The PGA Tour stays in Asia this week for the CJ Cup at Nine Bridges, a tournament in only its second year which sees the tour looking to continue to tap into the Korean market. This is a select field with no cut so everyone teeing it up gets paid in dollars and FedEx Cup points.
Justin Thomas maximised his earnings here last year when he walked off with the inaugural title after he beat Marc Leishman in a play-off. Both men are back for more this year, as is a very serious cast list.
Recent Winners
2017 – Justin Thomas
The Course
We are back at the Nine Bridges Golf Club this week where the composite course of two nines will be used once again. The course is a par 72 which measures just 7,196 yards and with it siting well above sea level the air will be thin and the ball will fly further as a result.
There are a lot of strategically placed bunkers and water hazards ready to scoop up anything that is wayward. We saw last year that when the wind blows this becomes a really tough track and there is some wind in the forecast for much of this week which may keep the scoring relatively high so a solid long game and a hot putter is needed here.
The Field
With the last WGC event of the year in China next week a decent cast list has been assembled for this tournament. Justin Thomas is here to defend his title while last week’s winner Marc Leishman is also teeing it up this week. US Open and USPGA champion Brooks Koepka is also in the field here.
Jason Day and Hideki Matsuyama are top class players looking for an early season title here while the likes of Cameron Smith should be inspired after Leishman’s win last week while Paul Casey, Tyrrell Hatton and Alex Noren will look to build on their excellent week in the Ryder Cup recently. Byeong-Hun An leads the Korean home charge.
Market Leaders
Justin Thomas is a 6/1 favourite to successfully defend his title. I don’t think he’s playing quite as well right now as he was at the same stage last year and I think he is up against a much stronger field than 12 months ago so his price is very much on the skinny side. He’s at a level where he could win anytime he tees it up but my gut feeling is that he’s a little short so I’m happy to swerve him.
Brooks Koepka is a 10/1 shot to land an Asian title this week. He is becoming a bit of an enigma in that we only see the best of him in the week of a major and that is a concern when thinking about taking a relatively skinny price. I’m not thinking about it for too long. He isn’t for me especially on a course which doesn’t really play to his strengths.
There are a trio of players who are 14/1 to win this week. Australian pair Jason Day and Marc Leishman are two of them with Asia’s finest Hideki Matsuyama the other one. Leishman will be buoyed by his win last week and was runner-up here last year so he has to be considered. The course should suit Matsuyama but whether he’s any price in his current form I’m less convinced. Day is interesting. I wonder if he’s here as a warm up for next week. He doesn’t jump out as a likely winner around here.
Paul Casey went well for a while last week and he is 22/1 to deliver the goods here. That feels about the right price, if a little on the short side given the strength of competition up against him but he will be fine in the wind and is in good form so he probably shouldn’t be dismissed without a second look.
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Main Bets
I’ll go with three main bets this week. The first of them is the man who did his best to chase down Marc Leishman last week in Emiliano Grillo. I think this course really suits him. He is strategic as well as being straight off the tee and his short game and putting has come on leaps and bounds over the last couple of years. We’ve seen on plenty of occasions in the past that he is more than competent in the wind so he could be a tough nut to crack at 40/1.
Sungjae Im made a name for himself when he finished in the top five of the Safeway Open to start up the season. The Web.com Tour graduate now has the chance to make a real impression as he competes in his second PGA Tour event on the course he grew up playing as a youngster. This tournament is still new enough that the players will still be finding out about the track so Im has a major advantage there. His game looked in good order in Napa and combine that with his knowledge of this layout he can go well at 40/1.
Brandt Snedeker never got going last week. Whether that was down to the hangover of giving up the Safeway or just one of those weeks I’m not sure but this course remains one which should suit his positional long game and amazingly good putting technique. Add to that he is very good in the wind and there is a lot to like about the Wyndham champion. If he gets into a winning position he’ll be doubly determined to get it done after throwing the Safeway away and at 50/1 he’s a big price given the conditions he has in front of him.
Outsiders
Abraham Ancer will be used to playing with a bit of altitude from his Mexico days and he arrives in Korea in sensational form. I was going to play him last week but there were some injury issues about him going into that tournament. We can put them to bed now though given his showing there and he’s a big price to power his way to a decent finish again this week.
Charley Hoffman is as comfortable as anyone when it comes to playing in the wind given that he has a wonderful record in Texas and this course should suit him quite well too. He doesn’t have to pound it a mile which will help and he has enough of a touch on the greens to be extremely competitive. If the wind blows strongly, Hoffman will outlast many this week and at a three figure price he’s worth a gamble.
Tips
Back E.Grillo to win CJ Cup (e/w) for a 1/10 stake at 41.00 with Boylesports (1/5 1-6)
Back S.Im to win CJ Cup (e/w) for a 1/10 stake at 41.00 with Boylesports (1/5 1-6)
Back A.Ancer to win CJ Cup (e/w) for a 0.5/10 stake at 67.00 with Boylesports (1/5 1-6)
Back them here:
Back B.Snedeker to win CJ Cup (e/w) for a 1/10 stake at 51.00 with Betfred (1/5 1-7)
Back him here:
Back C.Hoffman to win CJ Cup (e/w) for a 0.5/10 stake at 101.00 with Betfair (1/5 1-6)
Back him here:
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