steve's golf picks
Charlie Beljan 70 to 1- How can we not go with Charlie this week. I was very impressed with his game down the stretch at Pebble Beach en route to a 3rd place finish. He now gets to tee it up at one of his favourite tournaments riding some excellent play. Charlie suffered a tough playoff loss here in 2013 to John Merrick. He fired a final round 67 but it wasn't enough to out duel the UCLA grad on that day. Charlie came right back in 2014 with a T12 finish here though, cementing himself as a horse at Riviera. Charlie is the 2nd longest player on Tour, an asset that will help him greatly this week.
JB Holmes 35 to 1- Holmes is one of the hottest players on Tour right now and is another player who will love the sight of Riviera. JB finished T2 at the Farmers Insurance Open and then followed that up with a T10 last week at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro AM. JB has a very solid history at this course including a run that saw him finishing no worse than T12 from 2008 to 2012. The long hitting Kentucky man ranks 12th on Tour in length this season and is 21st for Strokes Gained from Tee to Green. His key this week will be putting, but based on his love for these greens in the past, I like our chances.
Bill Haas 30 to 1- Everyone who has been with us for more than a few years can remember our Haas win here in 2012. He was a 50-1 player and managed to fend of both Phil Mickelson and Keegan Bradley in a playoff. It was one of the more exciting victories based on the circumstances and the caliber of players involved. Haas is back playing great golf as he already has a victory this year (Humana Challenge) and is coming off a T19 at the Farmers Insurance Open. I have explained in the past how Bill is one of the worlds best players on Traditional tracks, and he will be in contention this week come Sunday (has finished inside the the Top 25 in the last 4 Northern Trust Opens). He goes against our long off the tee approach but there is no way you can leave him off this list at Riviera.
2 Units on Jimmy Walker 16.5 to 1- I told you he would be on our list plenty in 2015 and I wasn't lying. No one not named Rory McIlroy or Bernd Wiesberger is playing better golf than Jimmy Walker right now. In 2015 Walker has a 2nd, 1st, T7th, and T21st. He is also arriving at one of his favourite tournaments based on past history. Since 2010 his results have been as follows (2011 - T4, 2012 - T4, 2013 - T16, 2014 - T20). Jimmy is extremely long off the tee (23rd on Tour for Driving Distance), and yet is one of the worlds best putters (15th on Tour for Strokes Gained through putting). Get used to this name being a fixture at the Top of leaderboards.
Bernd Wiesberger 55 to 1- Was extremely excited when Bernd decided to play this week in the Northern Trust Open. He has been outstanding on the European Tour placing no worse than T6 in his four events of 2015. He is sky rocketing up the World Golf Rankings (now 38th), and has the game to contend in majors. Wiesberger is a 29 year old from Austria who is long off the tee and possesses an excellent short game. I am beyond shocked that Bernd is 55 to 1 this week based on his game and ridiculous start to this season.
Charl Schwartzel 37 to 1- Charl has quietly be going about his business as one of the worlds best in 2015. He didn't have the best 2013 or 2014, but I feel will be back with avengence this year. He blew a big Sunday lead at the South African Open to start this year thanks to a final round 74 (he finished in solo 2nd). His next start resulted in a T9 finish at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship, a tournament that included a sizzling 3rd round 65. Once again we have a player who is very long off the tee and possesses a terrific history at Riviera. Schwartzel posted a T3 here in 2013 and backed that up with a solo 5th finish here last year.
HEAD TO HEAD
We look to keep picking up these head to head winners this week with a 3 unit play
Bernd Wiesberger (-120) over Hunter Mahan
Let's keep this great season going this week at the Northern Trust Open!
Steve
Charlie Beljan 70 to 1- How can we not go with Charlie this week. I was very impressed with his game down the stretch at Pebble Beach en route to a 3rd place finish. He now gets to tee it up at one of his favourite tournaments riding some excellent play. Charlie suffered a tough playoff loss here in 2013 to John Merrick. He fired a final round 67 but it wasn't enough to out duel the UCLA grad on that day. Charlie came right back in 2014 with a T12 finish here though, cementing himself as a horse at Riviera. Charlie is the 2nd longest player on Tour, an asset that will help him greatly this week.
JB Holmes 35 to 1- Holmes is one of the hottest players on Tour right now and is another player who will love the sight of Riviera. JB finished T2 at the Farmers Insurance Open and then followed that up with a T10 last week at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro AM. JB has a very solid history at this course including a run that saw him finishing no worse than T12 from 2008 to 2012. The long hitting Kentucky man ranks 12th on Tour in length this season and is 21st for Strokes Gained from Tee to Green. His key this week will be putting, but based on his love for these greens in the past, I like our chances.
Bill Haas 30 to 1- Everyone who has been with us for more than a few years can remember our Haas win here in 2012. He was a 50-1 player and managed to fend of both Phil Mickelson and Keegan Bradley in a playoff. It was one of the more exciting victories based on the circumstances and the caliber of players involved. Haas is back playing great golf as he already has a victory this year (Humana Challenge) and is coming off a T19 at the Farmers Insurance Open. I have explained in the past how Bill is one of the worlds best players on Traditional tracks, and he will be in contention this week come Sunday (has finished inside the the Top 25 in the last 4 Northern Trust Opens). He goes against our long off the tee approach but there is no way you can leave him off this list at Riviera.
2 Units on Jimmy Walker 16.5 to 1- I told you he would be on our list plenty in 2015 and I wasn't lying. No one not named Rory McIlroy or Bernd Wiesberger is playing better golf than Jimmy Walker right now. In 2015 Walker has a 2nd, 1st, T7th, and T21st. He is also arriving at one of his favourite tournaments based on past history. Since 2010 his results have been as follows (2011 - T4, 2012 - T4, 2013 - T16, 2014 - T20). Jimmy is extremely long off the tee (23rd on Tour for Driving Distance), and yet is one of the worlds best putters (15th on Tour for Strokes Gained through putting). Get used to this name being a fixture at the Top of leaderboards.
Bernd Wiesberger 55 to 1- Was extremely excited when Bernd decided to play this week in the Northern Trust Open. He has been outstanding on the European Tour placing no worse than T6 in his four events of 2015. He is sky rocketing up the World Golf Rankings (now 38th), and has the game to contend in majors. Wiesberger is a 29 year old from Austria who is long off the tee and possesses an excellent short game. I am beyond shocked that Bernd is 55 to 1 this week based on his game and ridiculous start to this season.
Charl Schwartzel 37 to 1- Charl has quietly be going about his business as one of the worlds best in 2015. He didn't have the best 2013 or 2014, but I feel will be back with avengence this year. He blew a big Sunday lead at the South African Open to start this year thanks to a final round 74 (he finished in solo 2nd). His next start resulted in a T9 finish at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship, a tournament that included a sizzling 3rd round 65. Once again we have a player who is very long off the tee and possesses a terrific history at Riviera. Schwartzel posted a T3 here in 2013 and backed that up with a solo 5th finish here last year.
HEAD TO HEAD
We look to keep picking up these head to head winners this week with a 3 unit play
Bernd Wiesberger (-120) over Hunter Mahan
Let's keep this great season going this week at the Northern Trust Open!
Steve
