Posted by Jason Sobel
If you had Paul Goydos and Charley Hoffman in your fantasy golf pool the last two weeks, get yourself to Las Vegas. Now.
One common refrain from folks who aren't fans of professional golf is that there is no drama in the game, that Tiger Woods wins every event and if he doesn't play, then it's some combination of Phil Mickelson, Vijay Singh, Jim Furyk or another of the PGA Tour's elite players.
But that's hardly the case so far in 2007. After Singh claimed the title at the season-opening Mercedes-Benz Championship, the first two full-field tournaments have been claimed by guys who were far off the radar when the week began.
Goydos' story has already received plenty of attention. The longtime journeyman had played 256 events between winning the 1996 Bay Hill Invitational and last week's Sony Open. The $936,000 he earned was more than his total haul from any previous PGA Tour season.
And yet, somehow the tour found an even unlikelier champion at the Bob Hope Classic on Sunday. It's not that Hoffman was an undeserving winner. In fact, it was quite the opposite; he was one of only six players in the top 25 to break par in Sunday's final round and his eagle on 18 was a thing of beauty.
But if you could have picked out Hoffman as a potential sleeper pick entering the week, you've got the Midas touch. Consider these facts: Hoffman was making his initial start of the season in the desert and had never before competed in the event. The latter may not make such a difference at most venues. But at the Hope, which enjoys a four-course rotation during the week, experience is always a major factor.
"All week, I wasn't thinking about winning," Hoffman said after the final round. "I came with the attitude, it's just a warm-up for the year. Haven't been playing too much and just taking it easy."
Hoffman was part of a stellar 2006 rookie class on tour, but even finishing 82nd on the money list with five top-10s paled in comparison with the accomplishments of fellow freshmen Trevor Immelman, J.B. Holmes, Troy Matteson, Camilo Villegas and Bubba Watson. Perhaps the only distinguishable thing about him is his hair, as Hoffman wears his long blond locks shoulder-length under his cap, the strands of which were whipping through the 40-50 mph blustery winds on Sunday.
First Paul Goydos. Now Charley Hoffman. Who's the next super sleeper to win a PGA Tour event? Your guess is as good as mine.
