The last major of the season!
Where does the time go???
2018 Thermometer:
Event | Golfer | Place | $$ |
Safeway Open | Tony Finau | 2nd | 669,600 |
CIMB Classic | Paul Casey | T7 | 218,166 |
CJ CUP @ 9 BRIDGES | Keegan Bradley | T47 | 23,759 |
WGC-HSBC Champions | Hideki Matsuyama | T50 | 51,875 |
Sanderson Farms | Chesson Hadley | T2 | 464,400 |
Shriners | Patrick Cantlay | WIN | 1,224,000 |
OHL Classic | Kevin Chappell | MC | 0 |
The RSM Classic | Charles Howell III | MC | 0 |
Sentry TOC | Kevin Kisner | T17 | 99,333 |
Sony Open | Brian Harman | T4 | 256,266 |
CareerBuilder Challenge | Jason Dufner | T36 | 27,189 |
Farmers Insurance | Jon Rahm | T29 | 43,872 |
WMPO | Alex Noren | T21 | 80,040 |
-AT&T Pebble Beach | Phil Mickelson | T2 | 488,400 |
Genesis Open | Dustin Johnson | T16 | 111,600 |
Honda Classic | Graeme McDowell | MC | 0 |
WGC-Mexico | Tommy Fleetwood | T14 | 126,500 |
Valspar Championship | Ryan Moore | MC | 0 |
Arnold Palmer | Tyrell Hatton | T69 | 18,067 |
WGC-Match Play | Patrick Reed | T9 | 163,000 |
Corales Puntacana | Patrick Rodgers | T22 | 27,850 |
Houston Open | Luke List | T24 | 54,162 |
Masters | Jordan Spieth | 3rd | 748,000 |
RBC Heritage | Cameron Smith | T32 | 35,510 |
Valero Texas Open | Billy Horschel | T11 | 136,400 |
Zurich Classic | Bud Cauley | MC | 0 |
Wells Fargo Championship | Bryson DeChambeau | 4th | 369,600
|
THE PLAYERS | Francesco Molinari | MC | 0 |
AT&T Byron Nelson | Jimmy Walker | T6 | 257,950 |
Fort Worth Invitational | Adam Scott | T52 | 16,472 |
Memorial | Tiger Woods | T23 | 76,985 |
FESJC | Henrik Stenson | T26 | 50,820 |
US Open | Justin Rose | T10 | 270,151 |
FESJC | Xander Schauffele | MC | 0 |
Quicken Loans National | Kyle Stanley | T32 | 36,841 |
A Military Tribute | Bubba Watson | T13 | 121,632 |
John Deere Classic | Zach Johnson | T16 | 81,366 |
British Open | Rory McIlroy | T2 | 694,250 |
RBC Canadian Open | Charley Hoffman | T29 | 37,743 |
Barracuda | Martin Laird | T15 | 51,000 |
WGC-Bridgestone Invitational |
Rickie Fowler |
T17 |
104,250 |
Total Events: 39
|
Top 10s: 12 | MC: 7 | $7,237,049 |
Last week:
Don’t even get me started.
My dude OPENED with 63 and added a 65 and didn’t hit the top 10.
FML.
It’s even worse that my other three choices were Thomas (WIN), Koepka (5th) and Day (T10). The good news is that Bellerive resembles Firestone. More on that in The Confidence Factor linked here.
It was a tough pill to swallow for those of you saving Woods for one final crack at the South Course and even tougher for the McIlroy fans that never saw the charge on Sunday. Matsuyama opened with 67 and disappeared in defense of his title from last year. That’s bad news for his investors that were looking for any late-season signs of life. Anybody who’s used Dustin Johnson anywhere but Carnoustie the last two months has been happy while some of us can’t catch a break!
