Defending champion Bill Haas is hoping his game will suddenly "click" as he seeks a third victory in seven years in the CareerBuilder Challenge in California.
Haas first won the pro-am event when it was known as the Bob Hope Classic in 2010 and then last year when it was the Humana Challenge, claiming his sixth PGA Tour title with a closing 67.
But t he name of the tournament, which is unusually played over three courses, is not the only thing to have changed this year. The La Quinta Country Club is still in use, but the PGA West Stadium Course has replaced the Palmer Course with the PGA West Tournament Course replacing the Nicklaus Course.
"The game feels okay," Haas, who finished 18th in the Tournament of Champions a fortnight ago, told a pre-tournament press conference.
"Last year before this tournament I was really struggling and ended up winning, so you just never know. One day something clicks.
"I would say the game's not where it should be, but I don't know that it ever is. On a week-to-week basis you're always looking for that one thing that's going to add a few yards off the tee or hit your irons a little straighter or putt a little better. So right now there's a few areas of my game I wish were a little better but come Thursday anything can happen."
Asked about the changes to the courses, Haas added: "S elfishly I'm disappointed that it's changed, just because I had success on the other courses.
"But with that said, if this allows us to have a tournament, with CareerBuilder coming on board and setting up for a few years, that's good for me. I enjoy coming here and certainly didn't want to see this tournament disappear or come off the schedule.
"If the Stadium Course is where they want it, then I'm happy it's there. I think it's a little more challenging. I think you still will see guys shoot 65s out there. You might just have to play a little better than you do over at the other ones."
Source: PA
