Connect with us

Opinion & Analysis

How low can you go?

Published

on

An anonymous pro golfer commented on one of my articles last month (What score makes you happy?) saying that he’d once shot a 60 and hadn’t been aware of his score at all while he was playing the round.

Since I’m no pro golfer, at any point of the 18 holes I can usually tell you pretty accurately how many birdies I’ve had that day, though granted, it doesn’t take too long to count to zero.

But it got me wondering about low scores, and how low can you go.

“I had a 76 last year. That’s my personal best,” Kenny told me around the driving range at Anaheim Hills. “I was just unconscious. I’ve only broken 80 three times in my life, so far.”

“I had 12 pars and shot an 83 once,” said Bill, while shielding his face from the sun with his arm as he waited to tee off at Marshal Canyon one Saturday morning. “Can you imagine how badly I had to play on the other 6 holes to shoot 83?”

“It wasn’t my lowest round ever but the first time I broke 90, I had to make a birdie on 18 for 89,” Manny told me over his hot dog in the snack bar at Griffith Park.

“You talk about pressure. My friend told me on the 18th tee I needed birdie. It was at Los Serranos South, the long par-5, but we were playing the white tees. Hit my third shot on to about 15 feet and made the putt. It was in from the second I hit it; the putt was perfect. I was dancing around the green.”

“I had 62 once,” and I looked kind of incredulous at the quite overweight 60 year old who I thought maybe was telling me how many donut holes he’d eaten this week. “Seriously, a 62. Course it was a 4-man scramble, but it was still fun to go that low,” and as he laughed his belly shook.

“My low net was a 63 in a tournament once,” Devin told me at the driving range. “People were saying I was a sandbagger but I just had one of those days; shot a 75 playing off a 12 handicap. I got what’s called an ‘exceptional tournament score.’”

That is exceptional, I said. “I haven’t shot another 75 since that round,” he answered, shaking his head. “The next tournament my handicap was 3 strokes lower and that time I think I had a 75 net.”

Six times on the PGA Tour a pro golfer has broken 60. Those competition-record 59s were rewarded with cash and admiration, not a handicap penalty. But how do you shoot a score that low?

“I got off to a good start one day last summer,” Arturo told me at Montebello Country Club. “I was 2-under through six holes, made the turn at 1-under and I was still under par through the 13th hole. On No. 14 I hit a great drive, then nearly shanked my second shot out of bounds. Finished with a 74 and I was pissed all day until I realized that it was still my best round ever. But I’m still upset about that shot, really… the worst shot I hit all year and it came during the best round I ever played. Strange.”

“I broke 100 for the first time last year,” Adam said while practicing his putting at La Quinta. “I’ve only been playing for two years and this summer I’m going to break 90.” He said it with the optimism of someone who still thinks golf can be mastered.

“I remember the first time I broke 80,” Larry told me in the coffee shop at Indian Hills. “I didn’t even know it until after I added it up. I knew I had a good round going and I was nervous over the 5-footer for bogey on 18. If I had known it was for 79 there’s no way I would have made it.”

I asked him if that was his best round.

“No, that was a few years ago. I’m a 9 now so I’m in the 70s pretty often. Had a couple of 75s last year, and a 73 two years ago, that was my best,” he added. “My dream is to shoot even par. My fantasy is to break par someday.”

A stooped man with silver hair was hitting long putts from one side of the practice green to the other at Griffith Park. I figured if he’d broken 90 he’d have a story to tell me.

“A 64,” he said, and I guess I looked surprised. “I had a slew of ‘em. I golfed all my life — I only putt now. I putt every day until I make one from one side of the putting green to the other. Some days it takes longer than others.”

His name is Stan. “I shot in the 60s pretty often. It was a bad day if I wasn’t at least at par. There were some great players around then,” and he mentioned a couple of names that I didn’t recognize.

“We used to play all over, but the first 64 was at Hacienda. It was in 1951, we played a lot after the war and those were good times.” I asked if he remembered any of the shots from his first 64. “Like it was yesterday. There was no drama to the end though, we’d already won the match. We were playing against some hot-shot lawyer and his partner I can’t remember — took home some good money. My guy Bill was good that day too; we would play anybody, anywhere.”

“The 64?” I asked.

“Yep, I don’t know how many of ‘em I had, there was a bunch. Never shot a 63. A couple of ‘em could have been better, but I wasn’t playing for the score, I was playing to win.”

Just like that anonymous pro, I realized.

What’s your lowest round ever and what was it like?

Let us know in the comments section below and read the first chapters of Tom Hill’s humorous golf book, A Perfect Lie – The Hole Truth 18 Holes of Golf in Pursuit of the Round of a Lifetime, at 7-ironpress.com. Get free shipping on the paperback with the code GOLFWRX, or $4 off the e-book when you enter the code GOLFWRX1 at check-out.

Your Reaction?
  • 44
  • LEGIT7
  • WOW2
  • LOL2
  • IDHT0
  • FLOP9
  • OB0
  • SHANK1

Tom Hill is a 9.7 handicap, author and former radio reporter. Hill is the author of the recently released fiction novel, A Perfect Lie – The Hole Truth, a humorous golf saga of one player’s unexpected attempt to shoot a score he never before thought possible. Kirkus Reviews raved about A Perfect Lie, (It) “has the immediacy of a memoir…it’s no gimme but Hill nails it square.” (kirkusreviews.com). A Perfect Lie is available as an ebook or paperback through 7-ironpress.com and the first three chapters are available online to sample. Hill is a dedicated golfer who has played more than 2,000 rounds in the past 30 years and had a one-time personal best handicap of 5.5. As a freelance radio reporter, Hill covered more than 60 PGA and LPGA tournaments working for CBS Radio, ABC Radio, AP Audio, The Mutual Broadcasting System and individual radio stations around the country. “Few knew my name and no one saw my face,” he says, “but millions heard my voice.” Hill is the father of three sons and lives with his wife, Arava Talve, in southern California where he chases after a little white ball as often as he can.

32 Comments

32 Comments

  1. Joe

    Aug 10, 2015 at 11:41 pm

    My lowest score ever is a 67, an extremely good iron round and I didn’t have too many putts over 16 feet. That was in 1983 when I was a 2 handicap.
    Since that time I have had only 2 or 3 sub 72 rounds. Now in my twilight years (75 years old) and playing to a 12, sub par rounds are only a memory and could only happen on a putt-putt course.
    Damn that Windmill hole.