My Choice: Rickie Fowler – T17
Picks for Leaders: Rory McIlroy – T6, Tiger Woods – T31
Picks for Chasers: Dustin Johnson – T3, Hideki Matsuyama – T39, Brooks Koepka – 5th
Picks for Dreamers: Matt Kuchar – T14, Xander Schauffele – 3rd DFL, Kevin Chappell – T39
Picks for Noses: Sergio Garcia – T39, Phil Mickelson – T24, Henrik Stenson – T39
Six Beers In: Luke List – T24, Russell Knox – T48, Thorbjorn Olesen – T3
This week:
The final time for the PGA Championship in August takes the 100th edition to Bellerive Country Club in the western suburbs of St. Louis. Rain, burned out greens, Robert Trent Jones, gnarly rough, tiered greens and hot and humid temperatures will be all the talk this week.
Notice I didn’t mention the term “grand slam”.
Well, Jordan Spieth can win that with a victory this week.
Justin Thomas defends his title won last year at Quail Hollow Club that was in less-than-perfect shape so he won’t be bothered.
With $10.5 million on the line ($1.89 winner) and 98 of the top 100 OWGR in the field there will be plenty of action happening. This course hasn’t been used on TOUR since the 2008 BMW Championship so course history isn’t of much use. Unlike last week there’s a cut with the 156-man field to the top 70 and ties after Round 2.
There’s no mystery again to who is going to win/contend this week. The reason you save them this long is to use them now or in the Playoffs in two weeks. When there’s no course history it’s time to put the big boys to bat and let them do their thing.
My Choice: Brooks Koepka
Picks for Leaders: Dustin Johnson, Rory McIlroy, Justin Rose
Picks for Chasers: Justin Thomas, Tommy Fleetwood, Tony Finau
Picks for Dreamers: Jordan Spieth, Kyle Stanley, Patrick Cantlay
Picks for Noses: Sergio Garcia, Hideki Matsuyama, Henrik Stenson
Six Beers In: Branden Grace, Keegan Bradley, Gary Woodland
My Life
For the second Sunday in a row I had my guy in position to get paid with a decent final round. Charley Hoffman went from T13 to T29 in Canada and Rickie Fowler after 63-74-65 to get to T7 threw up 73 to cash T17. Gotta #PlayAll72.
As Al Czervik once said: I should have stayed home and played with myself!
Five to go:
Wyndham Championship (Donald Ross course): Kevin Na, Ollie Schniederjans, OTHERS.
NORTHERN TRUST OPEN: Matt Kuchar will be the only winner in the field at Ridgewood Country Club (2010). He was also T5 in 2014.
Dell Technologies TPC Boston: Past winners include Thomas, McIlroy (2x), Stenson, Fowler, Simpson and Hoffman. Gil Hanse began renovations in 2006 so no point going beyond.
BMW Championship (Donald Ross course): Aronimink is the host and Rose (2010) and Nick Watney (2011) are the only two winners on TOUR here.
The TOUR Championship (Donald Ross course): There has never been a repeat champion or anyone who has won multiple FedExCup titles so whoever is left! A rookie won for the first time last year (Schauffele) so it’s not impossible!
Good luck!
History Channeled:
2015-16 Season total: $5,978,929; 47 events
- Wins: 2 (Matsuyama, Hoffman)
- Seconds: 0
- Thirds: 1
- Top 10s: 9
- Top 25s: 18
- MC: 8 (Mickelson, FIO; Oosthuizen, SHO; Chappell, Colonial; Casey, Memorial; Woodland, FESJC; Hearn, RBC Canadian; McGirt, Wyndham; Justin Thomas, DBC)
2016-17 Season total: $6,533,509 45 events
- Wins: 1
- Seconds: 1
- Thirds: 1
- Top 10s: 12
- Top 25s: 20
- MCs (10): Grayson Murray (Safeway Open); Patton Kizzire (SFC); Jamie Lovemark (CB Challenge); Jimmy Walker (FIO); Charl Schwartzel (Genesis); Russell Knox (Honda); Henrik Stenson (API); Thomas Pieters (Zurich); Kevin Kisner (WFC).
Thanks for reading!