Texas Children's Houston Open

Memorial Park Golf Course



The Loop

Have game, won't travel

October 29, 2009

The World Golf Championships is venturing outside the United States for the first time in more than three years next week, with not altogether unpredictable results.

Though Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson have committed to playing in the WGC-HSBC Champions in Shanghai, 10 players who have qualified won't be making the trek, including eight Americans, according to the Guardian.

U.S. Open winner Lucas Glover is not going. Neither are Steve Stricker, Zach Johnson, Jim Furyk and Kenny Perry. Vijay Singh also is not going.

Hold your criticism, thouygh. The tournament became part of the WGC only earlier this year. The event is played a long way from home for the Americans and it is a post-season event. For those with families (or those who simply are winding down their years), who can blame them?

None need the money, nor the World Ranking points. Nor the headache, for that matter. With or without them, the field is still formidable.

-- John Strege