PGA Golf Player News

The News
Scott Verplank has flown to Illinois where he will participate in this week's BMW Championship, according to the Associated Press. For the past week we've followed the travels of Verplank, withdrawing from the Deutsche Bank Championship with an apparent wrist injury, followed by a closed medical clinic and delayed MRI exam, to today's decision to jump back in the fray and compete.

Our View
Verplank walked off the course at the TPC Boston last week with pain in his wrist he could no longer bear. He noted the injury had been lingering for some time and he's struggled to control his grip as a result. Afer his MRI was delayed two days (Sunday and Labor Day) Verplank was told he had suffered no structural damage to the wrist and he was cleared to play based on feel, and thus Verplank is back to it at Cog Hill where he needs a top finish if he hopes to move into the top 30 making the cut for THE TOUR Championship.

The News
Padraig Harrington announced he will be in the field for the Vivendi Trophy on the European Tour in two weeks, according to the Associated Press.

Our View
Harrington hasn't posted a win on the PGA or European Tours in two years and he's tabbed this event in Paris as one of preparation for the Ryder Cup. He failed to qualify for the FedExCup Playoffs in America (for the second year in a row).

The News
Yesterday we reported Scott Verplank was likely to miss the rest of the 2010 PGA season following pain in his wrist believed to require surgery. Today Doug Ferguson is reporting Verplank is waiting on a final decision until he speaks with a specialist on Wednesday, thinking he may push through and play at the BMW Championship, according to the Associated Press (where Ferguson works).

Our View
Verplank reports he was unable to get an MRI exam as hoped upon his return to Oklahoma on Sunday and offices remained closed on Monday for Labor Day. As a result he received a cortizone shot on Monday night and is now thinking he'll get the MRI on Wednesday. If there is no structural damage, Verplank will tee it up at Cog Hill in Illinois on Thursday.

The News
Corey Pavin gathered the media today to announce his four captain's wild-card selections for this year's American Ryder Cup squad, a list that includes Zach Johnson, Rickie Fowler, Stewart Cink, and Tiger Woods, according to the Associated Press.

Our View
Several in the golf media community questioned the selection of Fowler only because of his lack of experience and youth, but most were positive in praising Pavin for the gamble based on his play this season. Among those supposedly snubbed from the honor: Charley Hoffman, Lucas Glover, Bo Van Pelt, Nick Watney, Ben Crane, Ricky Barnes, and Anthony Kim (falling out of the top eight getting automated spots on the roster after struggling to get his game back in form following wrist surgery).

The News
In one of the better rounds we've seen in recent memory, Charley Hoffman carded 11 birdies on the final day of competition at the Deutsche Bank Championship today, good enough to come in at 62 (-9) for the round and finish at 22 strokes under par for the second stage of the FedExCup Playoffs, taking the win by a surprising five strokes over Geoff Ogilvy, Luke Donald, and Jason Day while tying the course record tournament record set by Vijay Singh in 2008, according to the Associated Press.

Our View
Hoffman moves up 57 spots in the FedExCup point standings, taking second place but still sitting about 1,000 points behind leader and Stage 1 winner Matt Kuchar. Tom Gillis, Brandt Snedeker, and Adam Scott all finished one stroke back of those in second place while Tiger Woods finished T11 to hold off a struggling Phil Mickelson in the World Golf Rankings.

The News
We head into the final day of the Deutsche Bank Championship on Labor Day with Jason Day holding a one-stroke lead over Brandt Snedeker with many of the Tour's elite giving chase. Day sits at 17 strokes under par with Snedeker sitting at 16 as they head to Round 4.

Our View
Day is in the midst of what could be a breakout campaign and he continues to show and prove against the best in golf at major events. He'll fight off the likes of Luke Donald, Steve Stricker, Geoff Ogilvy, Charley Hoffman, Adam Scott, Phil Mickelson (who can move into the top spot in the World Golf Rankings with a T3 finish or better), Charlie Wi, Justin Leonard, Andres Romero, and D.J. Trahan... all sitting within six strokes of the top spot as they head towards the hardest hole locations of the week.

The News
He was leading throughout and on Sunday Miguel Angel Jimenez held off Edoardo Molinari to emerge victorious at the Euro Masters in Switzerland, according to the Associated Press.

Our View
Jimenez finished at 21 strokes under par, beating Molinari by three strokes. Molinari has been the hottest hand on the Euro Tour over recent weeks and the rise of both of these elder statesmen suggests the Americans better get their acts together as the Ryder Cup battle in Wales draws near.

The News
It appears the season is over for Scott Verplank after his recent decision to withdraw from the Deutsche Bank Championship after four holes of the second round, revealing his wrist is so sore he cannot "control where the club is pointed," according to the Associated Press.

Our View
Verplank has returned to Oklahoma where he'l have an MRI exam to determine if surgery will be needed. Verplank told reporters he has been fighting the injury for two months and the pain has gotten too great to avoid action any longer. Verplank was on the bubble to make the cut for the BMW Championship but he's bowing out regardless. We hope he gets back before too long, but we suspect it will be 2011 when he does.

The News
It's going to be a wild third round at the Deutsche Bank Championship today as Brandt Snedeker is tied with Jason Day atop a tight leaderboard in the second stage of the FedExCup Playoffs, both sitting at 12 strokes under par (130). Day posted a round of 67 on Saturday while Snedeker checked in at 64.

Our View
The leaderboard is as tight as could be hoped with Matt Kuchar and Charley Hoffman tied in third (one stroke off the pace), Luke Donald alone in fifth (two strokes back), and Steve Stricker tied with D.J. Trahan for sixth just three strokes back. A huge group sits eight strokes under par including John Senden, Stewart Cink, Charlie Wi, Phil Mickelson, Vijay Singh, Steve Marino, Zach Johnson, and Hunter Mahan.

The News
Miguel Angel Jimenez continues to shine as play wraps up in Switzerland at the Euro Masters, carding a round of 68 on Thursday to cling to a three-stroke lead over Edoardo Molinari.

Our View
Jimenez was outstanding on Friday with a round of 61, now touting three round of 68 or lower for the week. Molinari continues to surge but will need another tall effort on Sunday to pull what would be his second consecutive Euro victory. Oliver Wilson and Charl Schwartzel are also among the known names in the hunt.