The FedEx Cup playoffs have reached their second week and now we’re down to the last 100 hopefuls all aiming to scoop the mega jackpot at the Tour Championship in three weeks time.
Jason Day opened up the playoffs with a masterclass at The Barclays last week and he heads to this week’s Deutsche Bank Championship in Boston as the favourite to land a fourth title in his last five events.
Chris Kirk won the title 12 months ago and despite a recent injury he is in the field this week and is 150/1 to make a successful defence of the title.
With Monday being Labor Day in the United States the tournament begins on a Friday this week to conclude on the holiday day and that makes for even more excitement both inside and outside the ropes.
This isn’t a major championship by name but it has a major championship field as the world’s top three players are all teeing it up here. Jason Day is a 13/2 favourite to win the title with Rory McIlroy 15/2 and Jordan Spieth 17/2. If either of those three win the tournament they will end the week as world number one. Henrik Stenson is 15/1 and Dustin Johnson 16/1. It is 20/1 bar that quintet.
The Barclays rotates its course year on year but the Deutsche Bank Championship doesn’t which means we are back at TPC Boston again this week. TPC Boston is a Gil Hanse design which plays to a par of 71 and a yardage of 7,242 yards.
I was fortunate enough to go to the final day of this tournament last year while in New York and walked the course and given the humidity around it probably doesn’t play its full length. There are few demons in this course off the tee but plenty around the greens and on the greens. The winner this week will have putted and scrambled well and probably hit a decent percentage of greens in the right number.
I’m pretty keen on Jason Day’s chances this week but he’s far too short for me to back at 13/2. Winning four times in five events hasn’t been seen since the days of Tiger in his pomp and as a general rule I don’t back anyone at short prices in big field events.
Despite the top three in the game teeing it up this week there is still some value down the betting for us to exploit and I’m going to do that with four runners.
Brandt Snedeker has a good record in this tournament and being such a good putter should stand him in good stead. Snedeker has three top 10s in the last five years here and although he has finished down the field of the last two renewals he had been in the doldrums then.
He’s back to his best now having won a tournament earlier in the year and with a solid tee to green game and a very strong putting ability there is no reason why Snedeker can’t go well again here. Snedeker is a huge price compared to his quality and he’s my first bet this week.
Webb Simpson is a former champion around here and I fancy him to have another strong run. Simpson is solid from tee to green and I think he putts better on faster greens. He won the US Open a few years ago and you always get fast greens in that tournament.
Having won this tournament we know he can hole putts here and given how well he plays from tee to green there is no reason why he can’t go well again. Simpson had a good run in the Wyndham a few weeks ago and I fully expect another one here.
This isn’t just a normal tournament for Danny Lee. This is the last tournament carrying points for the Presidents Cup team and he is currently in the final automatic qualifying spot so while he has his destiny in his own hands here he needs a big week to seal the deal considering the company he is keeping this week.
I fancy Lee to go well here. He is a really good all round player and since he landed the title at the Greenbrier he has clearly gained a lot of confidence and has put himself in position to win tournaments since then which is really impressive after his first win. This course should really suit Lee. He is a strong hitter of the ball but has good skills on and around the green and at 80/1 with the Presidents Cup caveat in his mind the Kiwi should be strong this week.
My final pick is a man I’ve taken a few times this season and is another with a solid all round game in Kevin Kisner. Kisner drives the ball well, hits plenty of greens in the right number but has a wonderful short game when he misses the greens and he knows how to hole clutch putts as we saw at the Players Championship earlier in the year.
Often the playoffs has a dark horse who turns into a hero. Bill Haas was one the year he won it and Billy Horschel most certainly was last year. With this course having the profile it does Kisner could add himself to that club this week.
Back B.Snedeker to win Deutsche Bank Championship (e/w) for a 1/10 stake at 67.00 with BetVictor (1/4 1-5)
Back W.Simpson to win Deutsche Bank Championship (e/w) for a 1/10 stake at 67.00 with BetVictor (1/4 1-5)
Back D.Lee to win Deutsche Bank Championship (e/w) for a 0.5/10 stake at 81.00 with Boylesports (1/4 1-5)
Back K.Kisner to win Deutsche Bank Championship (e/w) for a 0.5/10 stake at 101.00 with Boylesports (1/4 1-5)
