Chalmers looks to Cali desert for PGA form
  Story By Evin Priest     

Wednesday, 17 January 2018: Greg Chalmers feels Californian desert conditions and a shorter golf course will suit his game at this week's CareerBuilder Challenge event on the PGA Tour.

After 17 seasons on the US PGA Tour, Australian veteran Greg Chalmers knows golf has become a power game.

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The Perth native watched on TV as world No.1 Dustin Johnson almost aced a par 4 with a 430-yard drive during his win at the Tournament of Champions in Hawaii two weeks ago.

Chalmers also spent 2017 playing alongside big hitters Johnson, Justin Thomas and Hideki Matsuyama as each enjoyed multiple-win seasons and averaged more 300 yards in driving distance.

But after sealing his first career win on the US Tour in 2016, Chalmers made just 10 cuts and finished in the top 25 three times from 28 tournaments last year.

It is why the 44-year-old has added this week's CareerBuilder Challenge to his 2018 schedule - a pro-am event played in the Californian desert across three courses which measure less than 6600 metres.

"I'm trying to add some events where I know the ball is going to run along the ground 30 yards, or the golf courses are not a monster," said Chalmers, who averaged 278 yards off the tee last season.

"The game has changed rapidly over the past few years. There are lots of young guys and the standard is very high. You have to play great; there's no wiggle room out here."

Chalmers has also dropped the Farmers Insurance Open from his west coast swing after missing the cut at San Diego's famed Torrey Pines course last year.

"To be honest, I can't compete as well as some of the bigger hitters at Torrey Pines," said Chalmers.

"Last year, the course had two inches of rain before the tournament and I had (long irons) into some par 4s where guys had 8-irons."

The left-hander has built a stellar domestic career, highlighted by dual victories at the Australian Open and PGA Championship, on exceptional putting.

Ranked inside the tour's top 40 for strokes gained in putting, Chalmers is licking his lips after several days practising on the "pure" putting surfaces at PGA West's TPC Stadium and Nicklaus courses, as well as La Quinta Country Club.

"La Quinta's greens are probably in the top five on tour for consistency; they seem pretty straight forward to read," said Chalmers.

"I think I'm only a couple putts made away from feeling I can hole everything. I've always felt like that; I get confident on the greens very quickly."

Chalmers is joined by fellow Australians Geoff Ogilvy, Rod Pampling, Matt Jones and Cameron Percy in California.

Headlining the event is Spanish world No.3 Jon Rahm, five-time major winner Phil Mickelson and last week's Sony Open champion Patton Kizzire.






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