  2. stephenf

    Jun 6, 2015 at 8:22 pm

    Lowest score was 64, but it was mostly just good midrange-to-long putting. Didn’t hit it any better that day than most days, and actually sort of scraped it around on some of the holes, but it was a nonpenal golf course, frankly, so you could go miss-miss-putt for birdie a lot (by “miss,” I mean “miss” for a scratch player, which I was). Miss the drive into the scraggly, sparse rough, get lucky enough for some kind of lie, blade it out of there on the green, make a 25-footer, or whatever. The score was more or less a fluke, and not a “best” round, really.

    Later, as a plus-2, I did have a few 65s (very few — I was more of the steady 69-70 shooter rather than the 63 one day and 78 the next) and quite a few 66s and 67s. I remember one 65 in a tournament fairly well — hitting it OK off the tee, not awesome, but good enough, and hitting it pretty well with the irons. Closed with a disappointing miss on the 17th from 12 feet for eagle after a 250-yard 2-iron (not all that awesome — it was well-hit, but with the old standard Wilson Staffs, sort of hard in front of the green…well-judged, hit solidly, and on line, I guess, but it’s not like I flew it 250 and stuck it by the hole), then hit 9-iron to about four feet above the hole on #18 and saw two breaks, had to make a decision…still kinda proud of that make.

    One more, a 66 I’m still pissed about: Again in a tournament round, started out (no kidding) seven under after the first six holes, hit it at least as well from that point to the end of the round and never made another putt. Had a shot at 28 on the front nine until I missed a sidehill three-footer for par on #8 and then a five-footer for birdie on #9. Missed about four from inside 7-8 feet on the back nine for birdie. Just disgusting. I really felt like a 60 or even 59 was coming that day, felt good all day, hit every putt exactly like I wanted, but they just stopped dropping. Sometimes it works out like that. Years and years later, I still hate it, but that’s golf. (I still contend that for six holes, I might’ve been playing better than anybody in the world that day. Can’t disprove it, so it must be true. 😉 )

  3. Martin

    May 23, 2015 at 4:13 pm

    My best round is +4 to par, a 75 on a par 71 and last summer a 76 on our par 72 course.

    The 75 was a few years ago, teed up on 17 +1 with a short par 3 and a relatively easy par 5 18th. 3 putt bogey on 17, teed off on 18 with a 3w to play safe, pushed it a bit didn’t have a full swing. Punch it down the fw, had exactly 300 yards into the green, perfect 3H. Hit one of the alltime worst shots ever, 130 yards and 80 yards offline.

    Made a double for a 75.

    Last summer playing with 3 guys I work with, sloppy front including 2 doubles, 41, birdies 10 and then made 8 pars for a 35 on the back.

  4. Ryan

    May 22, 2015 at 11:29 am

    I find the notion that people can finish and round and not know how many under they are just crazy. I’ve tried my very hardest to immerse myself in the shot at hand for 18 straight holes and I haven’t found the secret yet. It’s just so exhausting.

    Personal low is 62 on a par 70, but shot 63 on a par 72 in college. I was in the zone on both rounds but still knew where I was to par, just didn’t “care”. A few beers probably helped in both cases.

    I’ve shot 30 twice for nine, both with excellent opportunities to put up the magical 29, and couldn’t do either. First time I came to the 18th -7 after 8 on the back (par 36), short par 5, got it down by the green in two, skulled a chip, chunked another, then got up and down for 30. Still burns to this day even nine years later. Second time was a par 35, came to the ninth -5 and needing birdie for 29, hit it to 8ft and lipped out the putt. That one doesn’t hurt because I didn’t choke.

    Realizing over the last couple years that I need serious work on my mental game to have these kind of rounds happen more often, not just once a decade.

  5. Sean D

    May 21, 2015 at 9:19 pm

    I was 18 years old in 1998. My dad was the superintendent of the course where I grew up so I played there every day and worked for him on the course. I was like a 5 handicap at the time. I think my lowest score ever at that point was a 73. Par was 71. Never shot even. It was in the fall in up state NY and they had just finished spiking the greens over a three day period. This was a muni course so there’s still sand all over them and there Bumpy as hell. It was Men’s night at the club which was on a Tuesday. I shot 66 on the worst spiked greens you ever saw. I made every putt. Thinking back about it now it was a joke. I had two bogies that day too. Whenever I go home to visit and play with my dad the old timers who still have coffee at the club every day pull me aside and say “I still remember the day you shot 66 on spiked greens.” 17 years later and these guys in their mid 80’s remember. I won mens night and like $15 bux in pro shop credit. So I’ve got that going for me.

  6. Griiz01

    May 18, 2015 at 11:38 pm

    I’m 52 years old. Been playing since I was 5 years old. A lot of good rounds and a lot of bad ones. I’ve been as low as a 1 handicap but with life getting in the way I probably stay around a 9-10 handicap these days. My best rounds are when I’m not thinking. Meaning that I’m not thinking about my swing at all. I will think about where I want to place the ball or even how a shot needs to come off, but I’m never thinking about the swing (the mechanics).

    When I was younger, I thrived on competition, the more pressure you put on me the better I played. I ate it up. I was too young to know better. I didn’t know I was suppose to be nervous or worried. I just knew I was suppose to do all I could to win.

    Now-a-days, I just like going out and enjoying my time on the course. I don’t worry about scores, I just completely enjoy the greatest game ever played by man.

  7. Adam

    May 18, 2015 at 8:23 pm

    One thing I’ve always found interesting. On my best rounds, I haven’t been the one keeping score. Lately, I’ve had some of my better rounds, but certainly not my best, and those rounds have been when I’m keeping meticulous note of stats…FIR, GIR, sand saves if applicable, putts, etc. The rounds that have been my absolute best are the rounds when I’m just along for the ride and don’t keep score other than telling my playing partner what I got on the hole. Anyone have similar experience?

  8. Robert

    May 14, 2015 at 9:27 am

    I shot 62 at my home course Holly Tree CC earlier this year. It tied the course record from the men’s white tees. I didn’t make a birdie until the 5th hole and turned in 3 under. But I got crazy hot on the back nine (29). That was the first time I broke 30 for nine, and I’ve had a lot of close calls. I wasn’t even thinking about going that low until I holed out for eagle on the 16th hole which put me to 8 under. The final two holes are good birdie opportunities, so once I got to -8 I knew today was a great chance to tie or beat the course record. I made birdie on 17 making a really good 10 ft putt. The 18th is a very reachable par 5. I hit a great tee shot and had between 5 and 6 iron to the green. All I could think of was, just hit the green and give yourself a chance. I did get home in two but had probably 60ft for eagle. I hit a good putt to about 4-5ft and somehow rolled that in. Not bad considering I played 14 holes 10 under and par’d two of the four par 5’s. Pretty good feeling that day and I don’t think I’ve been so nervous on a golf course since I first broke 70. Looking back on it I don’t think I was striking the ball any better than usual, it was just a really good day with the putter. I had to make an 8-10ft par save on my second hole. I don’t make that and the whole day is probably changed. I had three other 63’s out there both from the white tees and two from the championship tees, one of them was in a pro-am. I wish I could boil all those rounds down into some kind of secret to going that low but there isn’t. Sometimes it’s just your day and you’re making all the putts, sometimes you just start hitting it close and it seems easy. It’s just golf, you never know what’s going to happen, and I think that’s why we all continue to play again and again.

