The third FedExCup playoff event is upon us this week after a short break on the PGA Tour. We are off to the Conway Farm Golf Course in Lake Forest, Illinois.
The course is a Par 71 measuring 7,149 yards. There are three Par 5’s to contend with and the greens are on the small side. They will be running at 12 on the stimpmeter.
This week will be about driving accuracy and greens in regulation. The course was designed around the traditions of Scottish Links Golf. With only 70 players teeing it up this week and no cut mark we can expect to see some very competitive golf.
The Bookies Top 5 in betting are- 6/1 Tiger Woods, 12/1 Adam Scott, 14/1 Henrik Stenson, 16/1 Phil Mickelson and 18/1 Justin Rose.
The two players who stand out this week are-
Steve Stricker 20/1 www.sportsbet.com.au
What else can you say about the World No.10 that has not already been said? He is playing a limited schedule this season and still chalks up the big results. How many players on tour can say that their worst result this season was a T38th? Not to many!
Check out his form this season. Eleven starts for no missed cuts. Nine Top 25’s and six Top 10’s which includes three times as a runner up. Two of those results were early in the season at the Hyundai Tournament of Champions and WGC Cadillac Championship. The other was at his last start in the Deutsche Bank Championship.
The University of Illinios Alumni resides in Wisconsin so he will feel right at home this week.
Stats wise his game is perfect for this course. 7th in driving accuracy, 2nd in greens in regulation, 9th in strokes gained putting, 4th in birdie average, 2nd in scoring average, 5th in ball striking and 8th in scrambling.
I would be very surprised if Steve is not up there on the leader board heading into Sunday. At 20/1 he represents an excellent each way proposition.
Graham DeLaet 40/1 www.sportsbet.com.au
Graham started the season ranked No.182 in the World. He is now 34th and looking at improving that number this week.
24 starts, 19 made cuts, 12 Top 25’s and 7 Top 10’s. Those are great numbers.
Check out his form so far in the FedExCup play offs. T2nd The Barclays and 3rd Deutsche Bank Championship. Who else can show those type of numbers for the last two events? In his last eight rounds of golf he has posted rounds in the 60’s in seven of those!
With stats like 3rd in greens in regulation and 28th in driving accuracy you can expect to see DeLaet enjoying himself this week. Then you can add in 20th in driving distance, 1st in ball striking, 14th in birdie average and 20th in scoring average and you have yourself a golfer in tip shape who is over the odds at 40/1.
Good Luck and Good Punting.