JoePa's John Deere, Owen Corning & Barclays Scottish Open

[joepa66]

Will start with the PGA.....


JOHN DEERE CLASSIC

ZACH JOHNSON 16 / 1 - Johnson returns to the field against a much younger group of players this week....The list of entrants this week is also a bit lighter on experience. The weather is always hot & humid and of late at Deere Run youth has been served and big favorites tend to fall back. John Senden's victory last year marked the fifth time in the last seven years -- and the eighth time overall -- that a first-time winner has broken through at TPC Deere Run and Johnson's game fits the course well.... The par-71 layout is well fortified, protected by natural water hazards and bunkers and creative mounding on the 7,183-yard course and trees that line playing areas, making recoveries from poor drives a challenge. That's where Johnson should make his move up the leaderboard.....he's 4th on the PGA Tour in driving accuracy at 73% and can shorten up the course a bit as well hitting 278.6 yard drives. Accuracy and distance will be at a premium. He's 5th in the Fedex Cup standings, has earned $2,985,910 dollars on tour this season, made 12 cuts in 15 events, has two firsts including the Master's, 4 Top 10's, and 6 Top 25s. He's close to home in midwest which could also make a difference.


LUCAS GLOVER 25 / 1 - Lucas has the hot hand, er, clubs! Glover is coming off a strong performance at the AT&T National with 18 birdies, third most for the week at difficult Congressional Country Club. Through three rounds he led the category. That kind of effort would be useful this week! He finished at even par and T12th last week, and was -10 at the Buick Open with all four rounds under par. His scoring average is 70.49, he's made the cut in 13 / 19 events, has 3 Top 10s, and 7 Top 25s. He improved his GIR last week to 63% but still ranks 106th but is 22nd in driving at 297.3 yards and 41st in putting with a 1.778 average.


JEFF MAGGERT 100 / 1 - This course requires someone to be able to drive the ball with accuracy and Maggs fits that bill. He ranks 46th on tour in driving accuracy at 68.54% although he's 146th in driving distance with a 280 yard average. He's also 30th on tour in GIR at 66%, is 50% in sand saves, and has four Tops 25s. He's definitely a long shot and has only made 7 cuts in 15 events this year. The Deere could be some great medicine for his game. His current scoring average is 71.22 and he ranks 114th in the Fed Ex standings for the season.

[joepa66]

THE BARCLAYS SCOTTISH OPEN


RICHARD STERNE 50 / 1 - Sterne is currently ranked 7th on the Order of Merit, has 11 events under his belt and in his last 6 starts has 4 Top 5 finishes, and has 9 Top 25s! I'd venture to say he's on the cusp of winning. His scoring average is 70.02, his GIR is 67.24% and he's an amazing 78.57% in sand saves which equates to knowing how to get out of trouble and low scores. The season he's won the Celtic Manor Wales Open, T3rd in the BMW PGA Championship, and at one point had of his Top 5 finishes in a row by finishing T2nd in the Johnnie Walker Classic, 5th in the Volvo China Classic, and T5th in the BMW Asia Open. I had him picked to win the Smurfit Kappa last week but he withdrew before the tournament....after a week off, this week will do him some good for the The Open Championship next week.


ERNIE ELS 10 / 1 - Ranked #5 in the World of Golf Rankings! He's had great success at Loch Lomond since 2000.....has won the event in 2000 & 2003, and finished T9th in 2006 at -9 (-13 won), 11th in 2005 at -13 (-19 won), T3rd in 2004 at -13 (-15 won), and his worst finish was sandwiched in between his two wins when he finished T50th at -1 (winner was -11) in 2002. In his last 24 rounds at Loch Lomond he is 64 UNDER PAR, with a scoring average of 68.33.....has 22 rounds under par with 19 of those in the 60s. On the European Tour this year his has hit an amazing 76% of GIR and has a putting average of 1.75. His PGA stats are just as impressive making the cut 9 times in 10 starts, has 1 - 2nd and 1 - 3rd place finish, 5 Top 25s, and a 69.61 scoring average. His always takes his family to Glasgow for vacation which more than likely keeps him relaxed and a sweet swinging Ernie is a good place to store some cash.


