Sports Predictions 2005

by Farfel Miller III (writing for the Deseret News)

SLC, Utah -With spring fast approaching, the collective sports mind along the wasatch front turns to the local golf scene. Ok, so maybe not everyone cares, but among the local golf community, little else matters. Already this winter, Provo natives Randy Hicken and Pat Murphy have placed themselves in the 1 and 2 spots atop the UGA rankings. What lies ahead of us this year?

In the next few weeks, Deseret Morning Sports will take a look at each of the upcoming UGA events, and what to expect from each one. For this first article, we will look at the granddaddy of them all, the tournament with the biggest purse in the state, The Provo Open.

If this year is anything like the years before, we can expect low scores and plenty of them from the field. Boyd Summerhays and Tommy Johnson always thrill, and the quality of local pros is put to the test. Despite the big names that are sure to contend, the greatest loss of the tournament already happened. Last season's favorite, Thom Archibald, recently left on a mission to the Virginia, Richmond Mission for the LDS church. Said Thom before he left: "I am
really sad to miss the Provo Open this year. It should be wide open without me there."

Thom didn't want to give any incentive to his brother Chris, who failed to make the cut last year, after being favored to be in the final group with Thom. "I feel like it is my tournament to lose, with Thom out of the picture, " said a thoughtful Chris, when we caught him on the range, "Thom always played hard, and now with him gone, I need to step up and take the title." The bookies have been quick to agree and have place Chris as the early 2-1 favorite to keep the title in Provo. "I am used to playing with all the pressure, from all of the F.A.T.M.A.N titles that I have won, but this is a new experience for me. I will have to see how it goes." Well, Chris might have to see how it goes, but this reporter is hopping on the early bandwagon and declaring that this is indeed, Chris' tournament to lose. The excitement will really begin when Thom returns and the two brothers can clash again. It is sure to be a "Clash of the Titans."