Foursome highlights the return of Greats

Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player, Lee Trevino and Annika Sorenstam headline the return of the 3M Greats of Golf, a four-team scramble that is part of the Inspirity Invitational weekend.

The foursome will tee off on Saturday afternoon following the last official tee time of the PGA Tour Champions event at approximately 2:30 p.m. off the 10th tee.

This is the ninth edition of the popular scramble format

The other teams: Pat Bradley, David Graham, Tony Jacklin and Tom Kite; Laura Davies, Dave Stockton, Larry Nelson and Hale Irwin; and Juli Inkster, Ben Crenshaw, Bill Rogers and Fuzzy Zoeller.

Allenby had long wait to defend his title

Mike Weir may have won last years’ Insperity Invitational, but he isn’t the only golfer in the field this week claiming to be defending his title on the Tournament Course.

“This will be the first time that I’ve defended my championship in 22 years,” Robert Allenby said. “I never got to come back here.

“I saw Mike Weir on the putting green as I was making the turn (during a practice round) and I said, ‘Hey, we’re both defending champions this week.’ He goes, what? I go, you’re defending champion of the Insperity, I’m defending champion of the Shell Houston Open in 2000.”

Allenby won on this course in 2000 on the PGA Tour but did not play at this venue again until this week on PGA Tour Champions. In 2003, the Houston Open moved to Redstone Golf Club (Golf Club of Houston) in Humble.

Harrington loses his distance advantage

A long hitter, Padraig Harrington is averaging 293.4 yards per drive this season on PGA Tour Champions. But the Tournament Course has a fair amount of water, and the way it is laid out, doesn’t necessarily favor a big bomber. To some extent, this course will take driver out of Harrington’s hands.

“There’s a lot of out of bounds here,” Harrington said. “So, there’s not many holes where I’m standing up and opening up the shoulder.”