The West Coast swing begins on the PGA Tour this week and it does so with the CareerBuilder Challenge, a multi course event from California. The tournament is a pro-am which means we get to see the stars of stage and screen in the spotlight and not just the professional golfers.
Jason Dufner won the title last year and he is back to defend it this year. Some decent players are opposing him in what is usually a low scoring week and this week will be no different.
Recent Winners
2016 – Jason Dufner
2015 – Bill Haas
2014 – Patrick Reed
2013 – Brian Gay
2012 – Mark Wilson
2011 – Jhonattan Vegas
2010 – Bill Haas
2009 – Pat Perez
2008 – D J Trahan
2007 – Charley Hoffman
The Courses
As ever three courses are in use this week with the cut coming after three rounds once all of the field have played each course once. The courses in operation are the Stadium Course, the Tournament Course at PGA West and La Quinta Country Club.
All three are par 72s with the Tournament course measuring the longest at 7,159 yards. The courses all play pretty easy given that amateurs are involved this week and as the cut of -9 last year highlighted hitting greens in the right number and making plenty of birdies is the way to success especially with the courses likely to be softened by a bit of rain this week.
The Field
Three of the successful US Ryder Cup team will tee it up this week along with a host of star names in America. The Ryder Cuppers are Patrick Reed, Zach Johnson and Phil Mickelson. Bill Haas is a twice champion around here and he is back seeking a hattrick.
Top European names such as Paul Casey, Jon Rahm, Francesco Molinari and David Lingmerth are all in the field here too so it should be a competitive week even if low scoring isn’t your thing.
Market Leaders
Patrick Reed predictably goes into the week as the favourite to win a second title but you would have to say in stroke play the putts have stopped going in for him in the batch of numbers needed to be deep in the mix here. That is a concern although his 20/1 price highlights the openness of the tournament.
Bill Haas is the second favourite. You know you are on someone comfortable here if you back him although whether you want to be on anyone short in this tournament remains to be seen.
Behind them there is a real competitive heat for the third favourite with Emiliano Grillo, Zach Johnson, Jamie Lovemark and Jon Rahm all around the 28/1 price. Lovemark was second going into the final round last year but couldn’t get the job done. Rahm hasn’t delivered what he should have yet while the other two might be after stiffer tests than this. It is 30/1 bar.
Main Bets
I’m going with two main bets again this week and they all both have to beat the field in putting, make stacks of birdies or eat up the par 5s and preferably a combination of all of them.
The first bet is on Brendan Steele who is going along nicely at the minute and always seems to play the West Coast Swing well. Steele was runner up here two years ago and began 2017 well in Hawaii. He hits a lot of greens in regulation, makes plenty of birdies and eats up the par 5s. His putting comes alive in this area of the country and he’s very much a danger this week.
Luke List might not be a household name but he ticks plenty of boxes here. He ranks high in par 5 scoring and is just outside the top 20 in strokes gained putting and birdie average. On these easier tracks those statistics should have him right in the game.
Outsiders
This is a tournament to throw a few darts at and I’m going to go at three. The first is the South African who I backed last week in Brandon Stone. He isn’t established on the PGA Tour but he has shown in Europe and in South Africa that scoring isn’t a problem. He has the length to make mincemeat of these courses so at a big price I’m happy to be on board him.
I’ve highlighted the putting quality of Michael Kim in the past and that quality can see him in the mix this week. Anyone who putts well is going to make a lot of birdies and he is no different. At a three figure price I’ll take the chance he goes low this week.
Patton Kizzire might be returning from a break but the last time he had one of those he should have won the Safeway Open. He is a top draw putter who hits a lot of greens. He ranks second in strokes gained putting this season and sits in the top 30 of the birdie averages too. If the break has done him good he should fire some low scores this week.
Tips
PLACED – Back B.Steele to win CareerBuilder Challenge (e/w) for a 1/10 stake at 36.00 with Coral (1/5 1-7)
Back L.List to win CareerBuilder Challenge (e/w) for a 1/10 stake at 51.00 with Coral (1/5 1-7)
Back B.Stone to win CareerBuilder Challenge (e/w) for a 0.5/10 stake at 81.00 with Coral (1/5 1-7)
Back P.Kizzire to win CareerBuilder Challenge (e/w) for a 0.5/10 stake at 126.00 with Coral (1/5 1-7)
Back them here:
Back M.Kim to win CareerBuilder Challenge (e/w) for a 0.5/10 stake at 126.00 with Paddy Power (1/5 1-7)
Back him here:
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