  9. RG

    May 14, 2015 at 8:09 am

    Wow, people posting here claiming handicaps that obviously don’t know how GHIN works should stop, it’s embarrassing.
    Tom, A Perfect Lie is a good name for your book if your adding some of these replies.

  10. Fiorenzo

    May 14, 2015 at 3:54 am

    74 playing in a mixed golf day with my wife as partner and sharing a cart. At the time I was playing off an 8 handicap. Due to the constant bickering I was not really aware of what was happening till the last few holes which led me to tighten up and possibly loose out on a better score. Now, years later there is not much chance to improve that score although the bickering is still there and going strong.

  11. Ryan J

    May 14, 2015 at 12:32 am

    I’ve shot 68 more than a dozen times and one 66 on a par 70.
    When I shot the 66 I played the first nine in 38 strokes and then finished with a 28 with a bogey. I didn’t even notice how low I was because I was frustrated with a few three putts that first nine and had three or four of those back nine birdies inside five feet.
    That round was the third time I had broken 30 in nine holes but the other two ended at 68 because I got caught up in the score trying to go low.
    In golf, the hardest person to beat is yourself.

  12. Tim

    May 13, 2015 at 9:41 pm

    Personal best is a 74 (par 72), which includes a triple bogey on the first hole, and a double bogey on the second hole. So after starting the round 5 over, I followed it up with my longest stretch of under par golf ever including holing out from a bunker on 17 for a birdie. I knew during the round I would easily best 80 but didn’t want to do the math until after the round because I knew it’s possible I was flirting with even. Prior to that my personal best was 79.

  13. Bob

    May 13, 2015 at 9:08 pm

    74. I hit the ball straight all day, got my chips one-putt close, and sank most of the makable putts I had. There weren’t any miracle shots– just a day of good golf for 18 holes instead of 14 or 15.

  14. Joel

    May 13, 2015 at 5:12 pm

    I have shot 72 twice in my 45+ year golfing career. The interesting thing about each was I pulled off the birdie hat trick on the last 3 holes, 38 out and 34 in. Can only imagine the possible score without a couple of mistakes. I am working to break par this year and move my handicap below 2.0(currently 4.6).

  15. Horace

    May 13, 2015 at 4:21 pm

    Shot 70 once (probably a 12+/- HC then). Had an eagle ($25 skin), three birdies, and three bogies in a weekly Sunday 4-5 person BB Tournament on a San Antonio muni with hard-pan and some thin turf. The bogies came on three holes where one competitor beat me to tee box and hit out of turn.

  16. Joe

    May 13, 2015 at 2:44 pm

    Dear Stone Thrower,

    An 8 handicap shooting even par should call no one a sand-bagger.

    Signed,

    Glass House

  17. John

    May 13, 2015 at 1:30 pm

    I have only shot even par for 18 holes twice, but the second time was special. Driver, 5-iron on the 490 yard par five 18th hole for a double eagle for a 72… should have retired from the game right then and there – it doesn’t get much better than that!

    • Craig

      May 14, 2015 at 4:13 am

      What is a double eagle. It is called an albatross.
      Some STUPID yank commentator calls it that. HE is not correct
      -1 is a birdie
      -2 is an eagle
      -3 is an albatross

  18. Sam

    May 13, 2015 at 12:18 pm

    My best is a 78, your wouldnt believe it but I went bogey, double then bogey on my first three holes, I then oplayed that nine in another three over and somehow I shot even on the back nine to shoot my best round to par, (I had a 75 but on a par 68). I noticed that on the back nine I just started to not care and I made two birdies in a row. I went on to place 3rd in the tournament but I know if i hadn’t gone +4 on the first three holes, it could have been and even better day.

    • Bob

      May 13, 2015 at 9:10 pm

      I believe it. You just had your bad holes all at once instead of sprinkling them throughout the round.

  19. Blake

    May 13, 2015 at 11:00 am

    My best is a 62… I was -8 thru 12 and it was a par 70, so you know what crossed my mind… Anyway, the putts stopped dropping and I played par golf in for -8..

  20. Ben

    May 13, 2015 at 9:51 am

    I shot 75 (+3) last summer as a 9 index. Had a great feeling before the round but that quickly faded after bogeying 4 of the first 5 holes. Settled in after that and hit 11/13 greens, made 3 birdies, and shot even par on the back 9. On the last hole I pulled my tee shot way right but then hit my 135yd uphill, blind approach over towering pines to 3 feet. I was almost emotional after tapping in knowing I just played the round of my life.

  21. Paul

    May 13, 2015 at 6:48 am

    Par 73 shot 65 4 times but twice I was -7 after 9 and started thinking 60 choked my way in both times but I think my best round was playing match play a few years back tripled 3 to go 3 over finished eagle,eagle to finish 8 under on 12 no gimmies last eagle holed 8 iron my opponent was just laughing he was more excited then me I think.

  22. Joe

    May 13, 2015 at 5:26 am

    Shot 59 to break my own course record of 62 last year (par 72), club championship, second round of stroke play. It was an interesting round… I demolished an entire pizza in the restaurant in between rounds so I was in a complete food coma, practically unconscious for the front 9 and part of the back. I don’t even remember clearly what I did on those holes. I didn’t realize where I was at until I eagled the 14th, happy to maybe get a skin in our side game and noticed the guys I was playing with looking at me and the scorecard nervously (they know not to say anything if I get something going). I had to ask, they told me I was -12, and I played the most nervous closing 4 holes of my life. Scraped out a birdie on 17, almost blew it on 18 by driving it through the fairway close to water but managed to get it done. One of the biggest achievements of my career and I don’t even remember most of it lol.

    • Progolfer

      May 16, 2015 at 1:30 am

      Great story Joe. I’m the anonymous profesisonal golfer he’s referring to in the beginning of the article. Isn’t it funny that on our career days, we had no idea what was really going on? Everything always slows down when I’m playing well, and I just get so into it and absorbed. That’s the key to success in golf (and life, too)– you get out of your own head and connect with what you’re doing. The rest just takes care of itself… Thanks for sharing your story.

  23. Nate

    May 12, 2015 at 9:35 pm

    I was around a 20 handicap until I got serious about my game after graduating from business school two years ago. Last summer, I broke 85 for the first time playing with a coworker at a local metro. I was -1 through 6, even through 8, and finished with an 11 over 83. Was a great round but I am still kicking myself for for playing the final 10 holes at +9. I just started leaking oil on the back 9…spraying the driver all over the place!

  24. Martin

    May 12, 2015 at 8:49 pm

    My best two scores are a 75 on a par 71 slope rating 124 course with a bogey, double finish and a 76 last summer on our par 72/133 course, shot 41/35.

  25. other paul

    May 12, 2015 at 7:29 pm

    Played 9 holes on a local muni. Shot 38, on the 9 hole course. I have never done better then an 84.

  26. RobG

    May 12, 2015 at 4:47 pm

    I’ve broken 80 about 6 times but two times really stand out for me.

    I grew up playing golf around guys with money but they only gambled during their men’s league. The summer I turned 19 (legal age in BC) I joined the men’s league and my first night out, the money and prizes were on the back nine. I went out in 38 (+2) and came back in at 35 (-1). I took about $260 in birdie and skins money. Not bad for a 1st impression.

    The second round (same course, same summer) I shot a 76. This one is special because 3 days prior I was sitting on the hood of my brothers car catching a ride up to the house when he gunned it and shook me off as a prank. I was wearing steel toed work boots and couldn’t catch my feet. I landed hard on the dirt driveway and mangled both my hands. I was picking rocks out of my palms for 2 days. I was playing golf with two gloves on packed with gauze and by the end of the the round blood had soaked through both my gloves. I guess the pain kept me from gripping too tight because I hit about 6 of the best shots of my life that day. Karma is a wonderful thing, I took my brother for $60.

  27. Mike

    May 12, 2015 at 3:48 pm

    Broke par through 9 holes for the first time last week then sorta choked on the back. Still my best ever at a +2, 74.

  28. Alex

    May 12, 2015 at 2:19 pm

    Last year I made par at my home course (71). My handicap at the time was 8 so I shot 63 net. The best thing was I was +3 on the 10th tee and I made 3 birdies coming home. The bad: I lost by 1 to a sandbagger LOL.

    • RG

      May 14, 2015 at 8:05 am

      You are obviously making this up and have no idea how GHIN works, stop you are embarrassing yourself.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

19th Hole

Vincenzi’s 2024 Valspar Championship betting preview: Elite ballstrikers to thrive at Copperhead

Published

on

The PGA TOUR will stay in Florida this week for the 2024 Valspar Championship.

The Copperhead Course at Innisbrook Resort is a par 71 measuring 7,340 yards and features Bermudagrass greens overseeded with POA. Infamous for its difficulty, the track will be a tough test for golfers as trouble lurks all over the place. Holes 16, 17 and 18 — also known as the “Snake Pit” — make up one of the toughest three-hole stretches in golf and should lead to a captivating finish on Sunday.

The field is comprised of 156 golfers teeing it up. The field this week is solid and is a major improvement over last year’s field that felt the impact of players skipping due to a handful of “signature events” in a short span of time. 

Past Winners at Valspar Championship

  • 2023: Taylor Moore (-10)
  • 2022: Sam Burns (-17)
  • 2021: Sam Burns (-17)
  • 2019: Paul Casey (-8)
  • 2018: Paul Casey (-10)
  • 2017: Adam Hadwin (-14)
  • 2016: Charl Schwartzel (-7)
  • 2015: Jordan Spieth (-10)

In this article and going forward, I’ll be using the Rabbit Hole by Betsperts Golf data engine to develop my custom model. If you want to build your own model or check out all of the detailed stats, you can sign up using promo code: MATTVIN for 25% off any subscription package (yearly is best value). 

Key Stats For Copperhead

1. Strokes Gained: Approach

Strokes Gained: Approach grades out as the most important statistic once again this week. Copperhead really can’t be overpowered and is a second-shot golf course.

Total SG: Approach Over Past 24 Rounds (per round)

  1. Tony Finau (+.90)
  2. Nick Taylor (+.81)
  3. Justin Thomas (+.77)
  4. Greyson Sigg (+.69)
  5. Christiaan Bezuidenhout (+.67)

2. Good Drive %

The long hitters can be a bit limited here due to the tree-lined fairways and penal rough. Playing from the fairways will be important, but laying back too far will cause some difficult approaches with firm greens that may not hold shots from long irons.

Golfers who have a good balance of distance and accuracy have the best chance this week.

Good Drive % Over Past 24 Rounds

  1. Brice Garnett (+91.3%) 
  2. Zach Johnson (+91.1%)
  3. Sam Ryder (+90.5%)
  4. Ryan Moore (+90.4%)
  5. Aaron Rai (+89.7%)

3. Strokes Gained: Ball Striking

Adding ball-striking puts even more of a premium on tee-to-green prowess in the statistical model this week. Golfers who rank highly in ball-striking are in total control of the golf ball which is exceedingly important at Copperhead.

SG: Ball Striking Over Past 24 Rounds:

  1. Xander Schauffele (+1.32)
  2. Keith Mitchell (+1.29)
  3. Tony Finau (+1.24)
  4. Cameron Young (+1.17) 
  5. Doug Ghim (+.95)

4. Bogey Avoidance

With the conditions likely to be difficult, avoiding bogeys will be crucial this week. In a challenging event like the Valspar, oftentimes the golfer who is best at avoiding mistakes ends up on top.

Gritty golfers who can grind out difficult pars have a much better chance in an event like this than a low-scoring birdie-fest.

Bogey Avoidance Over Past 24 Rounds

  1. Brice Garnett (+9.0)
  2. Xander Schauffele (+9.3)
  3. Austin Cook (+9.7) 
  4. Chesson Hadley (+10.0)
  5. Greyson Sigg (+10.2)

5. Strokes Gained: Total in Difficult Conditions

Conditions will be tough this week at Copperhead. I am looking for golfers who can rise to the occasion if the course plays as difficult as it has in the past.

Strokes Gained: Total in Difficult Conditions Over Past 24 rounds

  1. Xander Schauffele (+1,71) 
  2. Min Woo Lee (+1.39)
  3. Cameron Young (+1.27)
  4. Jordan Spieth (+1.08)
  5. Justin Suh (+.94)

6. Course History

That statistic will tell us which players have played well at Copperhead in the past.

Course History Over Past 24 rounds

  1. Patrick Cantlay (+3.75) 
  2. Sam Burns (+2.49)
  3. Davis Riley (+2.33)
  4. Matt NeSmith (+2.22)
  5. Jordan Spieth (+2.04)

The Valspar Championship Model Rankings

Below, I’ve compiled overall model rankings using a combination of the five key statistical categories previously discussed — SG: Approach (27%), Good Drive % (15%), SG: BS (20%), Bogeys Avoided (13%), Course History (13%) Strokes Gained: Total in Difficult Conditions (12%).

  1. Xander Schauffele
  2. Doug Ghim
  3. Victor Perez
  4. Greyson Sigg
  5. Ryan Moore
  6. Tony Finau
  7. Justin Thomas
  8. Sam Ryder
  9. Sam Burns
  10. Lucas Glover

2024 Valspar Championship Picks

Justin Thomas +1400 (DraftKings)

Justin Thomas will be disappointed with his finish at last week’s PLAYERS Championship, as the past champion missed the cut despite being in some decent form heading into the event. Despite the missed cut, JT hit the ball really well. In his two rounds, the two-time major champion led the field in Strokes Gained: Approach per round.

Thomas has been up and down this season. He’s missed the cut in two “signature events” but also has finishes of T12 at the Arnold Palmer Invitational, T12 at the Waste Management Phoenix Open, T6 at the Pebble Beach AT&T Pro-Am and T3 at the American Express. In his past 24 rounds, he ranks 3rd in the field in Strokes Gained: Approach and 6th in Strokes Gained: Ball Striking in the field.

Thomas loves Copperhead. In his last three tries at the course, he’s finished T13, T3 and T10. Thomas would have loved to get a win at a big event early in the season, but avoidable mistakes and a balky putter have cost him dearly. I believe a trip to a course he loves in a field he should be able to capitalize on is the right recipe for JT to right the ship.

Christiaan Bezuidenhout +6000 (FanDuel)

Christiaan Bezuidenhout is playing spectacular golf in the 2024 season. He finished 2nd at the American Express, T20 at Pebble Beach and T24 at the Genesis Invitational before finishing T13 at last week’s PLAYERS Championship.

In his past 24 rounds, the South African ranks 3rd in the field in Strokes Gained: Approach and 26th in Strokes Gained: Ball Striking. Bezuidenhout managed to work his way around TPC Sawgrass last week with minimal damage. He only made five bogeys in the entire week, which is a great sign heading into a difficult Copperhead this week.

Bezuidenhout is winless in his PGA Tour career, but certainly has the talent to win on Tour. His recent iron play tells me that this week could be a breakthrough for the 35-year-old who has eyes on the President’s Cup.

Doug Ghim +8000 (FanDuel)

Doug Ghim has finished in the top-16 of his past five starts. Most recently, Ghim finished T16 at The PLAYERS Championship in a loaded field.

In his past 24 rounds, Ghim ranks 8th in Strokes Gained: Approach and 5th in Strokes Gained: Ball Striking. In terms of his fit for Copperhead, the 27-year-old ranks 12th in Bogey Avoidance and 7th in Strokes Gained: Total in Difficult Conditions, making him a great fit for the course.

Ghim has yet to win on Tour, but at one point he was the top ranked Amateur golfer in the world and played in the 2017 Arnold Palmer Cup and 2017 Walker Cup. He then won the Ben Hogan award for the best male college golfer in 2018. He certainly has the talent, and there are signals aplenty that his talent in ready to take him to the winner’s circle on the PGA Tour.

Sepp Straka +8000 (BetRivers)

Sepp Straka is a player who’s shown he has the type of game that can translate to a difficult Florida golf course. The former Presidents Cup participant won the 2022 Honda Classic in tough conditions and should thrive with a similar test at Copperhead.

It’s been a slow 2024 for Straka, but his performance last week at the PLAYERS Championship surely provides some optimism. He gained 5.4 strokes on approach as well as 1.88 strokes off the tee. The tee-to-green game Straka showed on a course with plenty of danger demonstrates that he can stay in control of his golf ball this week.

It’s possible that the strong performance last week was an outlier, but I’m willing to bet on a proven winner in a weaker field at a great number.

Victor Perez +12000 (FanDuel)

Victor Perez is no stranger to success in professional golf. The Frenchman has three DP World Tour wins including a Rolex Series event. He won the 2019 Alfred Dunhill Links Championship, as well as the 2023 Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship, which are some big events.

Perez earned his PGA Tour card this season and enters the week playing some fantastic golf. He finished in a tie for 16th in Florida at the Cognizant Classic and then tied for third in his most recent start at the Puerto Rico Open.

In his past 24 rounds in the field, Perez ranks 11th in Strokes Gained: Approach, 1oth in Strokes Gained: Ball Striking, 6th in Good Drive % and 15th in Bogey Avoidance.

Perez comes in as a perfect fit for Copperhead and offers serious value at triple-digit odds.

Your Reaction?
  • 9
  • LEGIT2
  • WOW0
  • LOL0
  • IDHT0
  • FLOP1
  • OB1
  • SHANK3

Continue Reading

Opinion & Analysis

Myrtle Beach, Explored: February in South Carolina

Published

on

As I gain in experience and age, and familiarity breeds neither contempt nor disdain, I understand why people return to a place. A destination like Myrtle Beach offers a sizable supply and diversity of restaurants, entertainment venues, and shops that are predicated on the tenets of the service industry. Greet your customers with a smile and a kind word, and they will find comfort and assurance. Provide them with a memorable experience and they will suggest your place of business to others.

My first tour of Myrtle Beach took place in the mid-1980s, and consisted of one course: Gator Hole. I don’t remember much from that day, and since Gator Hole closed a decade later, I cannot revisit it to recollect what I’d lost. Since then, I’ve come to the Grand Strand a few times, and been fortunate to never place a course more than once. I’ve seen the Strantz courses to the south and dipped my toe in the North Carolina courses of Calabash. I’ve been to many in the middle, including Dunes, Pine Lakes, Grande Dunes among them.

2024 brought a quartet of new courses, including two at the Barefoot Resort. I’d heard about the North Myrtle Beach four-pack of courses that highlight the Barefoot property, including layouts from Pete Dye, Tom Fazio, Davis Love III, and Greg Norman. I had the opportunity to play and shoot the Dye and Fazio tracks, which means that I’ll have to return to see the other two. Sandwiched between them were the TPC-Myrtle Beach course, also from Tom Fazio, and the Pawley’s Plantation trace, by the hand of Jack Nicklaus. I anticipated a bit of the heroic, and bit of the strategic, and plenty of eye candy. None of those architects would ever be considered a minimalist, so there would be plenty of in-play and out-of-play bunkers and mounds to tantalize the senses.

My nephew arrived a few days early, to screen a few more courses. As a result, you the reader will have an extra quarter of mini-reviews, bringing the total of courses in this piece to eight. It was inconceivable that CJR would play four courses that I had never played nor photographed, but that was the case. His words appear at the end of this piece. We hope that you enjoy the tour.

Main Feature: Two Barefoots, a TPC, and Pawley’s Plantation

Barefoot Dye

What Paul “Pete” Dye brought back from his trips to the United Kingdom, hearkened back to what C.B. MacDonal did, some 65 years prior. There is a way of finding bunkers and fairways, and even green sites, that does not require major industrial work. The Dye course at Barefoot Resorts takes you on a journey over the rumpled terrain of distant places. If there’s one element missing, it’s the creased and turbulent fairways, so often found in England and Ireland. The one tenet of playing a Dye course, is to always aim away from temptation, from where your eyes draw you. Find the safe side of the target, and you’ll probably find your ball. It then stands that you will have a shot for your next attempt. Cut the corner, and you might have need to reload. The Barefoot course begins gently, in terms of distance, but challenges with visual deception. After two brief 4s and a 3, the real work begins. The course is exposed enough, to allow the coastal winds to dance along the fairways. Be ready to keep the ball low and take an extra club or two.

TPC-Myrtle Beach

If memory serves, TPCMB is my first trek around a TPC-branded course. It had all the trappings of a tour course, from the welcome, through the clubhouse, to the practice facilities and, of course, the course. TPC-Myrtle Beach is a Tom Fazio design, and if you never visit Augusta National, you’ll now have an idea of what it is like. You play Augusta’s 16th hole twice at TPCMB, and you enjoy it both times. Fazio really likes the pond-left, green-angle-around par three hole, and his two iterations of it are memorable.

You’ll also see those Augusta bunkers, the ones with the manicured edges that drop into a modestly-circular form. What distinguishes these sand pits is the manner in which they rise from the surrounding ground. They are unique in that they don’t resemble the geometric bunkering of a Seth Raynor, nor the organic pits found in origin courses. They are built, make no mistake, and recovery from them is manageable for all levels of bunker wizardry.

Barefoot Fazio

If you have the opportunity to play the two Tom Fazio courses back to back, you’ll notice a marked difference in styling. Let me digress for a moment, then circle back with an explanation. It was written that the NLE World Woods course designed by Fazio, Pine Barrens, was an homage to Pine Valley, the legendary, New Jersey club where Fazio is both a member and the architect on retainer. The Pine Barrens course was plowed under in 2022, so the homage no longer exists. At least, I didn’t think that it existed, until I played his Barefoot Resort course in North Myrtle Beach.

Pine Valley might be described as an aesthetic of scrub and sand. There are mighty, forced carries to travers, along with sempiternal, sandy lairs to avoid. Barefoot Fazio is quite similar. If you’re not faced with a forced carry, you’ll certainly contend with a fairway border or greenside necklace of sand. When you reach the 13th tee, you’ll face a drive into a fairway, and you might see a distant green, with a notable absence: flagstick. The 13th is the icing on the homage cake, a callout of the 8th hole at Pine Valley. Numero Ocho at the OG has two greens, side by side, and they change the manner in which the hole plays (so they say.) At Barefoot Fazio, the right-side green is a traditional approach, with an unimpeded run of fairway to putting surface. The left-side green (the one that I was fortunate to play) demands a pitch shot over a wasteland. It’s a fitting tribute for the rest of us to play.

Be certain to parrot the starter, Leon’s, advice, and play up a deck of tees. Barefoot Fazio offers five par-three holes, so the fours and fives play that much longer. Remember, too, that you are on vacation. Why not treat yourself to some birdie looks?

Pawley’s Plantation

The Jack Nicklaus course at Pawley’s Plantation emerged from a period of hibernation in 2024. The greens were torn up and their original contours were restored. Work was overseen by Troy Vincent, a member of the Nicklaus Architecture team. In addition, the putting corridors were reseeded with a hardier, dwarf bermuda that has experienced great success, all along the Grand Strand that is Myrtle Beach.

My visit allowed me to see the inward half first, and I understand why the resort wishes to conclude your day on those holes. The front nine of Pawley’s Plantation works its way through familiar, low country trees and wetlands. The back nine begins in similar fashion, then makes its way east, toward the marsh that separates mainland from Pawley’s Island. Recalling the powerful sun of that Wednesday morning, any round beginning on the second nine would face collateral damage from the warming star. Much better to hit holes 11 to close when the sun is higher in the sky.

The marshland holes (12 through 17) are spectacular in their raw, unprotected nature. The winds off the Atlantic are unrelenting and unforgiving, and the twin, par-three holes will remain in your memory banks for time’s march. In typical Golden Bear fashion, a majority of his putting targets are smallish in nature, reflecting his appreciation for accurate approach shots. Be sure to find the forgiving side of each green, and err to that portion. You’ll be grateful.

Bonus Coverage: Myrtlewood, Beechwood, Arrowhead, and King’s North

Arrowhead (Raymond Floyd and Tom Jackson)

A course built in the middle of a community, water threatens on most every hole. The Cypress 9 provides a few holes forcing a carried drive then challenge you with water surrounding the green. On Waterway, a drivable 2nd hole will tempt most, so make sure the group ahead has cleared the green.

Myrtlewood (Edmund Alt and Arthur Hills) and Beechwood (Gene Hamm)

A middle of the winter New Englander’s paradise. Wide open fairways, zero blind shots and light rough allow for shaking off the rust and plenty of forgiveness. A plethora of dog legs cause one to be cautious with every tee shot. Won’t break the bank nor the scorecard.

King’s North @ Myrtle Beach National (Arnold Palmer)

A signature Arnold Palmer course, waste areas, island greens and daring tee shots. Highlighted by the 4th hole Par 5 Gambler hole, if you can hit the smaller fairway on the left you are rewarded with a short approach to get to the green in 2. The back 9 is highlighted by an island green par 3 and a finisher with over 40 bunkers spread throughout. A challenge for any golfer.
Your Reaction?
  • 2
  • LEGIT0
  • WOW0
  • LOL0
  • IDHT0
  • FLOP1
  • OB0
  • SHANK1

Continue Reading

19th Hole

Vincenzi’s 2024 Players Championship betting preview: Pete Dye specialists ready to pass tough TPC Sawgrass test

Published

on

The PGA Tour heads to TPC Sawgrass to play in one of the most prestigious and important events of the season: THE PLAYERS Championship. Often referred to as the fifth major, the importance of a PLAYERS victory to the legacy of a golfer can’t be overlooked.

TPC Sawgrass is a par-72 measuring 7,245 yards and featuring Bermudagrass greens. Golfers must be patient in attacking this Pete Dye course.

With trouble lurking at every turn, the strokes can add up quickly. With a par-5 16th that is a true risk-reward hole and the famous par-3 17th island green, the only safe bet at TPC Sawgrass is a bet on an exciting finish.

THE PLAYERS Championship field is often referred to as the strongest field of the year — and with good reason. There are 144 in the field, including 43 of the world’s top 50 players in the OWGR. Tiger Woods will not be playing in the event.

THE PLAYERS is an exceptionally volatile event that has never seen a back-to-back winner.

Past Winners at TPC Sawgrass

  • 2023: Scottie Scheffler (-17)
  • 2022: Cameron Smith (-13)
  • 2021: Justin Thomas (-14)
  • 2019: Rory McIlroy (-16)
  • 2018: Webb Simpson (-18)
  • 2017: Si-Woo Kim (-10)
  • 2016: Jason Day (-15)
  • 2015: Rickie Fowler (-12)In this article and going forward, I’ll be using the Rabbit Hole by Betsperts Golf data engine to develop my custom model. If you want to build your own model or check out all of the detailed stats, you can sign up using promo code: MATTVIN for 25% off any subscription package (yearly is best value). 

5 Key Stats for TPC Sawgrass

Let’s take a look at five metrics key for TPC Sawgrass to determine which golfers boast top marks in each category over their last 24 rounds.

1. Strokes Gained: Approach

Strokes Gained: Approach has historically been far and away the most important and predictive stat at THE PLAYERS Championship. With water everywhere, golfers can’t afford to be wild with their iron shots. Not only is it essential to avoid the water, but it will also be as important to go after pins and make birdies because scores can get relatively low.

Total SG: Approach Over Past 24 Rounds

  1. Tom Hoge (+1.37) 
  2. Scottie Scheffler (+1.20)
  3. Tony Finau (+0.99)
  4. Jake Knapp (+0.83)
  5. Shane Lowry (+0.80)

2. Total Driving

This statistic is perfect for TPC Sawgrass. Historically, driving distance hasn’t been a major factor, but since the date switch to March, it’s a bit more significant. During this time of year, the ball won’t carry quite as far, and the runout is also shorter.

Driving accuracy is also crucial due to all of the trouble golfers can get into off of the tee. Therefore, players who are gaining on the field with Total Driving will put themselves in an ideal spot this week.

Total Driving Over Past 24 Rounds

  1. Rory McIlroy (22)
  2. Akshay Bhatia (25)
  3. Keith Mitchell (25) 
  4. Adam Hadwin (34)
  5. Sam Burns (+39)

3. Strokes Gained: Total at Pete Dye Designs

TPC Sawgrass may be Pete Dye’s most famous design, and for good reason. The course features Dye’s typical shaved runoff areas and tricky green complexes.  Pete Dye specialists love TPC Sawgrass and should have a major advantage this week.

SG: Total (Pete Dye) per round over past 36 rounds:

  1. Patrick Cantlay (+2.02)
  2. Scottie Scheffler (+1.90)
  3. Min Woo Lee (+1.77) 
  4. Sungjae Im (+1.72)
  5. Brian Harman (+1.62) 

4. Strokes Gained: Ball Striking

Prototypical ball-strikers have dominated TPC Sawgrass. With past winners like Sergio Garcia, Henrik Stenson, Webb Simpson, Rory McIlroy and Justin Thomas, it’s evident that golfers must be striking it pure to contend at THE PLAYERS.

SG: Ball Striking Over Past 24 Rounds

  1. Scottie Scheffler (+2.02)
  2. Tony Finau (+1.51)
  3. Tom Hoge (+1.48)
  4. Keith Mitchell (+1.38)
  5. Will Zalatoris (+1.18)

5. Par 5 Average

Par-5 average is extremely important at TPC Sawgrass. With all four of the Par-5s under 575 yards, and three of them under 540 yards, a good amount of the scoring needs to come from these holes collectively.

Par 5 Average Over Past 24 Rounds

  1. Scottie Schefler (+4.31)
  2. Erik Van Rooyen (+4.35)
  3. Doug Ghim (+4.34)
  4. Wyndham Clark (+4.34)
  5. Matt Fitzpatrick (+4.31)

6. Strokes Gained: Florida

We’ve used this statistic over the past few weeks, and I’d like to incorporate some players who do well in Florida into this week’s model as well. 

Strokes Gained: Florida over past 30 rounds:

  1. Scottie Schefler (+2.43)
  2. Erik Van Rooyen (+1.78)
  3. Doug Ghim (+1.78)
  4. Wyndham Clark (+1.73)
  5. Matt Fitzpatrick (+1.69)

7. Strokes Gained: Total on Courses with High Water Danger

With water everywhere at TPC Sawgrass, the blow-up potential is high. It can’t hurt to factor in some players who’ve avoided the “eject” button most often in the past. 

Strokes Gained: Total on Courses with High Water Danger over past 30 rounds:

  1. Scottie Schefler (+2.08)
  2. Rory McIlroy (+1.82)
  3. Tony Finau (+1.62)
  4. Patrick Cantlay (+1.51)
  5. Will Zalatoris (+1.49)

THE PLAYERS Championship Model Rankings

Below, I’ve compiled overall model rankings using a combination of the five key statistical categories previously discussed — SG: Approach (25%), Total Driving (20%), SG: Total Pete Dye (14%), SG: Ball-striking (15%) SG: Par 5 (8%), SG: Florida (10%) and SG: High Water (8%).

  1. Scottie Scheffler 
  2. Shane Lowry 
  3. Tony Finau 
  4. Corey Conners
  5. Keith Mitchell
  6. Justin Thomas
  7. Will Zalatoris
  8. Xander Schauffele
  9. Cameron Young
  10. Doug Ghim
  11. Sam Burns 
  12. Chris Kirk
  13. Collin Morikawa
  14. Si Woo Kim
  15. Wyndham Clark

2024 THE PLAYERS Championship Picks

(All odds at the time of writing)

Patrick Cantlay +2500 (DraftKings):

Patrick Cantlay is winless since the 2022 BMW Championship but is undoubtedly one of the most talented players on the PGA Tour. Since the win at Wilmington Country Club, the 31-year-old has twelve top-10 finishes on Tour and is starting to round into form for the 2024 season.

