By Sean ODonnell
The first of four annual World Golf Championships is set to commence Thursday in Miami, Florida, as the Cadillac Championship features a star-studded cast aiming to take down the Blue Monster at Trump National Doral.
WGC events are some of the richest in golf, and their plentiful purses attract the best players from around the world. This year's Cadillac Championship is no different, as world No. 1 Rory McIlroy is back in action, and he'll be fending off a field that boasts some extremely talented American and international competitors.
One of the longest courses on the PGA Tour, this 7,500-yard track is aptly named. Although, hitting a long ball won't be enough to finish in the red here, as the Blue Monster's dramatic landscape tests the precision of the best golfers with tree-lined fairways, well-placed bunkers and devastating water hazards.
As we anxiously await this year's strong contingent of players to tackle Doral, here's a look at the tournament's essential viewing information, prize money and some notable Thursday tee times.
2015 WGC-Cadillac Championship
Dates: Thursday, March 5 - Sunday, March 8
Where: Trump National Doral (Blue Monster) in Miami, Florida
Purse: $9.25 million (winning share: $1.57 million)
FedEx Cup Points: 550 to winner
TV Info:
Thursday and Friday: 1-6 p.m. ET, Golf Channel
Saturday: 12-3 p.m. ET, Golf Channel; 3-6 p.m. ET, NBC
Sunday: 1-3 p.m. ET, Golf Channel; 3-7 p.m. ET, NBC
Notable Thursday Tee Times
2015 WGC-Cadillac Championship: Notable Thursday Tee Times
Tee times can be viewed at PGATour.com.
These days, whenever the term "golf star" is mentioned, Rory McIlroy's name generally follows. The world No. 1 began the season with a pair of brilliant performances overseas, finishing second at Abu Dhabi and winning at Dubai. His first appearance in the United States didn't go so well, as he missed the cut at the rain-soaked Honda Classic.
Where will McIlroy place at Doral?
McIlroy wasn't happy about his short week during a press conference with The Associated Press, via FoxSports.com: "I don't like missing cuts. You want to be playing on the weekend, and I'm not there. I'm not going to be playing this weekend, which is not nice."
Rest assured he'll be playing with a bit of a chip on his shoulder this week, and that will make things difficult for the field at Doral. After all, McIlroy may only stand at 5'9", but he's a hard-hitting player and has more than enough length to post a low number on the Blue Monster.
Speaking of big hitters, Dustin Johnson will be looking to right the ship in Miami after also missing the cut at the Honda Classic. Like McIlroy, Johnson was on a tear before his trip to PGA National, finishing tied for fourth at Pebble Beach and tied for second in the Northern Trust Open.
If Johnson can get in a groove in Miami, he'll be extremely dangerous. Why? Well, just let this tweet from the PGA Tour marinate for a minute:
Yeah, that's long.
There are plenty more players capable of keeping up with that duo; however, smart money may be on Patrick Reed at Doral.
Reed is the tournament's defending champion, and he made a name for himself after claiming to be a top-five player after winning the event in 2014. While Reed still hasn't made it into the top five, Golf Central noted his steady upward climb:
A hiccup in The Bear Trap at the Honda Classic cost Reed the possibility of a win; however, he put together a solid tournament and finished tied for seventh. That should give him plenty of momentum heading into Doral. Reed may not be the longest hitter, averaging 293.1 yards off the tee, but he does rank third in scrambling—a trait that will help him navigate the treacherous course.
Last year, the newly renovated Blue Monster terrorized the field, but Sergio Garcia thinks the field will fare better this time, according to an interview with Steve Waters of the Sun-Sentinel: "I guess you know the course a little bit better now, after the big renovation last year."
He added, "We know what's going on. We know how much tougher this course is now than it used to be starting last year. We kind of know what to expect a little bit."
Garcia makes a great point; although, it will all come down to which players will be able to execute for 72 holes on a course that presents a true test of nerves.
