"I just think it's a really poor par 3. Needs changing somehow."

Safe to say Lee Westwood is all for the forthcoming remodel of the TPC Blue Monster at Doral. From Tuesday's pre-WGC press conference:

Q.  I'd like to talk to you about the par 3s on the back nine.  13 is the longest par 3 on the course.  How do you approach that?  Do you just try to escape from that?

LEE WESTWOOD:  Yeah, I think the 13th on this course is probably one of the worst par 3s I've ever played I think.  No, seriously.  I just think it's a really poor par 3.  Needs changing somehow.  I think it's a long par 3.  The back of the green slopes away.

So it's one of them you try and land it short on the fringe; if it's downwind in bermuda rough, it either stops dead or it bounces forward and it runs off the back.  I think they are on about changing that one, so that would definitely agree with me.  So you just try to play it and get out of there with a three.  I think if you offered most people a three there every day this week, they would take it.

The 15th is a really nice par 3.  Unfortunately it's been vandalized this week.  But it's a nice, mid‑range par 3, sort of 7‑, 8‑iron, 6, I suppose if it turns into the wind.  Traps at front and the back.  Quite a narrow green at front and back, so your distance control has to be good.

And I suppose you've got to be fairly accurate, as well.  They took the flag away on the right there, or on the left, so you want to be in that section of the green if at all possible.

Q.  What have they done to the 15th?  How have they vandalized?

LEE WESTWOOD:  I think it's had petrol poured on it.  Some sad people about, aren't there.

First Look At Hanse's Doral Plan

Pete Finch in Golf World Monday talks to The Donald about his plans for Doral and more interesting, we get to see what the first Gil Hanse plan looks like.

Changes to the final redesign will surely take place based on all of the cooks in the kitchen offering their herbs and spices, but the real eye-opener comes at 15 and 16 where new water is being added. The 16th, which became a more interesting driveable par-4 thanks to the regulatory malfeasance of the governing bodies, appears to be solidified as a driveable par-4 with distinct options.

Olympic Architect Choice Postponed Until March

As I tweeted earlier today, it appears the panel of four is deadlocked with a longshot in the mix. The committee decision must be unanimous.

AP is reporting the committee was "extremely pleased with the high quality of the eight proposals" by the finalists, but will wait until an IOC visit in March.