Will Trump Doral Be More Democratic This Time Around?

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The rank-and-file felt discriminated against in Gil Hanse's Blue Monster makeover. Even Brandt Snedeker's caddy threw a hissyfit for the ages over the apparent bias in the design toward those who could hit it a long way, so this year the course will sport a few narrowed landing areas for the longer hitters which match the driving zones of those less fortunate.

Rex Hoggard at GolfChannel.com talked to a few players and Hanse about the changes.

“I felt bad for Gil because he was getting criticized for the redesign, and just said, ‘Here’s the objective view of what I’m seeing and why guys are upset,’” Snedeker said. “Just so it’s more playable and fair for guys who hit it my length. There were times when I was hitting into a fairway that was 12 yards wide, while some of the longer guys are hitting into fairways that were 35 yards wide.

“I understand that length is an advantage but it shouldn’t be a determining factor to the golf tournament, and it seemed like last year length was the overriding factor on who was going to win.”

None of it may matter as Doug Ferguson elaborates in explaining the scenarios facing Doral should a new title sponsor not be found. Though interestingly the PGA Tour has scouted other Miami venues.

If a new sponsor doesn't want to be at Trump Doral, there are not many other options in Miami with the property that can handle size of a World Golf Championship. The tour has looked at Crandon Park on Key Biscayne, a strong public course that once hosted a senior event. But with only one road to the course, that might not be practical.

Forward Press: Doral Week On Edge!

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A normal week of Doral intrigue might include Donald Trump spat with his Blue Monster neighbors. But the presumptive Republican nominee is busy with Super Tuesday, with only plans to roll in Sunday for a low profile appearance at the WGC Cadillac.

But this is The Donald, and between his spats with the PGA Tour brass, the expiration of Cadillac's role, player perception of a Blue Monster bias and pre-Masters pressure building, the week seems ripe for something happening like we've never seen. I explain the many dynamics in play in this week's GolfDigest.com Forward Press, along with a preview of the best LPGA field yet as that tour preps for its first major.

We discussed the Doral week issues on Morning Drive:

Video: Don't Mess With The Birds, Chesson

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Got to love the fight in this little guy when he was jokingly harrassed by Chesson Hadley, round one of the Honda Classic. 

In other animal news, Sergio (understandably) looked more concerned with an alligator than his recovery shot.

Forward Press: Goodbye West Coast, Hello Animal-Branded Golf!

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Another wonderful West Coast Swing has ended--the best ever!--and now we move to Florida.

Get ready for our Bear Trap, Blue Monster and Snake Pit drinking games! My column here on the risks and rewards of cozying up to branded knicknames as your course identity.

I didn't know about it, but Golf.com launched a new live talk show today. You can check it out here.

Riviera Ready: The Final NoTrust Open, Your Comments

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It's another glorious weather day here in LA, the leaderboard is stacked, and let's get the complaining over with now: the potential playoff rota is 18-18-10-14.

After seeing all of John Mutch's back nine setup and most of Stephen Cox's effort on the front nine, the course won't yield the scores it did yesterday. However with greens smoother than the announcers may be suggesting and no wind to speak of, there is a 65 out there for someone to snatch victory away from the 12 players within one of Bubba Watson's lead.

Enjoy the Golf Channel telecast from 10 am to 11:30, followed by the half hour re-entry from outer space circa 1967, followed by CBS showing some college basketball and eventually, the noon(ish) telecast that will mark the last time this 90-year-old tournament is called the Northern Trust Open!

And anyone who fires at this hole location is risking life and limb... 

 

90 Years On, Riviera Ready To Test World's Best

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A much needed storm will take some fire out of the greens for Thursday's opening of the final Northern Trust Open. That's normally a bummer but considering the speed of Riviera's greens and the impact they have on certain holes--namely the par-4 tenth as we discussed on Golf Central--but it should provide room for some aggressive shotmaking that has been missing in recent years. Jordan Spieth might lose a little of his iron play advantage on day one but I still like his chances by day four.

The forecast is excellent for all four days where Spieth and Rory McIlroy bring a rare No. 1 vs. No. 2 3 to the PGA Tour (notes the NY Times's Karen Crouse), while a host of interesting names begin their Masters prep.

McIlroy is not merely making his first Riviera start, but his first West Coast Swing appearance. And while Brandel's getting under his skin, he's otherwise speaking with a confident, almost trash-talking edges, notes ESPN.com's Jason Sobel.

"Sometimes I still get those feelings of -- I don't want to say I have guilt, but sometimes I feel like I haven't had to work as hard to get to where I am as some other people. I don't know if that's guilt or if that's questioning, 'Why is that me? Why am I the one that feels this way?' But I feel now that I definitely have got a ruthlessness on the course that I maybe didn't have a few years ago."

In the demure world of golf, that's as boastful as a player will ever get.

It's hard to believe since I can still remember his drives barely clearing the hill on 18 and just how poor the conditioning was back then, but Lanny Wadkins' 20-under-par scoring record is the oldest on the PGA Tour.

Doug Ferguson caught up with Wadkins about that remarkable week where he broke the tournament scoring record by six. Ferguson also explores why the record has stood so long (hint, rough, then course changes and most recently green speed are probably the culprit).

James Hahn won in a playoff at Riviera last year at 6-under 278. Told the scoring record, he wanted to know who shot it.

"Is he in the Hall of Fame?" he asked. "I think just off of that, he should be."

Not to worry. Wadkins was inducted in 2009. He won 20 other times on the PGA Tour, including a PGA Championship at Pebble Beach.

Memories of that week remain clear for Wadkins.

He didn't have to save par until the par-3 fourth hole in the third round. He never went for the green on the short par-4 10th. And he ran off four straight birdies around the turn.

I reviewed the airtimes in this week's Forward Press, including PGA Tour Live, Golf Channel and CBS times, plus the much needed Featured Group/Featured Hole windows.

And here's a fun, fast look at the 10th: