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JoePa's THE BARCLAYS Picks
JOEPA'S UPDATED YTD:
+57.00
The first leg of the FedEx Playoffs and it's Bethpage Black this week. Talk about a tester right off the bat! Once again my card is similar, but why buck a good thing as both Carl Pettersson and Tim Clark snagged Top 5 finishes for me last week. Really like Rory, but the odds are not even worth a shot for the eventual winner so I'll continue to stick with what works....predicting Top 5s.
ADAM SCOTT 6/1 E.W. - I think the Black Course fits his game and eye well with a premium on length off the tee. And, you can't quibble about caddie Steve Williams on the bag because he guided Tiger Woods around the course in winning rounds in 2002 and 2009. Scott T11th two weeks ago at the Ocean Course on Kiawah Island and also has Top 15s in four of his last five starts, including a T11th at the PGA Championship. He ranks 63rd on the PGA TOUR in GIR and 7th in adjusted scoring, but sits outside top 110 in fairways hit, strokes Gained-Putting and scrambling. His length and irons should be a good fit this week and enters 32nd in FedExCup points.
CARL PETTERSSON 14/1 E.W. - No letdown last week after a grinder at the PGA as he continued the best golf of his career with a Top5 finish in Greensboro. I don't see how he cannot carry the momentum over into this week. In his last two starts he's T3rd at the PGA Championship and T4th at the Wyndham with an opening round 62 (almost duplicating his record round of 61) followed by three rounds of 68. He's currently ranked 11th in strokes gained putting, 10th in scoring average, 19th in sand saves and 11th in total birdies. He advanced to the FedEx finals in 2008 but it's been a career year this season but needs some icing as he is without a Top 20s in 6 starts at Bethpage, TPC Boston and East Lake.
TIM CLARK 24/1 E.W. - Posted a solo 2nd at the Wyndham Championship, his third straight Top 15 while ranking T6th in GIR at Sedgefield with an unbelievably tidy card showing just four bogeys all week. Clarkie currently ranks 4th in fairways with a masterful 70.3% driving percentage. His aggregate score for his last three starts that include a T15th at the RBC Canadian, T11th at the PGA and his solo at the Wyndham is -27. He opened with a 63 last week and followed that up with rounds of 67-67-67.
ROBERT GARRIGUS 9/1 TOP10 FINISH - In his last four starts he's gone T4th at the AT&T National, T25th at the Deere, T2nd at the RBC Canada and T21st at the PGA Championship where he posted a closing round of 67. Garrigus is ranked 4th in driving distance, 9th in GIR, 16th in eagles, 1st in par 3 birdies or better and 5th in par 5 birdies or better. So far, he hasn't been able to clear the second hurdle of the FedExCup Playoffs but enters this year ranking at a career-high 24th in points. He's a good fit for the first two rounds.
+57.00
The first leg of the FedEx Playoffs and it's Bethpage Black this week. Talk about a tester right off the bat! Once again my card is similar, but why buck a good thing as both Carl Pettersson and Tim Clark snagged Top 5 finishes for me last week. Really like Rory, but the odds are not even worth a shot for the eventual winner so I'll continue to stick with what works....predicting Top 5s.
ADAM SCOTT 6/1 E.W. - I think the Black Course fits his game and eye well with a premium on length off the tee. And, you can't quibble about caddie Steve Williams on the bag because he guided Tiger Woods around the course in winning rounds in 2002 and 2009. Scott T11th two weeks ago at the Ocean Course on Kiawah Island and also has Top 15s in four of his last five starts, including a T11th at the PGA Championship. He ranks 63rd on the PGA TOUR in GIR and 7th in adjusted scoring, but sits outside top 110 in fairways hit, strokes Gained-Putting and scrambling. His length and irons should be a good fit this week and enters 32nd in FedExCup points.
CARL PETTERSSON 14/1 E.W. - No letdown last week after a grinder at the PGA as he continued the best golf of his career with a Top5 finish in Greensboro. I don't see how he cannot carry the momentum over into this week. In his last two starts he's T3rd at the PGA Championship and T4th at the Wyndham with an opening round 62 (almost duplicating his record round of 61) followed by three rounds of 68. He's currently ranked 11th in strokes gained putting, 10th in scoring average, 19th in sand saves and 11th in total birdies. He advanced to the FedEx finals in 2008 but it's been a career year this season but needs some icing as he is without a Top 20s in 6 starts at Bethpage, TPC Boston and East Lake.
TIM CLARK 24/1 E.W. - Posted a solo 2nd at the Wyndham Championship, his third straight Top 15 while ranking T6th in GIR at Sedgefield with an unbelievably tidy card showing just four bogeys all week. Clarkie currently ranks 4th in fairways with a masterful 70.3% driving percentage. His aggregate score for his last three starts that include a T15th at the RBC Canadian, T11th at the PGA and his solo at the Wyndham is -27. He opened with a 63 last week and followed that up with rounds of 67-67-67.
ROBERT GARRIGUS 9/1 TOP10 FINISH - In his last four starts he's gone T4th at the AT&T National, T25th at the Deere, T2nd at the RBC Canada and T21st at the PGA Championship where he posted a closing round of 67. Garrigus is ranked 4th in driving distance, 9th in GIR, 16th in eagles, 1st in par 3 birdies or better and 5th in par 5 birdies or better. So far, he hasn't been able to clear the second hurdle of the FedExCup Playoffs but enters this year ranking at a career-high 24th in points. He's a good fit for the first two rounds.