Another week another test on the PGA tour as the players head South to Fort Worth Texas for the Charles Schwab Invitational.
Last week saw an end to a baron 6 weeks for the blog as nailed on place money on Brooks turned into a tasty win with a procession of clinical brillliance and coolness under pressure. Save some of those winnings folks because he's a prime pick next month if they get it firm at LA Country Club.
Ever since 1946 Colonial has held this prestigious competition and this iconic event has at 8.7m dollar purse this week to go with the trophy and the tartan jacket. 23 of the world's top 50 head here and although the forecast wont see last year's wind, some light rain should be baked out in warm temperatures giving thick lush rough, and tight fairways approaching the small greens. This short but old fashioned course has managed to stave off the technological advances down the years and anything between 9 and 16 under should be the score, but it is a course where previous course form holds up and small targets and small greens suit low dispersion and the lesser lights on putting.
4 picks this week with one big investment and 3 outsiders, but 18points go on one man, who should go close on a course that is custom made for his iron play. COLLIN MORIKAWA has been quiet this year, surprisingly so, but his appalling putter is solely to blame for some average placings for a player who should really be on the cusp of breaking into the big 3. His 4 iron dispersion rate (accuracy in layman's terms) is the same as that of most professional tour players 7 irons. Old fashioned ball striking courses suit his eye, and thankfully small greens suit his misbehaving short stick. I'm very sweet on him here, and with Speith suffering a wrist injury and Rose being so pitifully short odds wise I'm going lots of eggs in the basket and 9 points ew with Skybet top 8.
On the trend of accuracy we have the only decent putter in the selections this week. BRENDON TODD is in the Harman/Revie bracket and when it's short and accuracy is the key, he is always front and centre in my thinking. Ever since his 2nd at Pebble he seems to have struggled with his short putting, but on short greens 3 putting won't be an issue and his laser light driving will set him up for plenty of easy pars and birdie chances. He has previous form here coming 3rd last year and 8th in 2021 and at 80/1 I'm 3pts e/w with Skybet 8 places.
Previous form and less putting woes....now who could be the next pick. No prizes for guessing, and no explaination or rationale given for EMILIANO GRILLO who is 80/1 with Skybet and 2pts e/w for a bloke who plays well here.
Lastly we have an odds based selection. I gave up on Wyndham Clark way too early as he had a string of bad Sundays to have faith, so I'm restoring enough faith this week to back the mercurial DAVIS RILEY. Davis is a premium ball striker who somehow managed to undo the work his great golf game had done, with regularity Sunday after Sunday last season. This season has been a confidence finding mission and he had some decent top 20s at the turn of the year leading up to his win with Nick Hardy at the Zurich. He has since failed to make his last 3 cuts, but his +7 performance last week can be ignored and without those bad 3 weeks he would be 55s. He's 100/1 with Skybet 8 places so I can't not risk 2pts e/w on his talent.
Juston Rose was tracked in this week, but he is 22/1 this week and is way too short for a guy who plays better fresh, so was the last off the list, and as mentioned Speith is suffering with a wrist problem otherwise the Texan would be on this weeks picks in his home state.
In summary all players are with Skybet top 8 places.
Morikawa 9pts ew
Todd 3pts ew
Grillo 2pts ew
Riley 2pts ew.
TEWT