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A Look Back AT THE '07 PGA Tour Season

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: September 20, 2007

There is always something entertaining about looking back on a golf season, and 2007 just might be the best study yet. What can possibly beg for hindsight more than a year when everything was changed but ended up looking pretty much the same?

The FedEx Cup promised to bring 'a new era of golf' but ended up being just another stop on the Tiger Woods victory tour.

And then there was Phil Mickelson. He changed coaches, dumping longtime friend Rick Smith in favor of Tiger's former teacher, Butch Harmon, to improve his game and finished right where he's been before - overshadowed by the world's top player.

New faces surfaced and some familiar faces re-introduced themselves. Several old names slipped from sight. Others, you only wish, will follow.

You known, the same ol', same ol'.

In a nutshell, the season went something like this: Zach Johnson, 'a normal guy from Cedar Rapids, Iowa,' won the Masters by two shots over Woods. Journeyman Angel Cabrera beat Woods by one shot in the U.S. Open. Woods and wife Elin had their first child, daughter Sam Alexis, and a month later he did not contend at the British Open as Padraig Harrington won. After losing to Harrington in the British Open playoff, Sergio Garcia whined and claimed everything went against him. The golf world wonders what's wrong with Tiger, pointing out that only three years in his career has he failed to win a major. He answers by winning four of his final five events, including the PGA Championship and the new FedEx Cup experiment.

Sound familiar?

Of course it does.

Nonetheless, the 2007 PGA Tour season did have some moments to call its own, many worth honoring.

Quiet Please Award
Rory Sabbatini receives a nice pair of Nike golf shoes to replace the ones that keep getting stuck in his mouth.

Once again it was made clear that if you are not going to say something nice about Tiger, then don't say anything at all.

Sabbatini was only speaking his mind and, in all honesty, telling the truth when early this year he suggested Woods was beatable and that he wanted a final-group pairing with him.

Unfortunately for the South African, Woods, who thrives on turning anything remotely critical into a self-motivating crusade, was listening.

In their final-group paring at the Wachovia Championship, Woods shot 69 and came from one shot back of Sabbatini to beat him by four. Similar reminders were also provided at the Bridgestone Invitational and the PGA.

Player Of The Year Not Named Tiger

This framed picture of Phil Mickelson goes to none other than Phil Mickelson.

Although slowed for much of the summer by a wrist injury suffered while hitting out of rough during a practice session at Oakmont before the U.S. Open, Mickelson won three titles and climbed to No. 2 in the world rankings.

Also, in what was the best spectator golf of the season, Mickelson beat Woods head-to-head in the final round to win the Deutsche Bank Championship.

Hustle Award

Tampa Bay's PODS Championship took its place as part of March's Florida Swing and arrived in a sprint.

After an October date on the 2006 calendar, tournament organizers had 19 weeks to prepare for another event and, in the meantime, had to sign a new title sponsor.

Not only did the event go off without a hitch, but bonus points were earned when popular player Mark Calcavecchia won the title.

Test Pattern Trophy

The Golf Channel began a 15-year contract with the PGA Tour, meaning there's only 14 years to go - unless it drags out the agreement with tape delay.

When the Golf Channel came on the air Friday during the Tour Championship, instead of going to live coverage of the second round, it opted to show the tape of Thursday's rain-delayed first round. By the time the network got around to showing second-round play, it was tape delayed as well.

Hallmark Greeting Cup

During the Stanford St. Jude Championship in Memphis, Tenn., John Daly showed up with scratch marks across his face, claiming wife Sherrie - No. 4 for those keeping score - attempted to stab him with a steak knife while he slept. Later, she charged Daly had inflicted the marks on himself to implicate her, and the two announced plans to divorce.

A few days later, Daly announced they were making up, explaining, 'We love each other more than we hate each other.'

Kiss-Off Award

Attempting to tie in his award-presentation speech at the Tour Championship with a season-long marketing campaign, PGA commissioner Tim Finchem handed Woods the first FedEx Cup and reminded the winner that it was 'a trophy that has never been kissed.'

It still hasn't. Woods didn't even smile, ignoring Finchem's obvious hint.

Give Me A Light

In the shape of a Bic disposable lighter, this trophy goes to Cabrera. On his way to victory at the U.S. Open, he brought a new, if not recommended, approach to the mental demands of major championship golf.

He chained smoked his way through a one-shot victory over Woods.

'Some people have sports psychologists,' he said. 'I smoke.'

Encore Cup

Woods' 67.79 scoring average this season equals the all-time PGA Tour best. Of course, the record was set during the 2000 season by ... Woods.

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