Four-shot Win Beats Right In Creek

Golf Betting Lines

Avenel was developed over 220 acres in Potomac, Maryland's rolling countryside, just minutes away from famed Congressional Country Club. The course is a perfect stadium golf facility, designed for hosting a PGA Tour event.

Gil Morgan shot four sub-par rounds in 1990 to edge a hard-charging Ian Baker- Finch by one shot. Morgan, who started the final round three shots back, shot 69 for the win, while Baker-Finch, who trailed by seven, closed with 66. Billy Andrade became a first-time winner in 1991, as he birdied the first playoff hole to defeat Jeff Sluman. Andrade shot four rounds in the 60s to tie Sluman at a tournament-record total of 263, a mark that still stands today.

Bill Glasson captured his second Kemper Open and first at Avenel in 1992, as he edged four players, including John Daly, by one shot. Grant Waite foiled Tom Kite's bid for a second title with his first and only PGA Tour title in 1993. Kite, leading by one heading into the final round, shot 72 to Waite's 70 to finish one behind.

The 1998 title went to Stuart Appleby, who became the second International player to win at Avenel. Despite a one-over 72, Appleby defeated Scott Hoch by one shot. Appleby secured the win with a three-iron to within 15 feet on the final hole and two-putted for par. Rich Beem led, or was tied for the lead, from start to finish in 1999, as he won for the first time on the PGA Tour. Beem's total of 274 was one clear of Bill Glasson and Bradley Hughes.

For the second straight year, a first-time winner was crowned, as Tom Scherrer came from two behind on Sunday to post a two-shot win in 2000. Scherrer was the only player to post all four rounds in the 60s. When Frank Lickliter won in 2001, he became the ninth player in the last 19 years to make this tournament his first PGA Tour victory. The 2001 event was completed on Monday for the first time due to inclement weather.

Rory Sabbatini returned to the winner's circle for the first time in three years, as he closed with back-to-back 68s for a four-shot win. With his victory, Sabbatini became the fourth player in the last five years to either hold or share the 54-hole lead and go on to victory. The 2003 event changed names to the FBR Capital Open.

The 2006 event returned to Avenel and Ben Curtis, three years removed from his British Open title, endured six days of inclement weather to capture his second career title. Curtis' total of 264 was one shy of the tournament record and he won by five shots over four players. Rain and lightning plagued the event from start to finish, as this event was the first Tuesday climax since the 1980 Tucson Open. Curtis, who hit 83.3 percent of the fairways for the week and led from start to finish, had a chance to break the tournament mark, but a bogey-bogey finish ended his chances.

REVIEW: The opening hole at the TPC at Avenel is a sharp, dogleg-right par four of just 393 yards. However, don't be misled, as the tee shot plays uphill to a fairway that is protected on either side by long bunkers. A medium to short iron will remain after a successful tee ball to one of the smallest greens on the course, just 32 paces deep. Any shot offline and to the right will be gobbled up by a difficult bunker. An opening par is not a bad way to start.

Aesthetically, the fourth is one beautiful hole, with a lake left and tall trees right. Scoring-wise, you better be on your toes. Although the fairway is very wide, it slopes from right to left and any ball hit towards the left will most certainly end up wet. A play down the right will set up a medium iron to a well-guarded green. The putting surface slopes from back to front, with sand left and deep and a grass hollow to the right. Talk about pinpoint accuracy.

A love-hate relationship will certainly develop with the par-five sixth. Just 520 yards in length, the sixth is a severe dogleg-right hole with tall trees and water all along the right. As a par five, the hole is quite simple, as evident by the 2006 stats from the Booz Allen Classic, where the hole played as the easiest on the course at 4.619 with 23 eagles and 198 birdies. The biggest problem lies with the green. Although quite wide at 35 yards, it's just six paces deep with water and a rock wall fronting the putting surface. Two bunkers deep will snare all long shots. Quite a daunting target.

comments

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•    @mmitchelldaviss oh and you would pic the one day I'm never at Ceasar's Creek to go there. #Fail

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•    @oc_esthi no I don't, I WISH I did. We have a creek behind my office with ducks, and I love them.

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•    just got my birthday gifts!! i got psp and a flat iron for short hair... LOL haha

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•    Akirah earned the achievement Iron Dwarf, Medium Rare (10 player) for 10 points. #wow

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•    @extrabaggs in the event that the Giants win the World Series, does Jose Guillen get a ring?

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•    School... Its a love hate relationship. Wishing I was at a resort in Cozumel right about now :( had to much fun this weekend with my family

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•    @showalasomelove yes!! He tht dumb nigga.. It'll be short lived... He runnin to fast with tht iron.

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