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Buick Invitational
Recipe for Success: Rain is expected to hit Thursday night creating soggy conditions for Friday/Saturday. Players who get the long South Course out of the way on Thursday may have an advantage. Wet conditions = less roll on the fairway which means the South Course will play much longer than it already is. If greens are going to stick, then accuracy off the tee and GIR is less meaningful this week. These conditions allow players to be more agressive and certainly favor guys long off the tee and good putters.
The Plays:
Kevin Sutherland -130 over Ben Curtis (2 units)
Sutherland has an amazing history at this course. He has made the cut every time he has played here since his 1st start in 1996. He has 4 top tens in 13 starts. He's also in very good form with only one missed cut in the last nine months. Sutherland plays some of his best golf on the west coast swing and it has continued this year 21 and 48 place finishes. He has the stats to succeed well here also. He is in the top 25% for driving distance (important stat), average for driving accuracy, and average with the putter. I'm happy to oppose Curtis this week. He opened this season with a 66th place finish last week, he has four missed cuts from five previous starts @ the Buick, and in general his record on the west coast swing is pretty poor. He's one of the shorter drivers on the tour but he makes that up with pretty good accuracy and average with the putter.
Luke Donald -130 over Charles Howell III
Both these guys have amazing results at Torrey. Donald, who despite not winning as much as his ability suggests he should, has started the season encouragingly. His stats last time out were particularly good. Despite not being long off the tee has always performed well here in his five finishes finsihing no lower than 24th. He's a pretty solid putter so he should make his share of birdies this week. Howell is lights out at Torrey like Donald. Looked great at the Sony Open, finishing T-4. He had a death in his family and hasn't performed well since. He withdrew from the Bob Hope and missed the cut at FBR which he always plays well at making the last 7 cuts. He is one of the poorest putters on the tour so he probably won't take advantage of the conditions. Until he shows he can turn it around I'll play against him with a guy that has every right to contend this week.
Recipe for Success: Rain is expected to hit Thursday night creating soggy conditions for Friday/Saturday. Players who get the long South Course out of the way on Thursday may have an advantage. Wet conditions = less roll on the fairway which means the South Course will play much longer than it already is. If greens are going to stick, then accuracy off the tee and GIR is less meaningful this week. These conditions allow players to be more agressive and certainly favor guys long off the tee and good putters.
The Plays:
Kevin Sutherland -130 over Ben Curtis (2 units)
Sutherland has an amazing history at this course. He has made the cut every time he has played here since his 1st start in 1996. He has 4 top tens in 13 starts. He's also in very good form with only one missed cut in the last nine months. Sutherland plays some of his best golf on the west coast swing and it has continued this year 21 and 48 place finishes. He has the stats to succeed well here also. He is in the top 25% for driving distance (important stat), average for driving accuracy, and average with the putter. I'm happy to oppose Curtis this week. He opened this season with a 66th place finish last week, he has four missed cuts from five previous starts @ the Buick, and in general his record on the west coast swing is pretty poor. He's one of the shorter drivers on the tour but he makes that up with pretty good accuracy and average with the putter.
Luke Donald -130 over Charles Howell III
Both these guys have amazing results at Torrey. Donald, who despite not winning as much as his ability suggests he should, has started the season encouragingly. His stats last time out were particularly good. Despite not being long off the tee has always performed well here in his five finishes finsihing no lower than 24th. He's a pretty solid putter so he should make his share of birdies this week. Howell is lights out at Torrey like Donald. Looked great at the Sony Open, finishing T-4. He had a death in his family and hasn't performed well since. He withdrew from the Bob Hope and missed the cut at FBR which he always plays well at making the last 7 cuts. He is one of the poorest putters on the tour so he probably won't take advantage of the conditions. Until he shows he can turn it around I'll play against him with a guy that has every right to contend this week.
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