WGC CA Championship preview

TOURNAMENT: World Golf Championships ? CA Championship

HOST COURSE: Doral Golf Resort and Spa, Miami Florida

PRIZE FUND: $ 8, 000, 000

COURSE DETAILS: Par 72, 7,266 yards. With only one player at last years tournament failing to break par over 72 holes the ?Blue Monster? has been revamped. The greens have been renovated using ?TifEagle? technology, which should mean a firmer and faster putting surface. Also the classic Bermuda grass has grown to a healthy 2.5 inches presenting an added challenge for the worlds best. However the weather forecast is thunderstorms and a light breeze, which could produce decent scoring conditions.

Tiger Woods is the favourite looking to defend his record having won the last two events on the Blue Monster scoring a combined 44 under par, and winning the last 12 out of 23 WGC events. However it will be interesting to see how he reacts to his uncharacteristic blow-out on the last three holes of his final round at the Arnold Palmer Invitational. The playing field is extremely competitive with the top 30 players from the 2006 US PGA Tour Money List as well as the top 20 players from the 2006 European Tour Order of Merit having earned a place in the field.

Ernie Els, a winner in 2004 will play his first tournament playing every round with his new Callaway irons and similarly Chad Campbell with the Nike Sumo2 driver. Campbell changed driver in the last two rounds at Bay Hill improving his driving accuracy. Both men will be serious challengers on the Blue Monster.

CONTENDERS: Tiger Woods, Ernie Els, Vijay Singh