PAUL BROADHURST 100 / 1 - Always like a long shot and Broadhurst is one of those who has been on the outs but finished strong last week at the Smurfit Kappa......he finished T25th at -4 but his last three rounds were under par and in the 60s.....maybe he's putting on the charge for The Open. His best finish of the year was a T8th with a card of -10 at the Celtic Manor Wales Open. A win here could make him forget that 71.67 scoring average and give him a real boost in the Order of Merit. It's always nice to be near home....

[joepa66]

OWENS CORNING JAMIE FARR CLASSIC - LPGA


PAULA CREAMER 10 / 1 - What a surprise! I've backed her three times in a row so how about a fourth....she faded in the US Open and Wegmans, but before that she finished in the Top 10 in 5 straight tournaments. The week off between play should do her some good knowing that last year she finished 3rd @ -17 narrowly missing a playoff at -18 that involved Mi Hyun Kim and Natalie Gulbis. Creamer is ranked #2 on tour with a scoring average of 70.81 only a stroke behind Lorena Ochoa's 69.87, and guess who's not in the field this week! Creamer's stats read like a Who's Who.....4th in GIR at 72.8%, 10th in putting at 1.79, driving accuracy of 77.5%, 3rd in rounds under par 28/47, 7 Top 10s. She's got to relish returning to the course that yielded her best scoring performance of the season last year!


SE RI PAK 20 / 1 - She's baaaccckkkkk! And she's been pretty queitly going about her business of having fun and loving the game again. She T4th in the US Open two weeks ago, is 14th in rounds under par 20/41, 9th in scoring average at 71.49, 3rd in putting at 1.77, 23rd in GIR at 66.4%, 65% in driving accuracy and most importantly found her way in a big tournament....the US Open. Pak also finished 4th last year just two strokes back of the leaders at 16. The Jamie Farr will benefit her driving ills so she can get to the greens again this week and go low!


NICOLE CASTRALE 33 / 1 - Finished 9th last year at -8 and has been on fire this season with 5 Top 10s and 7 Top 25s (one an 11th place finish in the Sybase Classic)! Castrale is tied for 8th out tour for rounds under par with 24 / 45. Her scoring average is 71.68, and she has lowered that from last season by hitting GIR with 72.1% accuracy which ranks her 5th, while her driving accuracy is 69.9%, and she's 30th in putting at 1.82. She's definitely one of those "on the verge" of busting out players.....got cut at the Wegmans and finished 30th in the US Open, but the two weeks before that she won the Ginn Tribute hosted by Annika, and finished 10th in the McDonalds.

[joepa66]

First Round Updates>>>

John Deere Classic

Zach Johnson 16 / 1 - T41st / -1 (leader -7)
Lucas Glover 25 / 1 - T77th / E
Jeff Maggert 100 / 1 - T77th / E Thru 7 Holes


The Barclays Scottish Open

Richard Sterne 50 / 1 - T82nd / +1 (leader -6)
Ernie Els 10 / 1 - T30th / -2
Paul Broadhurst 100 / 1 - T63rd / E


Owens Corning / Jamie Farr Classic - Lpga

Paula Creamer 10 / 1 - T117th / +4
Se Ri Pak 20 / 1 - 1st Round Leader / -8
Nicole Castrale 33 / 1 - T31st / E

[joepa66]

ANOTHER WINNER ON THE LPGA........


Owens Corning / Jamie Farr Classic - Lpga

Paula Creamer 10 / 1 - MC
Se Ri Pak 20 / 1 - WINNER -17 by three strokes!
Nicole Castrale 33 / 1 - T28th / E


John Deere Classic Winner -18

Zach Johnson 16 / 1 - MC
Lucas Glover 25 / 1 - T11th / -12
Jeff Maggert 100 / 1 - MC


The Barclays Scottish Open Winner -14

Richard Sterne 50 / 1 - T4th / -11
Ernie Els 10 / 1 - 3rd / -13
Paul Broadhurst 100 / 1 - T32nd / -4