USPGA Championship. There are a few key points to consider before making your selection for the USPGA. The Course: The romantically named No.3 course at Medinah is a monstrous 7561 yards long, the longest course ever used for a major, so short hitters will be at a disadvantage. The course used to be a US Open venue (the real feather in the cap that all the big clubs in the US strive for) but was dropped from the roster in 1990, basically for being to easy. The club are very keen to get back on that roster and they will set the course up in a US Open style. That means it will be extremely tough and just to make sure the rough will be lush and punishing, they have installed sprinkler systems in the rough! Clearly accuracy with be at a premium. The bunkers around the greens have been moved closer to the putting surface, again rewarding accuracy. So it looks the course will reward players who can drive it long and straight, keeping out of trouble and setting up the best possible position for second shots. Sounds simple but hitting the ball 300 yards onto 25 yard wide fairways is not, and Tigers ‘iron off the tee approach’ which won him the Open last month, is not an option on this course. Woods must be considered as a lay on the exchanges because when he has to use his driver, on a course that will actually punish wayward tee shots, he will find things very tough. Winners Profile: Past form shows that we should discount Europeans. There has been no European winner since 1930 and with a US Open set up expected, that trend should be continued. The winner will have won on the US tour (12 of last 13 winners) before and will be in his 30’s (17 of last 20 winners). 13 of the last 18 winners had never won a major before. So in summary, we are looking for a non European player in his 30’s who is an excellent driver of the ball, with good GIR stats, that has won on the US tour before, but not yet won a major. Elementary my dear Watson. So who fits the profile? 1 point e/w Robert Allenby outright @ 100/1 with Totesport Robert Allenby is ranked 2nd for total driving (accuracy and distance rankings combined), ranked 32nd for GIR, non European, aged 34, won 4 times on US tour but no major. Current form good (16/9/30/15). He was t2nd going into the last round of his last event but scored badly. Odds - 100/1 Totesport. Allenby may well be inspired by fellow Aussie Geoff Ogilvy winning the US Open and his US PGA form is quite impressive with 4 top 20 finishes since 2000, including 2 top 10’s. I will be on holiday next week and will be not be posting, but Allenby should be considered for top Aussie, group betting, matches etc. lost 2 points 0.5 point e/w Brett Wetterich @ 250/1 with Skybet, Paddy Power. Brett Wetterich is ranked 4th for total driving, 9th for GIR, tour winner but no major, American, 32 years old. Current form is poor but this event usually has a couple of big priced names in the frame and Wetterich should be well suited to the course. lost 1 point |
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