The PGA Tour heads to the capital this week for the Quicken Loans National a tournament which is increasing in profile as we head towards The Open Championship next month. Not only is that on the horizon but we are getting to the stage of the year where players are thinking about their positions on the FedEx points list and their futures so this is a big tournament.
Billy Hurley III won the tournament last year and he joins quite a few decent names in teeing it up with the aim of winning the competition this weekend too.
Recent Winners
2016 – Billy Hurley III
2015 – Troy Merritt
2014 – Justin Rose
2013 – Bill Haas
2012 – Tiger Woods
2011 – Nick Watney
2010 – Justin Rose
2009 – Tiger Woods
2008 – Anthony Kim
2007 – KJ Choi
The Course
This tournament has often been played at Congressional Country Club but it has moved to TPC Potomac at Avenel Farm which if you are a computer gamer you will recognise as TPC Avenel. It used to host the Kemper Open which became the Booz Allen Classic.
The course has undergone a lot of refurbishments since 2006 when it last hosted a PGA Tour event. The course is a par 70 which measures 7,107 yards. It has had 83 bunkers rebuilt and there is water in play on the property. All 18 holes were changed in the refurbishment.
The greens here are quite small and firm so going in at them from the fairways should be the order of the day. That said rain is forecast across the week so it might play softer than the organisers would like.
The Field
There are some big players in the field this week. It is headed by Rickie Fowler but The Players champion Si Woo Kim is also here while tournament winners Kevin Chappell, Justin Thomas, Marc Leishman and Brendan Steele are also in the field.
The defending champion Billy Hurley III joins former champions Bill Haas, Nick Watney and Troy Merritt in the field for what should be an excellent week of golf.
Market Leaders
Rickie Fowler heads the betting this week as an 8/1 shot but with bigger events on the horizon I’m not convinced I would want to be taking that especially with his recent tendency to go AWOL on Sundays. You’d need him to win at that price and I’m not convinced I would.
I do however think Patrick Reed will win soon but sadly his recent upturn in form hasn’t gone unnoticed. He is 14/1 to win this week alongside Justin Thomas and while I fancy Reed will win soon he can’t seem to keep the big scores off his card which costs him. After Justin Thomas’ failure at the US Open I’m not that keen on taking him at the prices either.
Bill Haas is a 25/1 shot to claim another PGA Tour title this week. He is often good on these sort of tracks. He hits a lot of greens and scrambles well when he misses them. He is a former winner of this event albeit on a different course so his claims are obvious. It is 28/1 bar that quartet.
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Main Bets
David Lingmerth is one man to have won around this course. He won a web.com event here a few years ago and set the 72 hole record in the process so he could well have an advantage on the rest of the field. The Swede is making some decent numbers at the minute and has made his last seven cuts with six of those events seeing him finish in the top 25. A combination of improved form and course knowledge could see him go close here.
Kyle Stanley sits third on the PGA Tour for proximity to the hole and it is that sort of ball striking that can be the difference this week. Stanley’s weakness is very much with the short stick but these tiny greens can assist with that so I’m expecting a big week from the man who is so solid from tee to green. Stanley went well around TPC Sawgrass for 54 holes and I believe he can go the full 72 here.
Outsiders
David Hearn is going along nicely at the minute and has back to back top 10 finishes heading into this week. Hearn is another excellent ball striker and his scoring has improved dramatically in recent weeks. He is another who has a weakness on the dance floor but as mentioned above these are the sort of greens to negate that and a lack of experience for most around here should keep Hearn competitive on the greens. That makes him a runner here.
Boo Weekley couldn’t quite last the pace at the Travelers last week but he hit the ball so well that it is hard to ignore him this week. Boo mentioned a few times how he has got his head sorted out so I’m prepared to give him a chance here. He ranks sixth in proximity to the hole and comes in here off the back of being third in GIR last week. Small greens will negate any putting weakness so he could be a huge player here.
Tips
PLACED – Back D.Lingmerth to win Quicken Loans National (e/w) for a 1/10 stake at 31.00 with Paddy Power (1/5 1-7)
Back B.Weekley to win Quicken Loans National (e/w) for a 0.5/10 stake at 126.00 with Paddy Power (1/5 1-7)
Back them here:
WON – Back K.Stanley to win Quicken Loans National (e/w) for a 1/10 stake at 41.00 with Coral (1/5 1-7)
Back him here:
Back D.Hearn to win Quicken Loans National (e/w) for a 0.5/10 stake at 81.00 with Betfair (1/5 1-7)
Back him here:
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