It isn’t just the European Tour where the golf action returns this week. It also returns in America with the traditional PGA Tour yearly opener the Hyundai Tournament of Champions taking place in Hawaii.
Sometimes the field for this event can be a mix of top players mixed in with some indifferent ones even though only winners from the previous 12 months are eligible to take part but a massively strong field has been assembled this week.
That field is led by Jordan Spieth but he will be challenged strongly by the likes of Jason Day, Dustin Johnson, Bubba Watson and Rickie Fowler among others. In fact it is only Rory McIlroy, Henrik Stenson and Justin Rose who are anyone who aren’t here.
The Plantation Course at the Kapalua Resort in Maui, Hawaii is once again the venue this week. It is the only par 73 course on the entire PGA Tour but at 7,452 yards it isn’t a particularly long course it has to be said.
There is plenty of freedom off the tee this week with huge landing areas for drives and vastly oversized greens for the players to fire into so we’re looking at another birdie fest this week unless the wind blows it has to be said. The wind is the only defence for this golf course.
Given the ease of the course from tee to green I expect this to turn into a short game and putting contest so I’m going nowhere near anyone who can’t work wonders with the short stick this week.
Spieth kicks off as a 5/1 favourite, marginally ahead of Jason Day who is 6/1. Dustin Johnson then comes next at 8/1 with Bubba Watson and Patrick Reed both 11/1. Rickie Fowler is a 12/1 shot and it is 22/1 bar those named.
As with all tournaments of this type particularly at this time of year you have to assess who is motivated here and who is just here to get rid of the rustiness after a bit of a break. Maybe Rickie Fowler aside I’m not sure any of the market leaders will be massively interested here and Fowler is a little short for someone with his form the way it is.
My first pick this week is a long hitter. I don’t see length as a massive advantage but it does no harm so I like Brooks Koepka. He should have no motivation issues given that he’s still establishing himself as a leading player on the PGA Tour and his talent certainly doesn’t come into question either.
Koepka is a very underrated putter and likewise a scrambler but I think he can go well here. He’s played enough in Europe to know we can rely on him in the wind and I’m expecting a good showing from him this week.
I’m also expecting a good show from Jimmy Walker. Walker always plays well this time of year and after a bit of a break over Christmas to fine tune his game I’m expecting him to come out firing at top form.
He was beaten in a playoff here 12 months ago before going down the road and winning the Sony Open and we saw with his performance in the Hero World Challenge that his form is beginning to return. We saw another example of how he can play island golf there and I think with a good start someone with the all round game Walker has should get into the mix and stay there.
Finally I’m going to chance someone who we could look back on to be a silly price come the end of the weekend and that is Chris Kirk. When you want a good putter you would always look towards Kirk as he is one of the best in the game with the short stick.
Sometimes he can be undone on tougher courses from tee to green but this one has nothing tricky about it in that regard. After injury hampered him for large parts of 2015, Kirk won’t lack for motivation this week and he has the short game and short stick to have him there or thereabouts throughout.
Back B.Koepka to win Hyundai Tournament of Champions (e/w) for a 1/10 stake at 29.00 with Sportingbet (1/4 1-4)
Back J.Walker to win Hyundai Tournament of Champions (e/w) for a 1/10 stake at 34.00 with Sportingbet (1/4 1-4)
Back C.Kirk to win Hyundai Tournament of Champions (e/w) for a 0.5/10 stake at 67.00 with Skybet (1/4 1-5)
Another fine call on Koepka kev. Walker starting to fire. It will be difficult to stop the express train of Speith. Good luck this evening.
Nice tournament in terms of reading the event before hand coupled with the picks but sadly like you say nobody was touching Spieth. Solid place to begin the year with though!