duke +10000
Steve Flesch +10000
Jonathan Byrd +12500
JJ Henry +12500
Cliff Kresge +12500
Davis Love III +12500
Steve Marino +12500
Kevin Na +125000
Rod Pampling +12500
Jesper Parnevik +12500
Pat Perez +12500
Tom Pernice Jr. +12500
Heath Slocum +12500
David Toms +12500
DJ Trahan +12500
Bo Van Pelt 12500

[bpd67]

Weekley, Baddeley and Mickelson are my picks