Sounds like La Costa is finally getting old with the players and officials. Check out Vijay and Robert Allenby’s comments. While Mike Aitken of The Scotsman basically writes La Costa's obituary.

"This correspondent attended the first couple of stagings of the Match Play in Carlsbad and was struck each year not only by how ordinary this resort course was but also by the relative lack of interest from the locals. Unlike the vast majority of top class golf events in the USA, where sell-out crowds are commonplace, the Match Play struggles to attract galleries of more than 7,000. Perhaps California’s golf aficionados, accustomed to the charms of Pebble Beach, Riviera and Torrey Pines, know a mediocre setting when they see one."

Though the always wet-conditions are part of the problem, the course itself may be the single worst venue for match play golf. Devoid of risk-reward scenarios, tension is infrequent and the tiny crowds have little to cheer about. And they’re coming back again in 2006. PGA West Stadium would be ideal for this event. Oh well.

***Update: Brian Curley talks about the re-routing of La Costa while Steve Elling has some of the not so nice comments regarding the course conditions.