2011 Northern Trust Final Round Wrap

Baddeley approaches 18 with a real, honest to goodness gallery (click to enlarge)People!

What a miracle seeing so many live bodies return to the fairways Sunday in a retro L.A. Northern Trust Open finale. Thanks to fan-favorite Fred Couples and cooperative weather, it was by far the biggest crowd in two years, though attendance figure never did make it in my hands. But I'm sure it topped last year's made-up 30,000 number.

While the event has a long way to go but progress was evident on many fronts, particularly marketing and corporate sales. But in terms of fan experience, the PGA Tour's Championship Management is not exactly resembling some of the better event operations on the tour.

An example: a fan trying to find out scores will find the task nearly impossible thanks to the elimination of manual boards and the ad-clustered ShotLink-driven video scoreboards. Some of those boards are placed so low that they are obstructed by standing fans. Thankfully in 2012, fans will be able to access smart phones, but that should not be the place you go to get scores.

Couples on the 14th tee (click to enlarge)Also worth noting: the hostile (at best) to the non-golf fan. Assuming a novice can get to the course, information kiosks are non-existent. Unless you know the game, you'll be lost trying to find players, holes or hospitality options. And since the tournament eliminated the Birdsnest-lite pavilion near the shuttle drop off, the overall "energy" (PGA Tour executive buzzword alert) continues to be lacking compared to this event's well-attended and raucous heyday in the late 80s and 90s.

Unless you're part of a corporate chalet package, the options are extremely limited for socializing and generally excessive consumption which is vital to get through the wretched pace of play maximize charitable contributions.

Baddelay on No. 16 (click on image to enlarge)As for the golf I'll leave it to the following scribes to give you the lowdown on what was a more eventful Sunday.

Doug Ferguson notes that Aaron Baddeley was a worthy winner, but not a popular one in LA.

Finally a winner again, Aaron Baddeley raised his arms when his last putt dropped into the cup Sunday in the Northern Trust Open as his wife and two young daughters came over to share the moment.

They might have been among the few cheering him on at Riviera.

Randall Mell writes about the latest surprise winner on the PGA Tour.

No offense to Aaron Baddeley, he’s a good story, by all accounts a terrific gentleman, but despite the stardom predicted for him as a hotshot kid from Australia, he’s been mostly a supporting actor in the four seasons since his last victory.

Baddeley arrived at Riviera ranked No. 224 in the world.
In that respect, he’s a perfect fit in the PGA Tour winner’s circle this year.

The world rank of the average winner this season is No. 151.

Bob Harig talks to Fred Couples' caddy Joe LaCava about the day and the turning point at No. 7.

"I thought he had as good a chance as anybody coming into today," said Joe LaCava, Couples' longtime caddie, who has seen plenty in more than two decades inside the ropes. "He's just as good as those guys

"Age is a factor, sure. But not to the point where he can't play. He's in good shape and hits it just as far or farther than these guys. And he's got experience."

As noted in Harig's story, Couples said he was never the same physically after the 7th hole. That's where the 51-year-old made double bogey and Baddeley holed out from off the green for birdie.

My post round YouTube autopsy: