Connect with us

Opinion & Analysis

Swanson: Proposing a bifurcation of rules for Tiger Woods at the U.S. Open

Published

on

Warning: Swanson, the author of this story, does not exist… except in his writing. His character is completely imagined, but that doesn’t mean his opinions aren’t real. 

So, Tiger Woods registered for the 2016 U.S. Open. I’m not sure how that’s allowed; he definitely has a handicap that’s higher than the USGA’s 1.4 max for entry, but regardless he might play. I know it’s literally impossible, but if Tiger Woods were to win the 2016 U.S. Open, the golf media, fanboys, TV networks and the collective free world would wet their tiger-printed under garments. Elation of the highest degree.

And I, for one, would be devastated.

It makes me physically sick to my stomach to even think about watching Tiger play golf at Oakmont. You know the cameras will be on him every step, swing and spit, no matter how poorly he’s performing. They’ll probably have a Konica Minolta slo-mo video breakdown of him opening the Port-A-John door.

“Look at the way he grasps the Loo handle there, Johnny. Just not quite the grip strength we saw back in 2000.”

I mean, get over him already. He hasn’t been good at golf since he switched to a graphite shaft in his driver. And while I’m no Butch Harmon, I say he should go back to that steel shaft. Could he really drive it any worse? And ditch the 5-wood, too. I knew he’d pull a David Duval in the world rankings once I saw him hitting a 5-wood instead of a 2-iron. Stingers equal trophies.

The faster Tiger gets another major win, the faster we can move on from him, which is all I really want. Golf doesn’t need him. Just look at all the first-time, no-name winners we’ve had on Tour this year; it’s absolutely riveting. And you know Tiger will proverbially mic drop if he wins at Oakmont and swim off into his Navy Seal dream strapped in combat boots. So all I need is one more major victory and the Tiger nightmare is over. Therefore, I’m proposing the USGA stacks the deck to make it remotely attainable for Tiger to win the U.S. Open this year.

Here are 9 different rule-and-format changes that could allow Tiger to win his precious 15th major, and get him out of my face once and for all.

Validation

Whoever the leader is after 72-holes of the U.S. Open needs to “validate” their win by playing against Tiger on Monday in an 18-hole match play event. It’s winner-take-all; whoever wins on Monday wins the U.S. Open.

This way, Tiger only needs to beat one player and only has to play one round. Plus, my barber comes on Mondays, so I wouldn’t even feel obligated to watch.

The Sammy Sosa treatment

Remember when Sammy Sosa got caught using a corked bat? Well, I say we let Tiger play illegal golf clubs and balls that are juiced for more distance, more spin and more control. He can play the best equipment Nike can design.

Handicapped

You know the golfer who takes the USGA handicap system too seriously? The one who picks up his ball if he’s making more than a double bogey because, “My handicap doesn’t allow me to record more than a double,” he says. Then he ends up beating you, even though he picked up his ball on half the holes. Same concept here.

Tiger would be allowed to pick up his ball after he takes a maximum of 5 strokes on any hole. Surely he’d be able to at least make the cut.

Who wants to be… Tiger Woods?

Just like on Who Wants to be a Millionaire, Tiger would be allowed to use three lifelines per round. Here are the lifelines I propose:

  • Phone Johnny Miller for a read on the greens (did you know he once shot 63 at Oakmont? If you’ve ever watched a Johnny Miller telecast, then the answer is “yes”).
  • Consult Brandel Chamblee and/or Frank Nobilo on his swing technique. As we’ve learned on Golf Channel, they know more about Tiger’s swing than he does.
  • Poll the audience for a rules interpretation. Tiger has struggled with drops, oscillating golf balls and generally being cavalier with the rules, so this may save him some strokes in the end.

Teamwork

Tiger gets to choose a partner and play “best ball” during the entire event, but he has to pick from the following players:

  • Stephen Ames
  • Rory Sabbatini
  • Jesper Parnevik
  • Vijay Singh

Choose carefully, Tiger!

Tiger Par

Let him play against a “Tiger Par” like his father used to allow. Oakmont has a 77.5 course rating from the championship tees, but let’s round up to 80. That should be enough strokes to get the job done, right?

Scrambled eggs

Just like at your local golf outing, Tiger would be allowed to purchase as many mulligans and breakfast balls as he wants. They’ll cost $1 million each, and the money will be donated to the charity of the USGA’s choice. It’s a win-win!

Drive, chip and putt

In a contest held by the USGA, there would be a drive, chip and putt competition open to all golfers. The winner from each category would then play in place of Tiger during those respective shots. This means Tiger only needs to hit iron shots throughout the round, which is one of the only two things he was ever good at anyway — the other one was being a professional golfer during a time when there was no competition. And he was really, really good at that second one.

Tiger Woods PGA Tour

You know how in the Tiger Woods PGA Tour video game you can control the spin of the golf ball while it’s still in the air? The USGA should team up with NASA to engineer a golf ball that allows Tiger to control the spin after he hits it, just like in his video game.

Your Reaction?
  • 318
  • LEGIT26
  • WOW21
  • LOL98
  • IDHT11
  • FLOP58
  • OB44
  • SHANK1243

Swanson doesn't exist, except in his writing. He doesn't play for score any more, as he's too busy working on his spin rates. For tournament purposes, he has a 2 handicap on file from high school golf, registered at his home club, which is only reachable by private watercraft.

137 Comments

137 Comments

  1. Earll

    Jun 17, 2016 at 9:53 am

    Leave my little boy alone.

    What difference does it make if he cheated on his wife so many times? HE’S TIGER WOODS!, so it’s ok.

    What difference does it make if he cheats on the golf course? HE’S TIGER WODS! So, it’s ok!

    What difference does it make that he swears in front of little kids all the time? HE’S TIGER WOODS!! So, it’s ok!

    What difference does it make that he spits all over the golf course? HE’S TIGER WOODS!!! So, it’s ok!

  2. Joe

    May 27, 2016 at 1:55 pm

    I was hoping this article would not resurface.

  3. sss

    May 25, 2016 at 10:55 pm

    w e a k…

  4. ComeOnSense

    May 11, 2016 at 10:19 pm

    Sad that you have to write trash in order to get “hits”online,,this is how low a write or website can go .But I blame mostly WRXGOLF and the Advertisers for promoting this kind of s..t and anger toward Society. Where’s your morality and responsibilities to Society?

    • RAT

      May 24, 2016 at 9:30 am

      I agree, ran out of material , this is a filler for the page Don’t waste my time with this kind junk.

  5. SPANKY

    May 10, 2016 at 2:29 pm

    what a bunch of loosers, especially tiger

  6. COGolfer

    May 8, 2016 at 12:15 am

    Who know WRX was in the business of trolling.

  7. Mat

    May 7, 2016 at 4:06 pm

    Whoever Swanson is, I hope I never meet them in real life. I could hurl insults, but not one of them is worth it. Literally*.

    *Not literally, but that’s about as far as I read. You make my head figuratively explode.

  8. mlecuni

    May 7, 2016 at 3:12 pm

    This website deserves better

  9. F

    May 7, 2016 at 4:02 am

    No loophole, little girl, you have no idea what you’re talking about. Stop hassling the good people

    • Ps

      May 7, 2016 at 6:42 pm

      No nerves needed unlike you who is just a scared nervous lonely girl

    • Bill Mac

      May 9, 2016 at 12:30 am

      Done it again. Go Smizzle.

  10. The Real Swanson

    May 7, 2016 at 1:31 am

    The number of spelling and grammar mistakes in the comments is what concerns me the most.

  11. Johny Thunder

    May 6, 2016 at 11:58 pm

    Dear Swanson,

    whether your writing is especially good or not, you are grossly overestimating your audience in thinking they will understand satire. Perhaps you are from a more educated country than the US; most people here didn’t “get” Monty Python either. And a heck of a lot of people don’t get that The Colbert Report was a (largely) satirical show and character. Watch the televised pro-am tournaments some time and see what passes for humor in the larger golf world; comedians who were likely too old for vaudeville telling knock-knock jokes (and only that because their racist and sexist jokes only play at the country club). A cursory look at the comments will tell you – this stuff goes over most heads like an Airbus.

    • J

      May 7, 2016 at 8:31 pm

      It’s a best a poor attempt at satire. To mention this article in the same breath as Monthy Python and Colbert is an offense to both.

  12. BuzzFeedCEO

    May 6, 2016 at 11:18 pm

    Swanson stop stealing our business model of making s***ty lists that lack any creativity or critical reasoning. Our lawyers will be in touch.

    -Jonah, CEO of Buzzfeed

    Taylormade R15 Driver XX Stiff elements Chrome
    Taylormade Aeroburner 3W 5W
    Taylormade Burner (4-PW)
    Taylormade ATV Wedges
    Taylormade OS Spider Putter

  13. JG

    May 6, 2016 at 10:51 pm

    I couldn’t even get through the whole article. Not funny. Not true. Just mad. SMH.

  14. Chuck D

    May 6, 2016 at 9:17 pm

    If anything, the ghost writer achieved his/her goal by having it read a jillion times! Look at the responses.

  15. Chris

    May 6, 2016 at 8:27 pm

    …and you wonder why WRX’s forums is nothing but people attacking each other. Your articles like this only promote the negativity that goes on

    • F

      May 7, 2016 at 4:01 am

      It’s because you’re an uneducated little girl who has nothing intelligent or respectful to say

      • Sp

        May 8, 2016 at 2:43 am

        Wrong sport, culo

      • G

        May 9, 2016 at 2:38 am

        Yeah ok, pretending to be somebody else isn’t really going to fool anybody, and somebody called you Mary and clearly that’s more appropriate than the above

  16. John Triscott

    May 6, 2016 at 8:24 pm

    Actually a great topic for a satire article (which is why I clicked on the article) but its like you had Butch Harmon work with you, Custom set of golf clubs, new clothes, then you get to the first tee, brand new ProV1 and you… SHANK! This actually worse than the FTF fillers…

  17. Other Paul

    May 6, 2016 at 7:59 pm

    Satire at its worst. An article designed to stir up controversy (it is working) and get hits on the website. I didnt enjoy it at all.

  18. Athletic Supporter

    May 6, 2016 at 6:06 pm

    Just when I thought all the dirt had been thrown on poor Tiger, LOL. Sad fact is he will never win another PGA event, never mind a major. Unfortunately, it’s just painful to watch Tiger struggling to make a cut and then using a new, incredulous excuse when he opts to withdraw(. Formal retirement might be the best exit plan at this point.

  19. J.R.

    May 6, 2016 at 4:22 pm

    I lost it on number 5… lol
    #WaterInMyKeyboard

    • Christosterone

      May 6, 2016 at 4:54 pm

      What exactly did you lose?
      -Christosterone

  20. Shayan1121

    May 6, 2016 at 3:19 pm

    This is pretty bad. Not just the subject matter, the writing style is just plain awful and almost unreadable.

    As someone who graduated with a degree in writing/journalism, I find it hard to believe you pay this person to write for you. It makes me scratch my head that people who write like this have jobs/get paid and I had a hard time finding work after graduating. What a waste.

  21. Mike

    May 6, 2016 at 2:59 pm

    Kudos to WRX if you don’t like Swanson don’t visit the website. woods has done nothing for golf only for himself if you see it differently get yourself a life! The next time you need to make your house payment or put food on your table shit in one hand or call woods for help see which one you get first. I’ve been in the golf business for 55 plus years and more rules have been changed to accommodate woods than any player that came before him.Great player but a person with no moral character who loves only himself and wives of anyone else!

    • Tyler

      May 6, 2016 at 4:21 pm

      Huh? 55 years in the biz, and you can’t see his impact on the sport? Did you stop watching when Jack won his last Masters?

      • Mike

        May 6, 2016 at 5:10 pm

        I haven’t watched a golf tournament that woods has played in since his indiscretions. The golf channel worships woods like he’s a God and I don’t watch the golf channel. The media can take all the PC statements and place them in the hand that fills up first. Your correct he has had an impact and it’s not a good one. When’s the last time America has contended in the Ryder cup rest assured it won’t be this year!

        • Tyler

          May 7, 2016 at 9:15 am

          Im not really sure that he’s 100% to blame for the Ryder Cup losses. Most every US Ryder Cup player has had a dismal record lately. I’m optimistic about the Future of the US team. If you are not watching golf tournaments he plays in then I would assume you don’t watch the NBA, NFL, etc. I respect your views because you sound like a man with high morals. I just think we don’t have to take entertainment that seriously.

    • Harley Weewax

      May 6, 2016 at 5:39 pm

      Perfectly stated!

  22. Vancouver Mellencamp

    May 6, 2016 at 2:42 pm

    I find this article very offensive. Not to Tiger, but to ‘writing’. And ‘humor’.

    • SPANKY

      May 6, 2016 at 3:04 pm

      It’s perfect because golf has turned into a stupid reality show- look at these pampas P^$$!{S on the course these days. They all make me sick! I wish there were more Swansons but the reality is they are all gone and golf is suck a lame pathetic thing to watch and the loosers that secrete over it are idiotic!

      • Mike

        May 6, 2016 at 5:15 pm

        Your correct I only hope more people see what golf has become. Unfortunately most are blinded by the BS.

        • Fat Hacker

          May 6, 2016 at 11:46 pm

          It is YOU’RE correct. I get it that you are angry, disaffected, disenchanted and generally butt-hurt, but please – in the name of all that is holy – learn to write.

  23. B. Parsons

    May 6, 2016 at 2:18 pm

    Please just stop with this “author”. Stupid stories and they are more disrespectful than funny.

    • Mike

      May 6, 2016 at 5:17 pm

      woods deserves NO respect!

      • Other Paul

        May 6, 2016 at 7:55 pm

        Everyone deserves some respect. Whether they earn it and lose it or not.

  24. Fictional Reader

    May 6, 2016 at 1:56 pm

    #SwansonISlameGOLFWRXSHAME

  25. Johnny

    May 6, 2016 at 1:46 pm

    Garbage article. Let Swanson post in the forums, but don’t put him on the front page.

  26. remy

    May 6, 2016 at 1:38 pm

    w.t.f. hide behind swanson to piss on tiger but he really help our sports getting fans and more fans mean more money mean more golf club and……..

  27. Marc G

    May 6, 2016 at 1:29 pm

    Tiger may not be the golfer he once was, but he is one of best ever. Deserves some respect. This article is just stupid, like the couple other times I’ve read things you wrote.

  28. Steve

    May 6, 2016 at 1:16 pm

    Loved it – keep them coming. The Tiger lovers have lost their sense of humor…………….

    • Robeli

      May 6, 2016 at 1:21 pm

      Did they ever had a sense of humor?

    • Anna

      May 6, 2016 at 2:36 pm

      Seems like your one of those guys that think they’re funny, but really people are laughing at you, not your jokes.

  29. CCshop

    May 6, 2016 at 1:03 pm

    I use to respect golfwrx.com but dumb posts like these have made me lose so much respect for this site

  30. Raven

    May 6, 2016 at 1:02 pm

    All these comments about this being humorous for whatever reason… it simply isn’t very funny. This guy has some good ideas but doesn’t have the ability to follow through with them.

  31. Steve Hyun

    May 6, 2016 at 12:49 pm

    dumb. please stop with these

  32. Robeli

    May 6, 2016 at 12:45 pm

    Oh my, some of the comments should get a life.

  33. Bdinger

    May 6, 2016 at 12:28 pm

    Don’t get distracted by the blindly pro-tiger comments. Regardless of what you think of Tiger, this article sucks. It’s supposed to be funny, right? That’s the problem. Not funny. And not because of the subject matter . .just not funny. It takes a certain skill/talent to be funny. This guy does not have it. He’s like the 2016 Tiger Woods of being funny.

  34. Relax

    May 6, 2016 at 12:24 pm

    They really need to keep writing these articles… if it is going to get all the uptight people to leave the site then WRX is better off. Everyone just needs to relax, if you don’t like what Swanson has to say DON’T READ IT. This is the third article and you know what it is going to be, yet you still insist on getting your lace panties in a bunch by reading it anyway. I am going to become a member specifically for these articles. The entire golf world needs to lighten up a bit and move away from all these old people who are angry all the time. HAVE SOME FUN!!!!!!

    • MisawaGol4

      May 9, 2016 at 7:31 am

      That is why golf is dying… IT’S NO LONGER ABOUT HAVING FUN! I love this article and those like it. Once in awhile you just have to enjoy reading something and stop evaluating it against your favorite copy of Gone With The Wind or War And Peace.

  35. Dan

    May 6, 2016 at 12:04 pm

    Wow, I really do not like Tiger (although he’s come a long away from the jerk he was…..) and I find this article completely offensive, mean-spirited and gratuitous. Its a shock that WRX would publish this. If Woods won a 15th major, he’s walking away? I doubt it.

    I understand what satire is, but this is kicking a guy when he’s down. (And I dont like him). I expect golf to be treated a little better by GolfWRX.

    Maybe GolfWRX’s time has passed…………..Bro

    • Scott

      May 6, 2016 at 4:23 pm

      It is supposed to be offensive and mean-spirited.

  36. Ex Follower

    May 6, 2016 at 12:03 pm

    This is the straw that broke the camel’s back. This article (and this writer) is so offensive I am cancelling my subscription to your publications, deleting my account and will NEVER visit this site again. You really should listen to your readers… this guy stinks.

    C-ya, bye.

  37. Pete

    May 6, 2016 at 11:58 am

    Was this article written by a High School kid (with a D- GPA)?

  38. Mike Honcho

    May 6, 2016 at 11:48 am

    Better story title: Golf WRX proposes reader poll to remove Swanson as a writer. His keyboard would be unplugged before lunch.

    “my barber comes on Mondays”. You have someone that comes to your home and cuts your hair I take it? Bushwood membership $$ does have its perks I guess.

    • Mike

      May 6, 2016 at 5:25 pm

      Iam a member at Bushwood and take offense to what you have posted!

  39. Joe

    May 6, 2016 at 11:47 am

    The article is not very original or very funny. I can certainly see why the author wants to be anonymous.

    • Robeli

      May 6, 2016 at 12:46 pm

      I can also see why some of these ‘comments’ wants to be anonymous. LOL

  40. Tourgrinder

    May 6, 2016 at 11:47 am

    Well, one thing is for sure. Swanson is definitely a millennial or even younger. If he plays the Tiger Woods PGA Tour video game, I don’t need to know anything more. He most likely watches Colbert for his news, thinks Conan and Samantha Bee are intelligent and funny, and also misses Chelsea Handler.

  41. Sq

    May 6, 2016 at 11:46 am

    Let him use the square grooves that helped him win those majors.

    And makes sure there are Blondes waiting for him at every green to clean his balls

    • TCJ

      May 6, 2016 at 12:18 pm

      Might as well toss that salad while you’re down there ladies!

    • Robeli

      May 6, 2016 at 12:48 pm

      Keep this civil. No below the belt comment.

  42. Cornfused...

    May 6, 2016 at 11:45 am

    Here is how to describe this article’s hate:

    1. People don’t realize it is fake and made for satire purposes only.
    2. There are actual people in the boards who are saying these things all the time and they are pissed that someone made a satire out of them.
    3. They legitimately have no sense of sarcasm what-so-ever. I’ve run in to these people in real life, it is frightening.

    • Pete

      May 6, 2016 at 11:59 am

      I have no problem with satire. But this is just dumb.

  43. Professor

    May 6, 2016 at 11:41 am

    Coward!

  44. Greg V

    May 6, 2016 at 11:37 am

    Swanson – some of your best work.

  45. SHANK

    May 6, 2016 at 11:32 am

    Terrible article. Fire the writer after you out him to us the reader. Pathetic trash of a site this has quickly become. You gonna write about how Rory is washed up too? He’s only played 18 holes since the masters! Loser…

    SHANK

  46. Steven

    May 6, 2016 at 11:32 am

    Awwww…..what’s the matter? Tiger fans are so enamored with their hero that they can’t sense even the most blatant sarcasm. I love seeing their collective panties in a bunch. As I’ve always said, Tiger fans and Golf fans are mutually exclusive of one another.

    • SHANK

      May 6, 2016 at 11:43 am

      Maybe golf fans and tiger fans should have separate water fountains and bathrooms, too.

      This article is a joke in poor taste, maybe they should write one about how Rory has played only 18 holes since the Masters and he is clearly washed up because of it. GOLFWRX blogs are going downhill lately.

    • Brandon

      May 6, 2016 at 11:46 am

      The problem is you’re too dumb to realize that no one cares about Tiger being made fun of – its that the article is not even slightly humorous. If you’re going to make fun of Tiger, at least be funny. Throw in some jokes about getting the glutes firing, having hot women on the course as reward to entice better play…you know something that hasn’t been beaten to death. Oh wait.

      • Robeli

        May 6, 2016 at 12:51 pm

        Tiger has been beaten to death – that’s the problem.

  47. RollTheRock

    May 6, 2016 at 11:25 am

    So many haters. This article is hilarious, just don’t read it and let the others enjoy.

    • painter33

      May 6, 2016 at 11:49 am

      “Hilarious”? Irony is usually carried off best when there is some intellect behind it – as in “wit”, not comedy. The references to guys playing “because they can” and make the cut proves that they still can kick it around pretty well. Tiger is far from Tom Watson at this point. I agree that steel shafts allow for a more aggressive swing with a more controllable dispersion, but Tiger has one a few with graphite. This is just very unfunny though tries to be clever. It’s not.

      • Hack

        May 6, 2016 at 1:20 pm

        You seriously are debating the merits of steel versus graphite? Maybe, just maybe you have missed the point.

        • RollTheRock

          May 6, 2016 at 1:52 pm

          Hack, it’s over. Painter33 one this round.

  48. CulbTwirl

    May 6, 2016 at 11:23 am

    I love these. Keep’ em coming!!!

  49. rechlo67

    May 6, 2016 at 11:22 am

    What a horrible article.

  50. steve

    May 6, 2016 at 10:59 am

    Man this guy is a IDIOT, make him go away

  51. chad

    May 6, 2016 at 10:50 am

    This should be a Southwest airlines commercial….

    ” you know when you write a forum blog and you think it’s hilarious…..but then…..everyone hates it”…..Wanna get away?

  52. Tyler

    May 6, 2016 at 10:41 am

    Is this writer even a golfer? Does he not remember the last year Tiger was healthy, 2013? Voted by his peers as Player of the Year, and thumped a whining Sergio to win the Players Championship. I am really looking forward to watching Tiger play. If he gets healthy he has at least 8 great years in the tank. The new big five is full of great guys who are great players, but none of them will sniff the career of the GOAT. When the new big five is done you could probably add up there career majors and PGA Tour victories, and it still wouldn’t equal Tiger Woods. Phil is the 2nd best golfer in the past 20 years, and Tiger has still had at least 3 times the career. This writer is trash, and is beneath Golf Wrx. If you don’t want to watch it…..don’t tune in.

  53. Don

    May 6, 2016 at 10:40 am

    I get the intent of this article. And I really wanted to laugh. But I didn’t. Forced attempt at humor. Comedy and satire require a twisting of the viewpoints until you get to a perspective that can be taken in a whole bunch of directions. They have to be based on truth, however. This article loses the plot as soon as it mentions graphite shaft. ha… ha… ha… If this is an area GolfWRX wants to really get into as a niche section then you guys need better writers. Or, get this guy to read some books on how to write humor. They are out there.

    • Ron

      May 6, 2016 at 12:22 pm

      Best comment so far. There was probably a good satirical or parody piece to be written on this subject. Unfortunately “Swanson” failed miserably. Reads like an 8th grader wrote it trying to be funny.

    • Cornfused...

      May 6, 2016 at 3:59 pm

      What you might want to do is head to the threads and check out what real people are saying about Tiger. Then you might change your mind about this article. Just saying that real people are really saying most of the things covered in this article.

      • Ron

        May 6, 2016 at 6:11 pm

        I know people are saying a lot of the same things about Tiger but this “writer” just sucks at the way he says it. Like I said it could have been a great read if the author could write. Good premise, bad execution. Maybe he just couldn’t get his brain firing.

  54. George

    May 6, 2016 at 10:37 am

    I think Swanson left out the most important accommodation.

    Swanson should caddie for Tiger Woods at Oakmont.

  55. Rob

    May 6, 2016 at 10:16 am

    Guys, Lighten Up. I’m pretty sure this is one of those tongue-in-cheek type articles that was purposely written to be as over the top hateful as possible. Over done? Yeah a little, but I found it hilarious.

  56. cody

    May 6, 2016 at 10:12 am

    i actually think this is funny @ #1. rather than design a super golf ball. Just let him Play PGA tour 2016 on the xbox to compete.

  57. mitch

    May 6, 2016 at 9:57 am

    somebody woke up hating tiger woods today!

  58. Jay

    May 6, 2016 at 9:50 am

    Sad to think my $35 membership fee supports this – plenty of homeless folks could have used it more and accomplished far more with the $$

  59. Konklifer

    May 6, 2016 at 9:46 am

    Does Golfwrx actually pay this @$$hat?

    • Robeli

      May 6, 2016 at 12:55 pm

      No, you actually help pay. By reading WRX, you create traffic which pleases advertisers which pays the bill.

  60. Christosterone

    May 6, 2016 at 9:40 am

    The last time he was halfway healthy(2.5 years ago) he won 5 times including the Players…let me repeat that, 5 Times..

    congrats on the troll though…

    -Christosterone

  61. Donald Quiote

    May 6, 2016 at 9:28 am

    Dear GolfWrx,
    Your site usually is filled with such great articles and good reads. I know you thought this could be a fun experiment with allowing a troll to have access to posting articles but it’s failing. Please remove this and take time to find someone who acutally writes something that would contribute to site.

    Best Reguards,
    Don Quiote

  62. devilsadvocate

    May 6, 2016 at 9:21 am

    Good lord so many people got the satire but missed the joke…. Swanson does not share an opinion with the writer… Swanson spouts garbage you would expect to hear from “that guy” at the club… The writer is saying this is the kind of thing a moron says and doesn’t believe any of it to be accurate. Its supposed to represent the opinion of an idiot… If you happen to share Swanson’s opinion the writer is saying u are an idiot…. If u didn’t get that and are rushing to defend tiger unnecessarily you are also an idiot and missed the whole point of the article

    • BrewmeisterSmith

      May 6, 2016 at 10:09 am

      Well said. I was shocked at many of the responses and then I remembered how many dumb people there are in this world.

    • Jvokal

      May 6, 2016 at 11:51 am

      Amen! Its laughable and sad that so many people completely missed the point of the article.

    • Robeli

      May 6, 2016 at 1:01 pm

      Amen

    • Brandon

      May 6, 2016 at 1:58 pm

      No, we totally get what the writer is trying to do. It’s that its unoriginal and not even remotely funny. IF you’re going to use the satire angle at least be clever and witty. This was an embarrassing attempt.

      • Brian

        May 6, 2016 at 4:12 pm

        Brandon – agree with you 100%.

        or should I have said….

        Amen

        now that’s satire

  63. taffy

    May 6, 2016 at 9:19 am

    WRX has “jumped the shark”.

  64. Hooker T. Washington

    May 6, 2016 at 9:05 am

    Haha I love this stuff, and find it to be hilarious. I don’t know why y’all get so upset and butt-hurt over articles that are meant for nothing more than some good humor

    • BrewmeisterSmith

      May 6, 2016 at 10:11 am

      It’s simple really. People are dumb.

      • TDBACH

        May 6, 2016 at 12:39 pm

        I think you judge unfairly. Uninformed and outrageous comments fly on web site like this all the time, without any sense of irony. It’s hard to tell parody from serious intent anymore. So you have Tiger haters and fans responding almost by reflex. Face it, if you haven’t bothered to read the “Swanson” bio, it would be hard to tell this is a joke – and not at Tiger’s expense, but ours.

  65. barto78

    May 6, 2016 at 8:56 am

    Very little analysis in your opinion and analysis article. I guess Golfwrx has succumb to being a click-bait generating website with crap like this……

    Just a sad day really for this terrific website.

  66. Insider

    May 6, 2016 at 8:40 am

    one more rule, tiger has to use persimmon woods, and wound ball. hickory shafts are optional.

    • Robeli

      May 6, 2016 at 12:56 pm

      No, you got it wrong. The OTHER players has to use that.

  67. ooffa

    May 6, 2016 at 8:37 am

    C’mon Gofwrx, their has to be comedy writers you can hire that are funny. There are many candidates in the comment section. At least try and contact one of them.

  68. Daly

    May 6, 2016 at 8:34 am

    The one thing Tiger Woods and GolfWrx have in common, they’re both past their prime.

  69. Todd

    May 6, 2016 at 8:30 am

    Pathetic and juvenile attempt at humor.

  70. Philip

    May 6, 2016 at 8:27 am

    Awesome satire! Though I would think the handicap requirement only applies to non-professional golfers.

  71. Dj

    May 6, 2016 at 8:25 am

    Can I have my 2 minutes back? I’ve seen troll threads about blades in the forums better than this article.

  72. Mike Puglielli

    May 6, 2016 at 8:14 am

    Lets not let, arguably the best golfer of all time, play at our golf course—you’re right. With this mentality there shouldn’t be a lot of things.

  73. TW

    May 6, 2016 at 8:10 am

    Shank

  74. Jody

    May 6, 2016 at 8:07 am

    Might be time to can this whole “Swanson” bit.

  75. Anna

    May 6, 2016 at 8:04 am

    Really is a patheticly new low for GOLFWRX….

  76. Nath

    May 6, 2016 at 7:55 am

    Oah its you again, havent you gone back deep down in the forums already!

  77. avid golfer

    May 6, 2016 at 7:54 am

    this is the worst article I have ever read on this site. if it’s an attempt at satire it’s way off the mark and very poorly executed. truly embarrassing garbage for WRX.

  78. Hammy

    May 6, 2016 at 7:54 am

    I’m far from a Tiger fan boy but this article is rather garbage. Lets not forget if it wasnt for Tiger… majority of us probably wouldnt be playing golf and this site would probably not exist. I’ve read some pretty bad articles before but this is at the top. Usually articles contain some context that makes sense but the only thing I see here is hate.
    If a WRX member was to post this in the forums this would have been removed so quickly as per all the other posts that are based on hate. Instead you post this on the front page and totally contradict the rules the forum marshals enforce.
    Congrats!

    • TCJ

      May 6, 2016 at 12:35 pm

      I loathe the sentiment that Tiger Woods is some sort of golf savior. The game existed before, and will most certainly exist after he quits playing.

  79. tiger is number 1

    May 6, 2016 at 7:51 am

    This is sad, Tiger has done more for than game then we can fathom.. all those young first time winners more than likely grew up watching him play.. he is still and forever will be great for the game.. better luck on your next article swanson

  80. tiger woods

    May 6, 2016 at 7:49 am

    wow swanson just casue you have a small johnson and can only get laid by fat chicks dont mean you need to write garbage to bash the goat!

  81. Cdub

    May 6, 2016 at 7:30 am

    Worst article I have ever read on this site. I hope the site is not moving in this direction. This is garbage content.

Leave a Reply

Cancel 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 RBC Heritage betting preview: Patrick Cantlay ready to get back inside winner’s circle

Published

on

Just a two-hour drive from Augusta National, the PGA TOUR heads to Harbour Town Golf Links in Hilton Head Island, S.C. Hilton Head Island is a golfer’s paradise and Harbour Town is one of the most beautiful and scenic courses on the PGA TOUR.

Harbour Town Golf Links is a par-71 that measures 7,121 yards and features Bermuda grass greens. A Pete Dye design, the course is heavily tree lined and features small greens and many dog legs, protecting it from “bomb-and-gauge” type golfers.

The field is loaded this week with 69 golfers with no cut. Last year was quite possibly the best field in RBC Heritage history and the event this week is yet another designated event, meaning there is a $20 million prize pool.

Most of the big names on the PGA Tour will be in attendance this week with the exceptions of Hideki Matsuyama and Viktor Hovland. Additionally, Webb Simpson, Shane Lowry, Gary Woodland and Kevin Kisner have been granted sponsors exemptions. 

Past Winners at Harbour Town

  • 2023: Matt Fitzpatrick (-17)
  • 2022: Jordan Spieth (-13)
  • 2021: Stewart Cink (-19)
  • 2020: Webb Simpson (-22)
  • 2019: CT Pan (-12)
  • 2018: Sotoshi Kodaira (-12)
  • 2017: Wesley Bryan (-13)
  • 2016: Branden Grace (-9)
  • 2015: Jim Furyk (-18)

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 Harbour Town

Let’s take a look at key metrics for Harbour Town Golf Links to determine which golfers boast top marks in each category over their past 24 rounds.

Strokes Gained: Approach

Strokes Gained: Approach is exceedingly important this week. The greens at Harbour Town are about half the size of PGA TOUR average and feature the second-smallest greens on the tour. Typical of a Pete Dye design, golfers will pay the price for missed greens.

Total SG: Approach Over Past 24 Rounds

  1. Scottie Scheffler (+1.27)
  2. Tom Hoge (+1.27)
  3. Corey Conners (+1.16)
  4. Austin Eckroat (+0.95)
  5. Cameron Young (+0.93)

Good Drive %

The fairways at Harbour Town are tree lined and feature many dog legs. Bombers tend to struggle at the course because it forces layups and doesn’t allow long drivers to overpower it. Accuracy is far more important than power.

Good Drive % Over Past 24 Rounds

  1. Brice Garnett (88.8%)
  2. Shane Lowry (+87.2%)
  3. Akshay Bhatia (+86.0%)
  4. Si Woo Kim (+85.8%)
  5. Sepp Straka (+85.1%)

Strokes Gained: Total at Pete Dye Designs

Pete Dye specialists tend to play very well at Harbour Town. Si Woo Kim, Matt Kuchar, Jim Furyk and Webb Simpson are all Pete Dye specialists who have had great success here. It is likely we see some more specialists near the top of the leaderboard this week.

SG: TOT Pete Dye per round over past 36 rounds:

  1. Xander Schauffele (+2.27)
  2. Scottie Scheffler (+2.24)
  3. Ludvig Aberg (+2.11)
  4. Brian Harman (+1.89)
  5. Sungjae Im (+1.58)

4. Strokes Gained: Short Game (Bermuda)

Strokes Gained: Short Game factors in both around the green and putting. With many green-side bunkers and tricky green complexes, both statistics will be important. Past winners — such as Jim Furyk, Wes Bryan and Webb Simpson — highlight how crucial the short game skill set is around Harbour Town.

SG: SG Over Past 24 Rounds

  1. Jordan Spieth (+1.11)
  2. Taylor Moore (+1.02)
  3. Wyndham Clark (+0.98)
  4. Mackenzie Hughes (+0.86)
  5. Andrew Putnam (+0.83)

5. Greens in Regulation %

The recipe for success at Harbour Town Golf Links is hitting fairways and greens. Missing either will prove to be consequential — golfers must be in total control of the ball to win.

Greens in Regulation % over past 24 rounds:

  1. Brice Garnett (+75.0%)
  2. Scottie Scheffler (+69.9%)
  3. Corey Conners (+69.0%)
  4. Shane Lowry (+68.3%)
  5. Patrick Rodgers (+67.6%)

6. Course History

Harbour Town is a course where players who have strong past results at the course always tend to pop up. 

Course History over past 24 rounds:

  1. Patrick Cantlay (+2.34)
  2. Cam Davis (+2.05)
  3. J.T. Poston (+1.69)
  4. Justin Rose (+1.68)
  5. Tommy Fleetwood (+1.59)

The RBC Heritage Model Rankings

Below, I’ve compiled overall model rankings using a combination of the five key statistical categories previously discussed — SG: Approach (24%), Good Drives (20%), SG: SG (14%), SG: Pete Dye (14%), GIR (14%), and Course History (14%)

  1. Shane Lowry
  2. Russell Henley
  3. Scottie Scheffler
  4. Xander Schauffele
  5. Corey Conners 
  6. Wyndham Clark
  7. Christiaan Bezuidenhout
  8. Matt Fitzpatrick
  9. Cameron Young
  10. Ludvig Aberg 

2024 RBC Heritage Picks

Patrick Cantlay +2000 (FanDuel)

With the exception of Scottie Scheffler, the PGA Tour has yet to have any of their star players show peak form during the 2024 season. Last week, Patrick Cantlay, who I believe is a top-5 players on the PGA Tour, took one step closer to regaining the form that’s helped him win eight events on Tour since 2017.

Cantlay limped into the Masters in poor form, but figured it out at Augusta National, finishing in a tie for 20th and ranking 17th for the week in Strokes Gained: Ball Striking. The former FedEx Cup champion will now head to one of his favorite golf courses in Harbour Town, where he’s had immaculate results over the years. In his six trips to the course, he’s only finished worse than 7th one time. The other finishes include three third places (2017, 2019, 2023) and one runner-up finish (2022). In his past 36 rounds at Harbour Town, Cantlay ranks 1st in Strokes Gained: Total per round at the course by a wide margin (+2.36).

Cantlay is winless since the 2022 BMW Championship, which is far too long for a player of his caliber. With signs pointing to the 32-year-old returning to form, a “signature event” at Harbour Town is just what he needs to get back on the winning track.

Tommy Fleetwood +3000 (FanDuel)

I truly believe Tommy Fleetwood will figure out a way to win on American soil in 2024. It’s certainly been a bugaboo for him throughout his career, but he is simply too talented to go another season without winning a PGA Tour event.

At last week’s Masters Tournament, Fleetwood made a Sunday charge and ended up finishing T3 in the event, which was his best ever finish at The Masters. For the week, the Englishman ranked 8th in the field in Strokes Gained: Approach, 10th in Strokes Gained: Ball Striking and 16th in Strokes Gained: Putting.

Harbour Town is a perfect layout for Fleetwood, and he’s had relative success at this Pete Dye design in the past.  In his four trips to the course, he’s finished inside of the top 25 three times, with his best finish, T10, coming in 2022. The course is pretty short and can’t be overpowered, which gives an advantage to more accurate players such as Fleetwood. Tommy ranks 8th in the field in Good Drive % and should be able to plot his way along this golf course.

The win is coming for Tommy lad. I believe there’s a chance this treasure of a golf course may be the perfect one for him to finally break through on Tour.

Cameron Young +3300 (FanDuel)

Cameron Young had a solid Masters Tournament last week, which is exactly what I’m looking for in players who I anticipate playing well this week at the RBC Heritage. He finished in a tie for 9th, but never felt the pressure of contending in the event. For the week, Young ranked 6th in Strokes Gained: Off the Tee and 6th in Strokes Gained: Ball Striking.

Despite being one of the longest players off the tee on the PGA Tour, Young has actually played some really good golf on shorter tracks. He finished T3 at Harbour Town in 2023 and ranks 20th in the field in Good Drive% and 16th in Greens in Regulation in his past 24 rounds. He also has strong finishes at other shorter courses that can take driver out of a players hand such as Copperhead and PGA National.

Young is simply one of the best players on the PGA Tour in 2024, and I strongly believe has what it takes to win a PGA Tour event in the very near future.

Corey Conners +5500 (FanDuel)

Corey Conners has had a disappointing year thus far on the PGA Tour, but absolutely loves Harbour Town.

At last week’s Masters Tournament, the Canadian finished T30 but ranked 20th in the field in Strokes Gained: Approach. In his past 24 rounds, Conners ranks 3rd in the field in Strokes Gained: Approach, 3rd in Greens in Regulation % and 24th in Good Drive %.

In Conners’ last four trips to Harbour Town, his worst finish was T31, last season. He finished T4 in 2021, T12 in 2022 and ranks 8th in Strokes Gained: Total at the course over his past 36 rounds.

Conners hasn’t been contending, but his recent finishes have been encouraging as he has finished in the top-25 in each of his past three starts prior to The Masters, including an impressive T13 at The PLAYERS. His recent improvement in ball striking as well as his suitability for Harbour Town makes Conners a high upside bet this week.

Shane Lowry (+7500) (FanDuel)

When these odds were posted after Lowry was announced in the field, I have to admit I was pretty stunned. Despite not offering much win equity on the PGA Tour over the last handful of years, Shane Lowry is still a top caliber player who has the ability to rise to the top of a signature event.

Lowry struggled to score at The Masters last week, but he actually hit the ball really well. The Irishman ranked 1st for Strokes Gained: Approach on the week and 7th in Strokes Gained: Ball Striking. As usual, it was the putter that let him down, as he ranked 60th in the field in Strokes Gained: Putting.

Harbour Town is most definitely one of Lowry’s favorite courses on the PGA Tour. In his six starts there, he’s finished in the top 10 three times, including third twice. Lowry is sensational at Pete Dye designs and ranks 7th in Strokes Gained: Total in his past 36 rounds on Dye tracks. 

Lowry is perfect for Harbour Town. In his past 24 rounds, he ranks 5th in Strokes Gained: Approach, 2nd in Good Drive% and 5th in Green in Regulation %. If he figures it out on the greens, Shane could have his first win in America since 2015.

Lucas Glover +12000 (FanDuel)

This is one of my weekly “bet the number” plays as I strongly believe the odds are just too long for a player of Glover’s caliber. The odds have been too long on Glover for a few weeks now, but this is the first event that I can get behind the veteran being able to actually contend at. 

Glover is quietly playing good golf and returning to the form he had after the understandable regression after his two massive victories at the end of 2023. He finished T20 at The Masters, which was his best ever finish at Augusta National. For the week, Lucas ranked 18th for Strokes Gained: Approach and 20th in Strokes Gained: Ball Striking.

Over his past 24 rounds, Glover ranks 9th in Strokes Gained: Approach and 13th in Good Drive %. Harbour Town is a short course that the 44-year-old will be able to keep up with the top players on Tour off the tee. He’s played the course more than 20 times, with mixed results. His best finishes at Harbour Town include a T7 in 2008, but recently has a finish of T21 in 2020.

Glover has proven he can contend with the stars of the Tour on any given week, and this number is flat out disrespectful.

Your Reaction?
  • 25
  • LEGIT4
  • WOW1
  • LOL1
  • IDHT1
  • FLOP2
  • OB0
  • SHANK1

Continue Reading

19th Hole

Vincenzi: The 6 biggest takeaways from the 2024 Masters

Published

on

The 2024 Masters offered up plenty of excitement throughout the week with Scottie Scheffler delivering when it mattered to live up to his pre-tournament favorite tag. With the year’s opening major now in the books, here are my six biggest takeaways from the 2024 Masters.

Scheffler In a League of His Own

In the most impressive way possible, Scottie Scheffler won the Masters without having his absolute best stuff. For the week, Scottie ranked 19th in Strokes Gained: Approach, which is a category the number player in the world typically dusts the rest of the field in. After a strong approach day on Thursday, the 27-year-old lost strokes to the field on approach on Friday and Saturday, before gaining on Sunday. The iron performance was more than solid, but it was an all-around game that helped Scheffler get it done around Augusta National.

For a year or more, the narrative around Scheffler has been, “With his ball striking, if he can just putt to field average, he’ll be unbeatable.” At Augusta, his ball striking came back down to earth, but his touch around the greens and ability to manage the golf course demonstrated why he is the best player on the planet right now. For the week, Scheffler ranked 1st in the field in Strokes Gained: Around the Green and 24th in Strokes Gained: Putting.

For the time being, there is a major gap between Scottie Scheffler and the second-best player in the world, whoever that may be.

The Future is Now

Ludvig Aberg went into his first back-nine at the Masters with a legitimate shot to win the tournament. When he teed it up on the treacherous 11th hole, he was one behind Scottie Scheffler, who had just stuck one to a few feet on the 9th. By the time he approached his tee shot, which was perfectly striped down the left side of the fairway, he was two behind. Unfortunately, the 24-year-old got too aggressive with his approach at the 11th and found the water, making double bogey. Ludvig rebounded nicely and finished the event in solo second place.

With the Masters now in the rearview, it’s never been more evident that Ludvig Aberg is no longer an “up-and-comer” — he has arrived. The Swede has been an integral part of a winning European Ryder Cup team and has now contended at Augusta National. With a calm demeanor, a picture-perfect swing, and a build and stature that appears as if it was built in a lab, Ludvig Aberg is already amongst the world’s best. I’d be extremely surprised if he wasn’t in the mix at next month’s PGA Championship at Valhalla.

Nostalgia Wins

I try to avoid as many cliches as possible, but there’s something about the Masters that brings out the sentimentality in me. Tiger Woods strategically making his way around Augusta National without all of the physical tools that made him arguably the most dominant athlete in the history of sports will always be riveting, regardless of what score he shoots. Woods made it interesting until a tough stretch of holes on Saturday, but he ultimately wore down, shooting 16 over for the week in difficult conditions. It’s remarkable that the 15-time major champion was able to put together a few solid rounds of golf despite barely playing any competitive golf in 2024. As long as Woods tees it up at Augusta, we will all continue to be mesmerized by it.

Verne Lundquist’s 40th and final Masters Tournament was also a must-watch aspect of the event. The iconic voice of Lundquist and his calls throughout the years still give me chills each time I hear them. Verne is an icon of the game and will be missed in future renditions of the Masters.

The Masters also brings another element that is unique to the tournament. Former champions turn back the clock to battle with the golf course again which creates some amazing stories. There are a few that stick out this year and were an absolute pleasure to witness. 61-year-old Vijay Singh made the cut for the first time since 2018 and shot a pretty incredible even-par, 72 on Sunday. 58-year-old José María Olazábal made the cut as well, reminding us why fellow Spaniard Jon Rahm sought his valuable advice prior to his Masters victory in 2022.

Regardless of who wins, the Masters always delivers.

Bryson Moves the Needle

Plenty will disagree with me on this point, but outside of Tiger Woods, and potentially Rory McIlroy and Jordan Spieth, no one moves the needle in golf as much as Bryson DeChambeau. The uniqueness in which Bryson approaches the game has always been fascinating, and if he gets near the top of the leaderboard at any major championship, whether it’s to root for him or against him, people are interested.

It began on Monday with a pretty bizarre story of DeChambeau using 3D-printed irons that got just got cleared for use by the USGA when the week began. It once again felt like a storyline that would only be possible with a character as eccentric as Bryson. He then raced off to a first-round lead in tough conditions, reminding the world of what made him such a great golfer to begin with. He made some mistakes on the weekend, but still finished a career best T6 at The Masters.

Bryson is more than just quirky; he is a former U.S. Amateur Champion and U.S. Open who I believe will contend for more majors in the future. I will continue to root for DeChambeau, but I’m perfectly content with the fact that plenty will root against him, and I encourage those people to do so. That’s what makes it fun.

LIV Walks Away Empty-Handed

Last year, there were a multitude of questions about LIV players coming into the year’s first major. They had played very limited tournament golf, and critics of LIV questioned whether the 54-hole events were enough to sharpen the players enough to compete against the best in the world on the biggest stage.

The results were fascinating, with LIV players all over the leaderboard. Brooks Koepka held the 36- and 54-hole lead, with Phil Mickelson and Patrick Reed finishing T2 and T4, giving LIV three golfers in the top-4 of the leaderboard.

This season, with even more time removed and with some more massive additions to the roster, the intrigue surrounding LIV players at Augusta was once again palpable. While some players, including Bryson DeChambeau, exceeded expectations, I can’t help but walk away from the Masters feeling underwhelmed by the performance of the LIV players.

Brooks Koepka finished runner-up last season and is a certified major championship killer. The 5-time major champ was never involved and simply didn’t have it at Augusta. Dustin Johnson put together a putrid performance, shooting 13 over for his two rounds, making it fair to wonder if his days of contending at major championships are over as he rapidly approaches his 40th birthday.

Jon Rahm and Joaquin Niemann were both players who were amongst the favorites this week, but Rahm was faced with the daunting duties of defending champion and Niemann proved he was still not quite ready to master the quirks of Augusta National, bleeding strokes both around and on the greens.

To be fair, when all was said and done, LIV had four players in the top twelve at The Masters. Tyrrell Hatton stormed the leaderboard early on Sunday, finishing T9 and earning himself an invite back to Augusta next season. Cam Smith and Patrick Reed put together gritty performances, which isn’t too surprising considering the fact that they both absolutely love Augusta National, but neither ever felt a real threat to win. There’s no doubt the players on LIV are good, and that’s why some encouraging leaderboard positions aren’t enough. They needed to contend.

With no players part of the storyline on Sunday, I view the first major of the year as a disappointment for LIV. The players will head into next month’s PGA Championship at Valhalla with a lot to prove.

Rory’s Struggles Continues

Rory struggling at Augusta National is no surprise at this point. The four-time major champion has now had 10 attempts to complete the career grand slam and has never had a chance to win. His T2 in 2022 was deceiving, the Northern Irishman stormed the leaderboard on Sunday, but was never in contention, and never got within three shots of the winner, Scottie Scheffler.

I didn’t expect Rory to win, but I have to admit that this year felt a bit different. McIlroy played the week prior to the Masters, which he typically doesn’t do, and finished third at the Valero Texas Open. He gained 7.56 strokes on approach and 2.0 strokes off the tee, which told me that his visit with world-renowned swing coach, Butch Harmon, after the Players Championship paid dividends.

McIlroy also approached the media quite differently. He cut his pre-tournament press conference short after only 10 minutes and seemed to be laser-focused on just playing golf.

Despite the different approach to the Masters, the results were the same. McIlroy struggled over the course of the week, finishing T22 (+4) and never sniffed a decent weekend position on the leaderboard. It’s back to the drawing board for McIlroy, and I have doubts that he will ever figure it out at Augusta.

Your Reaction?
  • 49
  • LEGIT9
  • WOW4
  • LOL1
  • IDHT2
  • FLOP2
  • OB2
  • SHANK7

Continue Reading

19th Hole

Vincenzi: The 8 best prop bets for the 2024 Masters

Published

on

We’ve finally reached The Masters and excitement is at an all-time high. The world of golf has been fractured for the better part of two years, but for a week at Augusta National, all of the outside noise will disappear. All of the best players in the world will be together seeking to make history.

In addition to betting on The Masters champion. This is one of the few weeks of the year where there are so many more markets to explore, with value to be had in plenty of different categories.

Throughout this article, I’ll discuss all of my favorite props and players for the 2024 Masters.

Placement Bets:

Tony Finau Top 5 +750 (DraftKings):

I badly wanted to include Tony Finau in my outright betting selections, but I simply ran out of room on my card. Additionally, it’s slightly difficult to see him hitting the putts necessary to win the Masters on back nine on Sunday. However, I do strongly believe he will play great golf this week at Augusta National.

In his past 24 rounds, Finau ranks 4th in Strokes Gained: Approach is always amongst the best drivers of the golf ball in the game. Back in 2019, Finau had a great chance to win The Masters. I expect him to be hanging around over the weekend once again in 2024.

Gary Woodland Top 20 +550 (DraftKings), Gary Woodland to make the cut -110 (DraftKings):

Last season, Gary Woodland had his best ever finish at The Masters in his eleven tries. The 39-year-old finished T14 and played incredibly steady across all four rounds.

In Woodland’s most recent start at the Texas Children’s Houston Open, he struck the ball incredibly well. He led the field in Strokes Gained: Approach (+8.8) and Strokes Gained: Ball Striking (+10.0).

Gary has been working with Butch Harmon and absolutely flushing the ball both in tournaments and during practice.

Woodland appears to be healthy once again and in a great place physically and mentally. If he can build off his impressive performance at Augusta last year, he can place inside the top ten in 2024.

Additionally, the make the cut number on Woodland seems generous considering the number of players who miss the cut will be relatively small this week. Woodland is striking it well enough to make the cut even if he’s hindered by a balky putter once again.

Thorbjorn Olesen Top 20 +400 (FanDuel):

The Thunder Bear, Thorbjorn Olesen, made his Masters debut in 2013 and finished an incredibly impressive T6 for the week. In the two additional starts he’s made at Augusta National since then, the Dane has continued to be incredibly solid, finishing T44 and T21.

This week, Olesen heads into the week playing some good golf. He gained 3.8 strokes on approach and 5.52 strokes around the green at last week’s Valero Texas Open on his way to a strong T14 finish. Back in January, he won the Ras Al Khaimah Championship on the DP World Tour.

Olesen has the skill set to be successful at Augusta and seems primed for a good performance this week.

Top Nationalities:

Sergio Garcia Top Spanish Player +280 (DraftKings):

I believe Sergio Garcia can get into contention this week with the way he’s striking the ball in addition to his good vibes with a refurbished version of the Scotty Cameron that he used at the 1999 PGA Championship at Medinah.

I am slightly concerned about the emotional letdown he may face after losing in a playoff at LIV Miami, but I believe a veteran and former Masters champion should be able to regroup and focus on an event far more meaningful.

This is essentially a tournament head-to-head with Jon Rahm at +280. While Rahm deserves to be respected this week, the history of the lack of success of defending champions at The Masters is difficult to ignore.

Joaquin Niemann Top South American Player -230 (FanDuel):

While I hate paying this much juice, I don’t see a world in which Joaquin Niemann isn’t the top South American this week at The Masters. Joaco comes in playing better golf than anyone in the world not named Scottie Scheffler and has a serious chance to win the green jacket.

He only needs to beat two players: Emiliano Grillo and Camilo Villegas.

Tournament Head-to-Heads:

Justin Thomas -110 over Collin Morikawa

JT isn’t having his best season but is playing a lot better than he is getting credit for at the moment. In the past three months, there are only six players on the PGA Tour who have averaged 1.7 Strokes Gained: Tee to Green or better. Justin Thomas (+1.7) is one of the six and is currently tied with Rory McIlroy (+1.7).

Morikawa, on the other hand, has been extremely poor with his irons, which is incredibly uncharacteristic for him. I can’t help but feel like something is completely off with the two-time major champion.

Tony Finau -110 over Wyndham Clark

I explained in the placement section why I’m so high on Tony Finau this week. With how well he’s striking the ball, it seems as if his floor is extremely high. I’m not sure if he can make the putts to win a green jacket but I believe he will be in the mix similarly to 2019 when Tiger Woods emerged from a crowded pack of contenders.

Clark is a debutant, and while some debutants have had success at The Masters, it certainly poses a challenge. I also don’t believe Augusta National suits Clark as well as some of the other major championship venues.

Your Reaction?
  • 9
  • LEGIT5
  • WOW3
  • LOL0
  • IDHT0
  • FLOP0
  • OB0
  • SHANK3

Continue Reading

WITB

Facebook

Trending