Stricker says demanding Dubsdread favors long hitters

Steve Stricker doesn't think it's too hard to figure out what kind of player a demanding course like Dubsdread favors.

Just look at the past two champions.

“This is the third year since the redesign; so Tiger won the first year and then Dustin (Johnson) last year,” Stricker said. “That's the kind of player it lends itself to, I think, guys that hit it a long ways, guys that can elevate up in the air with a lot of spin.”

While Stricker and others were voicing their concerns about the Dubsdread layout Wednesday, the former champion, not surprisingly, had a different take.

“I like the golf course a lot,” said Johnson, who is second in playoff points heading into the BMW. “Obviously I played really well here last year, so it suits my game. It's long and hard. You're not going to go very low here, so make a lot of pars and if you can sneak in a birdie every once in a while, they you're doing well.”

Who said what now?Luke Donald may have said last week that it's the end of the Tiger era, but on Wednesday he clarified his comments.#8220;I don't recall ever saying the Tiger era is over,#8221; he said. #8220;I wouldn't doubt that Tiger will come back and win again. Whether he'll win as prolifically, I'm not sure. Whether the Tiger era is over, I don't know. #8220;I would never be naive enough to write Tiger off.#8221;Bummer:The thought of not returning to Chicago with a regular Tour stop next year and possibly longer doesn't sit well with Jim Furyk.#8220;I can remember the Western Opens that we played here over the Fourth of July and the holiday weekend and the support and the army of people following Tiger up the 18th hole,#8221; Furyk said. #8220;This place was crowded. We got a lot of fan support here..#8220;It's disappointing that we're not here in Chicago (next year) and hopefully that won't be for long and something will get figured out and we'll be back here on a yearly basis.#8221; Teed off:The first tee times for both Thursday and Friday have been moved back to 10:20 a.m.The featured grouping of points leader Webb Simpson, defending champion Dustin Johnson (second in points) and Matt Kuchar (third) goes off at 10:53 Thursday on the 10th tee.He said it:#8220;Well, if you complain about it #8212; I should say if you give your opinion about it and it's a negative one, it's probably going to be taken as complaining.#8221; #8212; Steve Stricker