Tournament Recap
Bryson DeChambeau left golf fans amazed as he hit monster drives and sunk long putts on his way to his eighth PGA Tour win. DeChambeau nearly drove the green on a par five in the final two rounds showing that technology and human development have changed the game of golf. Many believe technology in golf should be rolled back to help golf courses with remodeling costs and ensure that the game is played the way it is meant to be played. An entire book could be written on this very complex issue; players like DeChambeau could force the USGA’s hand.
Lee Westwood finished solo second and pushed Dechambeau to the 72nd hole. The 47-year-old continues to play well every year on the European Tour and surprises many when he contends on the PGA Tour. Westwood has always struggled to translate his wins on the European Tour into PGA Tour wins, he has 25 Euro wins, and only two PGA Tour wins. Westwood tends to contend on the PGA Tour from time to time; I would be surprised if he gets anywhere near a win again this season.
Corey Conners finished solo third, moving him into 24th in the FedEx Cup rankings. Conners is very inconsistent, but when he is playing well, he can contend with the best. He finished T10 in the Masters last season and has 4 top 20s since then. Conners will likely continue to miss many cuts and have random glimpses of greatness. If he finds a way to be consistent, he could turn a page in his career.
Andrew Putnam has quietly played very well lately with three top 10s. He finished T4 this week at Bay Hill. Although he may not win this season, his form is hard to deny until he shows otherwise.
Jordan Spieth continues his search to get back to his winning ways. Spieth seems to have turned a page in his career with four straight top 20 finishes. With Augusta right around the corner, Spieth should be in line for a solid performance given his track record and style for the course.
Prospect Watch
John Augenstein
Runner-up in the U.S Amateur in 2019. He missed the cut this week, shooting 83-70. Augenstein has potential but lacks experience in the Korn Ferry tour or elsewhere to be consistent on the PGA Tour.
John Pak
The Florida State University golfer finished T3 this weekend, shooting 71-74-68. Currently ranked fifth in the World Amateur rankings, Pak has shown potential for a very long time as he has seven wins under his belt in college. Look for him to play on the Korn Ferry Tour next season.
Austin Eckroat
He finished T5 at TPC San Antonio this weekend, shooting 75-70-69. Looking to follow his former teammates Victor Hovland and Mathew Wolff’s footsteps, Eckroat continues to play well and is currently ranked 15 in the World Amateur rankings.
Players Championship Picks
Hideki Matsuyama
Led here last year with an opening-round 63 before the event was canceled. T8 here in 2019, solid play as of late with top 20s in his last two starts.
Dustin Johnson
Cooled off a bit last in his last start after a red-hot start to the season finishing T54. Fantastic track record at TPC Sawgrass with T5, T17, T12 in the past three seasons. Look for Dustin to get back on track this weekend.
Tommy Fleetwood
Typically plays well on the Florida swing before the Masters. T5 here in 2019, solid form as of late with top 10 at Bay Hill last week.
Jhonattan Vegas
Vegas seems to be a solid value pick this week as he’s playing well leading up to a course he historically plays well. Solo second in Puerto Rico a few weeks back, solid track record at Sawgrass, including T3 here in 2019.
Cameron Smith
He seems poised to win sooner rather than later; Smith has the firepower to win a huge event like the Players. Back-to-back top 15 performances in his last two starts.
Last Week Pick Results
Marc Leishman – CUT
Matthew Fitzpatrick – T12
Tom Hoge – CUT
Billy Horschel – CUT
Scottie Scheffler – WD
Season Pick Results
Number of Tournaments | 3 |
Winners | 1 |
Top 20 | 5 |
Missed Cut | 4 |
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