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JoePa's 94th PGA CHAMPIONSHIP Picks
JOEPA'S UPDATED YTD:
+47.50
Another Top 5 finisher with Rory McIlroy last week! Now onto Kiawah Island and the PGA Championship and time's a wasting for some of the younger players to grab their first major win. This time of year sees my cards get eerily similar week to week with the players with the best form getting the most looks and it seems my card doesn't deviate so much. You gotta have the length but also control to play the Ocean Course, so let's see who fits the bill this week.
RORY MCILROY 5/1 E.W. - Still left knocking at the door for a Tour Championship after a poor start at Firestone, however, a weekend charge earned him a T5th. He's certainly got the length ranking 6th in driving distance but he has to overcome his 166th ranking and 54% fairway percentage off the tee which cost him down the stretch in Akron last week in his best finish since a June T7th at the FedEx St. Jude. Last week he defined his wedge play as "great" and T2nd in GIR in capturing his 3rd Top 10 in his last 5 tour starts. Don't knock his recent form!
LOUIS OOSTHUIZEN 9/1 E.W. - Back on track and has the length for the Ocean Course! He struck the ball well last week at Firestone ranking in the Top 10 in distance, fairways and GIR and should have some extra confidence after his last two starts that produced a T19th at The Open Championship and 4th at the WGC Bridgestone. Seems he's regaining some of that early season form that allowed him to garner T20th at the Transitions, 3rd at the Shell and a P2nd at The Masters. He's 28th in driving distance, 17th in scoring average and 17th in par 5 birdie or better average.
MATT KUCHAR 9/1 E.W. - Not long off the tee but a great iron player and this week's course is a Pete Dye design. He won The Players on a Dye design so it should fit his eye. Can he get his first major here? Comes in on a good note having ranked 2nd in ball striking at Firestone and securing his 3rd Top 10 in his last four starts; T8th Travelers, T9th British Open, T34 RBC Canadian, T8th Bridgestone. He drives the ball 287yds off the tee but that ranks him 107th in driving distance, but he's still 2nd in scoring average, 10th in par 4 birdies or better, 30th in GIR, 15th in birdie average and 2nd in sand saves.
GRAEME MCDOWELL 11/1 E.W. - He managed a T24th last week at the WGC Bridgestone but is spot on in majors this year with a 12th at The Masters, 2nd at the U.S. Open and a 5th at the British Open. He grew up playing links golf in Royal Portrush so the Ocean Course with it's windy and wet weather predictions may just be his cup of tea. He's also not a great driver as far as distance---285yds---but his 4th in driving accuracy along with a a 4th place ranking in par 4 birdies or better, the 15th best scoring average and 22nd place rank in birdie average.
JASON DUFNER 13/2 E.W. - I swear, I pick him, he fades! He's no lower than 7th in his last four events on the PGA Tour. His stats are a who's who among PGA golfers where he's 6th in GIR, 5th in scoring average, 3rd in birdie or better average, 9th in par 4 birdie or better average, 22nd in par 5 birdie or better average, and 1st place ranking in scoring average before the cut---so you know he'll always be hanging around on the weekend! He doesn't drive it too terribly long by tour standard, 292yds off the tee, but the guy just gets it done. He's also high on the list of nominees for Tour Player of the Year and a nice showing here may just get it done!
+47.50
Another Top 5 finisher with Rory McIlroy last week! Now onto Kiawah Island and the PGA Championship and time's a wasting for some of the younger players to grab their first major win. This time of year sees my cards get eerily similar week to week with the players with the best form getting the most looks and it seems my card doesn't deviate so much. You gotta have the length but also control to play the Ocean Course, so let's see who fits the bill this week.
RORY MCILROY 5/1 E.W. - Still left knocking at the door for a Tour Championship after a poor start at Firestone, however, a weekend charge earned him a T5th. He's certainly got the length ranking 6th in driving distance but he has to overcome his 166th ranking and 54% fairway percentage off the tee which cost him down the stretch in Akron last week in his best finish since a June T7th at the FedEx St. Jude. Last week he defined his wedge play as "great" and T2nd in GIR in capturing his 3rd Top 10 in his last 5 tour starts. Don't knock his recent form!
LOUIS OOSTHUIZEN 9/1 E.W. - Back on track and has the length for the Ocean Course! He struck the ball well last week at Firestone ranking in the Top 10 in distance, fairways and GIR and should have some extra confidence after his last two starts that produced a T19th at The Open Championship and 4th at the WGC Bridgestone. Seems he's regaining some of that early season form that allowed him to garner T20th at the Transitions, 3rd at the Shell and a P2nd at The Masters. He's 28th in driving distance, 17th in scoring average and 17th in par 5 birdie or better average.
MATT KUCHAR 9/1 E.W. - Not long off the tee but a great iron player and this week's course is a Pete Dye design. He won The Players on a Dye design so it should fit his eye. Can he get his first major here? Comes in on a good note having ranked 2nd in ball striking at Firestone and securing his 3rd Top 10 in his last four starts; T8th Travelers, T9th British Open, T34 RBC Canadian, T8th Bridgestone. He drives the ball 287yds off the tee but that ranks him 107th in driving distance, but he's still 2nd in scoring average, 10th in par 4 birdies or better, 30th in GIR, 15th in birdie average and 2nd in sand saves.
GRAEME MCDOWELL 11/1 E.W. - He managed a T24th last week at the WGC Bridgestone but is spot on in majors this year with a 12th at The Masters, 2nd at the U.S. Open and a 5th at the British Open. He grew up playing links golf in Royal Portrush so the Ocean Course with it's windy and wet weather predictions may just be his cup of tea. He's also not a great driver as far as distance---285yds---but his 4th in driving accuracy along with a a 4th place ranking in par 4 birdies or better, the 15th best scoring average and 22nd place rank in birdie average.
JASON DUFNER 13/2 E.W. - I swear, I pick him, he fades! He's no lower than 7th in his last four events on the PGA Tour. His stats are a who's who among PGA golfers where he's 6th in GIR, 5th in scoring average, 3rd in birdie or better average, 9th in par 4 birdie or better average, 22nd in par 5 birdie or better average, and 1st place ranking in scoring average before the cut---so you know he'll always be hanging around on the weekend! He doesn't drive it too terribly long by tour standard, 292yds off the tee, but the guy just gets it done. He's also high on the list of nominees for Tour Player of the Year and a nice showing here may just get it done!