Bruce, i just finished reading your preview of the Players Championship and noticed you didn't even rate Jim Furyk. I know he's been chopping it around recently (by his lofty standards) but being runner up here last year and still supposedly the 2nd best player in the world, do you rate him any hope at all and if not, what do you think is going wrong?

He's costing me money in case you wondered and I would like to know why!

Gidday Judge

You have a point re Furyk and it might be that he does well this week but he does not seem to have been at his best since what I think was a minor injury a few weeks ago and despite the fact that he has occasionally played well at Sawgrass the line has to be drawn somewhere. If I was to write about every possible chance in the event our mates in Admin would be on my case for writing too much

His most recent efforts at the Wachovia and the Verizon sugggest he is not at his best and although he is a class act I can't have him this week. Mind you that is probably as good a reason as any to get on him

I guess you have to ask what can he possibly do to improve??? All the pro's go thru swing/coach changes to try and improve but what can Furyk do? His swing is so inside out/back-to-front/upside down what can he do?

I'm not taking the piss BTW that is a serious question.

Bruce

I see you still rate Els somewhat - do you not think he could be past it ? His stats (besides his putting) are down from the early 2000's - do you really think he can contend in the "big one's" anymore or are his best days well and truly behind him ?

St Andrews I would be very reluctant to write him off just yet. He is still only 37 despite the fact that it feels as if he has been around forever.

Since his return from his accident late in 2005 he has won twice and been inside the top ten in 23 of 41 starts and he has played everywhere.

He had won two majors by the time he was 30 and maybe he is not quite as hungry as he once was but he did finish 3rd at Hoylake last year and I feel he is not all that far from seriously contending once again at that level.

Maybe, if and when he gets bacl with his old caddy Ric Roberts that may help but Roberts was on the bag of Schwartzel in that golfer's recent victory and may be hard to budge.

He did win at Oakmont in 1994 so it will be interesting to see how he goes there next month.

Your question is a fair one given that he appears to have disappeared from the scene of regular contention but a close analysis of his results reveals a far better than average record