Cantlay has done well in the most recent “signature” events this season, finishing 4th at Riviera for the Genesis Invitational and 12th at Bay Hill for the Arnold Palmer Invitational. The former Tour Championship winner resides in Jupiter, Florida and has played some good golf in the state, including finishing in a tie for 4th at the 2023 Arnold Palmer Invitational. His history at TPC Sawgrass has been up and down, but his best career start at The PLAYERS came last year when he finished in a tie for 19th.

Cantlay absolutely loves Pete Dye designed courses and ranks 1st in the field in Strokes Gained: Total on Dye tracks in his past 36 rounds. In recent years, he’s been excellent at both the RBC Heritage and the Travelers Championship. TPC Sawgrass is a place where players will have to be dialed in with their irons and distance off the tee won’t be quite as important. In his past 24, rounds, Cantlay ranks in the field in Strokes Gained: Approach.

Despite being winless in recent years, I still believe Cantlay is capable of winning big tournaments. As one of the only United States players to bring their best game to Marco Simone for the Ryder Cup, I have conviction that the former top amateur in the world can deliver when stakes are high.

Will Zalatoris +3000 (FanDuel):

In order to win at TPC Sawgrass, players will need to be in total control of their golf ball. At the moment, Will Zalatoris is hitting it as well as almost anyone and finally has the putter cooperating with his new switch to the broomstick style.

Zalatoris is coming off back-to-back starts where he absolutely striped the ball. He finished 2nd at the Genesis Invitational and 4th at the Arnold Palmer Invitational where his statistics were eye opening. For the week at Bay Hill, Zal gained 5.0 strokes on approach and 5.44 strokes off the tee.

Throughout the early part of his career, Zalatoris has established himself by playing his best golf in the strongest fields with the most difficult conditions. A tough test will allow him to separate himself this week and breakthrough for a PLAYERS Championship victory.

Shane Lowry +4000 (DraftKings):

History has shown us that players need to be in good form to win the PLAYERS Championship and it’s hard to find anyone not named Scottie Scheffler who’s in better form that Shane Lowry at the moment. He finished T4 at the Cognizant Classic followed by a solo third place finish at the Arnold Palmer Invitational.

The fact that the Irishman contended at Bay Hill is a great sign considering he’s really struggled there throughout his career. He will now head to a different style of course in Florida where he’s had a good deal of success. He finished 8th at TPC Sawgrass in 2021 and 13th in 2022. 

Lowry ranks 6th in the field in approach in his past 24 rounds, 7th in Strokes Gained: Total at Pete Dye designed courses in his last 30 rounds, 8th in par 5 scoring this season, and 4th in Strokes Gained: Total in Florida over his past 36 rounds.

Lowry is a player who’s capable of winning big events. He’s a major champion and won another premier event at Wentworth as well as a WGC at Firestone. He’s also a form player, when he wins it’s typically when he’s contended in recent starts. He’s been terrific thus far in Florida and he should get into contention once again this week.

Brian Harman +8000 (DraftKings):

(Note: Since writing this Harman’s odds have plummeted to 50-1. I would not advise betting the 50).

Brian Harman showed us last season that if the course isn’t extremely long, he has the accuracy both off the tee and with his irons to compete with anyone in the world. Last week at Bay Hill and was third in the field in Strokes Gained: Approach, gaining 5.54 strokes on the field in the category.

In addition to the strong iron play, Harman also gained strokes off the tee in three of four rounds. He’s also had success at Pete Dye tracks recently. He finished 2nd at last year’s Travelers Championship and 7th at the RBC Heritage.

It would be a magnificent feat for Harman to win both the Open Championship and PLAYERS in a short time frame, but the reality is the PGA Tour isn’t quite as strong as it once was. Harman is a player who shows up for the biggest events and his odds seem way too long for his recent track record.

Tony Finau +6500 (FanDuel):

A few weeks ago, at the Genesis Invitational, I bet Hideki Matsuyama because I believed it to be a “bet the number” play at 80-1. I feel similarly about Finau this week. While he’s not having the season many people expected of him, he is playing better than these odds would indicate.

This season, Tony has a tied for 6th place finish at Torrey Pines, a tied for 19th at Riviera and tied for 13th at the Mexico Open. He’s also hitting the ball extremely well. In the field in his past 24 rounds, he ranks 3rd in Strokes Gained: Approach, 3rd in Strokes Gained: Ball Striking, 6th in Par 5 average and 15th in Total Driving.

Finau’s problem has been with the putter, which has been undeniably horrific. However, this week he will see a putting surface similar to the POA at TPC Scottsdale and PGA West, which he’s had a great deal of success on. It’s worth taking a stab at this price to see if he can have a mediocre week with the flat stick.

Sungjae Im +9000 (FanDuel):

It’s been a lackluster eighteen months for Sungjae, who once appeared to be a certain star. While his ceiling is absolutely still there, it’s been a while since we’ve seen Im play the type of golf expected of a player with his talent.

Despite the obvious concerns, the South Korean showed glimpses of a return to form last week at the Arnold Palmer Invitational. He tied for 18th place and gained strokes off the tee, on approach, around the green and with the putter. When at his best, Im is a perfect course fit for TPC Sawgrass. He has remarkable precision off the tee, can get dialed in with his irons on shorter courses and can get up and down with the best players on Tour.

This number has gotten to the point where I feel comfortable taking a shot on it.

Billy Horschel +20000 (FanDuel):

Billy Horschel is a great fit on paper for TPC Sawgrass. He can get dialed in with his irons and his lack of distance off the tee won’t be a major detriment at the course. “Bermuda Billy” does his best work putting on Bermudagrass greens and he appears to be rounding into form just in time to compete at The PLAYERS.

In his most recent start, Billy finished in a tie for 9th at the Cognizant Classic and hit the ball extremely well. The former Florida Gator gained 3.32 strokes on approach and 2.04 strokes off the tee. If Horschel brings that type of ball striking to TPC Sawgrass, he has the type of putter who can win a golf tournament.

Horschel has been great on Pete Dye designed courses, with four of his seven career PGA Tour wins coming on Dye tracks.

In a season that has seen multiple long shots win big events, the 37-year-old is worth a stab considering his knack for playing in Florida and winning big events.

 

Your Reaction?
  • 30
  • LEGIT10
  • WOW4
  • LOL2
  • IDHT0
  • FLOP3
  • OB1
  • SHANK6

Continue Reading

WITB

Facebook

Trending