Morikawa or Bust
A week for the iron players and ball strikers.
My first blog on this site, after my first write up last week sent to friends.
After a shocking Masters week, my worst ever, where Cam Champ made sure I was 1 point up by the skin of my teeth (although a Morikawa, Noble Yeats ew double made me a few quid) I swiftly move on to Harbour Town this week. A quick disclaimer that I have never seen DJ drive or Putt that badly and as much as Butch kept prattling on about his driver shaft, DJ was the second worst putter inside 6 feet in the field he can't ever putt that bad again, just picked the wrong week.
He won't be a pick this week either, he only plays because RBC is his sponsor, he hates it here, no top 20 finishes and I doubt he can iron out his issues in a couple of days.
Harbour Town is a 7100 par 71 which in PGA tour terms is short. The likes of Simpson, Cink, Furyk, McDowell, Kuchar pay service to that as former winners. It's a short tree lined course which is about accuracy and iron play. A lot of lay ups, irons off the tee and old-fashioned shot shaping and unusually this week there is a stellar field.
5 players this week in order of preference bearing in mind many firms will go 7 or 8 places. Collin Morikawa at 14s is someone who I can’t not back anytime he's double figures. But for a terrible draw at the Players his season record stands at 2nd 7th 5th 5th 2nd MC 68th 9th and 5th. His winning streaks have come post springtime and he will be gearing up for the majors having played average for him and still being placed last week. I'm 7ew on him this week and think he is a huge chance if he is fresh after last week’s slog. If I only had 1 pick it would be him, the only question mark is mental fatigue but he's young and hungry.
2nd pick is the consistent and now reliable Harold Varner. This bulldog of a player isn't long isn’t fancy but tee to green, putting and now with the W this year is way too big at 50s. He actually came 2nd here last year when he was much rawer and more insecure in his tour skin, and I would not be surprised to see him go close or even one better.
My next 2 picks are steady eddie tour players and tee to green you couldn't find more consistency over the last few years. Brendan Todd had a stellar year last year and is yet to find his feet this year but is trending after a recent 8th place in Texas. Tee to green he is amazing, his 270-yard gun barrel straight drives are just what Harbour Town asks for and even though he is 190th SG accuracy off the tee this year it has to change and looks like it is doing after his strongest finish just 2 weeks ago. It's a short trip from his Georgia home and his price of 125/1 is appealing for an each way thief like me. Another player who was trending a month ago is Cameron Tringale. Apart from Scott and Louis Oost I don’t think anyone has a more rhythmical swing out there, tee to green he can be awesome and but for some weak finishes under pressure he'd be a multiple winner. He has tailed off in recent weeks but anybody who can play Houston and Riviera the way he does shouldn't be 90s in places at a course like this so he's worth a stab.
A late addition to the blog is Corey Connors at 28/1 In order to look more reliable at tipping I may trust in the shorter odds in favour of a guy who can win. His ball striking is top 10 in the world, he's a winner, he's a battler and he is solid under pressure. 7th off the tee, 15th tee to green on tour, he is such a fit and way overpriced. His name may crop up for the US open quite soon! Lucas Glover almost made a mention this week, I’ve got a guilty pleasure for ball strikers who can’t putt, which isn’t great for profits, but nowadays these 11 place odds may see me making a switch to some of them, Glover is always one good putting week (as in coming almost last in putting rather than last!!) away from going close. P.S congratulations to Max Homa who pipped Glover to the worst putter in the field last week at Augusta, quite some achievement. If Glover had have been middle of the pack putting he would have finished around 7 under par last week….go figure. Anyway I’m not putting him up I’m just hedging my bets because I fear him!
In summary
· 7ew Morikawa
· 4ew Connors
· 2ew Varner
· 1ew Todd
· 1ew Tringale
Points can be whatever your stake requires. This is a for fun bloke to make watching and betting on golf fun and easy. Betting should only ever be what you can afford, I recommend 1point=£1.
Never chase losses, always stay in control. If you ever need advice or help with Gambling please contact me on oshea2707@gmail.com
I’ve been there.