The Greenbrier Classic Preview: Jim Furyk Leads Field Into West Virginia

For the second week in a row, the PGA Tour makes a stop at a course that few in the field will have played on before the week starts.

The Greenbrier Classic is the first PGA tournament to ever be played in the state of West Virginia. The tournament will take place on the resort's Old White Course in White Sulphur Springs.

The golf course will play a shade over 7000 yards and, also for the second week in a row, is tree-lined, putting an emphasis on control play. The golf course is very similar in fact to last week's stop at St. George's Golf and Country Club in Ontario.

The Old White Course is known for undulating greens. Controlling the short iron shots into most of these greens will be critical. A premium this week will be placed on accurate driving, good short iron play and, as always, putting.

Although many of the world's top players are sitting out one more week in this month between the British Open and the PGA Championship, the field does have some big names.

Most notable is the world's fifth ranked player Jim Furyk. Also in West Virginia this week are Matt Kuchar, Segio Garcia, Davis Love III, and Kenny Perry. Carl Pettersson is also giving it a go this week after his victory last weekend at St. George's. Pettersson was right on the cut-line after Friday and then scorched the golf course on the weekend to add another victory for the Europeans on the PGA Tour this year.

European-born players have won as incredible 10 of the last 13 PGA tour events. The Americans do have a good shot at pulling off a win this week. 115 of the 151 players in the field hail from the USA.