Double appointment with golf this week, from today to Sunday, in Sicily and in Florida, for two competitions of different importance, but of similar charm due to the splendid contexts in which they are played.
In the USA, the meeting place is the Tpc Sawgrass (Stadium Course) of Ponte Vedra Beach, a lush course, par 72, designed by Pete Dye. The competition is The Players Championship, the so-called fifth major, a challenge between heavyweights, with a gigantic prize pool: 11 million dollars, almost two million for the first place alone.
In Italy, in Sciacca, along two kilometers of Mediterranean coast, with the sun falling asleep in the sea, at the Verdura Resort, the Sicilian Open is held, a race on the European tour loved by many interesting players. There is one million up for grabs and for the winner it will be 166 thousand euros.
Let's start with the most important competition, such as scores and prize money. At the starting tees are the best players in the world, starting with number one Dustin Johnson, world leader for 64 weeks and number two Justin Thomas, who is trying to overtake his rival for the umpteenth time. Following the Ranking we therefore find Jon Rahm, Jordan Spieth, Justin Rose, Rickie Fowler, Jason Day (two successes in the season including last Sunday's in Wells Fargo), Rory McIlroy, Hideki Matsuyama and the Masters champion Patrick Reed. Among the favorites also Sergio Garcia, Henrik Stenson, Paul Casey, Bubba Watson and Phil Mickelson, who is having a good time.
An obligatory mention for Tiger Woods, who continues to play excellent golf, albeit not at the masterful levels of the past. To betray him, lately, is his best friend ever: the putter, which in the golden age was his most lethal weapon for opponents. Dulcis in fundo Francesco Molinari, who obtained sixth place last year. The blue resumed competitive activity last week, after a short break due to shoulder pain, and offered a growing performance with a good 16th place.
The Korean Si Woo Kim defends the title, who preceded Ian Poulter and Louis Oosthuizen in 2017. The English Poulter will also be in the field of the next 75th Italian Open, in Gardagolf at the end of May.
In Sicily there are 23 Italians competing, 19 professionals and 4 amateurs. They are candidates for a role from the protagonists Edoardo Molinari, Nino Bertasio, Andrea Pavan, Lorenzo Gagli and Matteo Manassero.
But there are many players capable of aiming for the title. Suffice it to mention the English Andy Sullivan, protagonist of the last Ryder Cup, and Eddie Pepperell, who won the Commercial Bank Qatar Masters. The Australian Jason Scrivener, the Danish Thorbjorn Olesen and the South African Haydn Porteous have good chances of victory.
Also competing is the Dane Thomas Bjorn, European captain at the next Ryder Cup who has the opportunity to "study" live the European players in view of the match against the Americans scheduled at Le Golf National in Paris from 28 to 30 September. Spanish Alvaro Quiros defends the title.
