HE'S BACK!
Yes, I am sorry for missing the last couple-plus weeks with all of you. I was getting some things worked out from the business side of things.. but thank you for the nice comments, Mindpower, like calling me a "compulsive gambler." Haha. Casting apparent insults when you clearly haven't got a clue. You ooze class from every pore, Son.
After a very poor start to the season, we have seen things turn quite nicely over the course of the last eight events, going 28-16-and-1 in our Head to Head Match Ups along with nailing Stenson at The British at 28-to-1. Last week at The Barclays, we were 4-and-1 heading into Sunday and incredibly ended up 4-2-and-1 with Steve Stricker blowing a 3-shot advantage to lose and Jason Dufner pushing his match despite beginning the final round with a 9-shot advantage. Uggh.
But all of this is in the past and it is on to The Deutsche Bank at full power. Here is this week's Preview Article..
Investment Notes from The Deutsche Bank
Yeah, yeah.. let's get all of the puns out of the way early and move on. Will Henrik Stenson have to "Withdraw" again this week or will he spend all four days "Depositing" his ball in the hole? He's been "Money" at this course in the past but there is just no "Teller-ing" what he'll do this year.
Okay, enough! We understand it is The Deutsche Bank Championship and like an ATM spits out $20 bills, so will TPC Boston, give up birdies. This is the 14th edition of The Deutsche Bank and the winning scores over the 13-seasons prior have averaged nearly 18-under par. It will be a stark contrast from last week's U.S. Open like set up at Bethpage Black. While Bethpage was a tremendous way to kick off The FedEx Cup Playoffs with a very stern test of golf, I like that this week offers up an entirely different style venue. The FedEx Cup winner shall emerge having undergone every type of test over the course of the four weeks and not just one style in which certain players flourish. Like a Major Championship that tests every facet of one's game, the four weeks of FedEx Cup Playoff venues ought to do the same. You'd better earn that ten million dollar first prize, right?
The field has since been thinned to just the top-100 in the standings and only 99-of those players are here this week as Danny Willett is defending his European Masters title in Switzerland. TPC Boston is an Arnold Palmer design that has been tweaked a few times and in many different ways by Gil Hanse and New England native, Brad Faxon. I mentioned earlier that there is room off of the tee and the bombers have certainly fared well here but shorter hitters, Webb Simpson, Steve Stricker, Olin Browne, and Chris Kirk have captured four of the thirteen competitions. Hitting greens in regulation has proven to be very important here - as it is just about everywhere. Putting will go a very long way this week and so will scrambling. In the last five years, the winner of The Deutsche Bank has ranked in the top-6 in scrambling for the week. Keep pace by making birdies, hit greens, get up and down when you miss 'em, score well on the Par 4's, and you can "Bank" on having success this week in Boston.
The Favorites
Jason Day (6-1) This top spot in the market is becoming awfully familiar for Mr. Day, the world number one, who had another Top-5 finish last week. He was very errant off of the tee at Bethpage but he will find it much more forgiving this week, where he has five Top-15 finishes in the last six years.
Dustin Johnson (10-1) DJ has sprinkled a couple of 4th place finishes in here at TPC Boston amongst an otherwise pedestrian ledger - and that may have to do with the emphasis on putting and scrambling which are not his best attributes. I will never count him out though in what is currently a Player of Year like campaign.
Jordan Spieth (11-1) Spieth has been a topic all season long - because he has not done what he did last year. Last week at an extremely difficult golf course, he finished 10th. I expect this week with his exceptional putting and scrambling, he may be the cream that rises.
The Contenders
Henrik Stenson (15-1) For the second time this season, Henrik Stenson pulled out of a golf tournament early last week due to a tweak in his surgically repaired knee. He has been otherwise tremendous this season and won here at TPC Boston in 2013. He finished 2nd to Rickie Fowler last year.
Adam Scott (20-1) The Australian won the inaugural event here in Beantown back in 2003 and played excellent last week at Bethpage but was once again undone by his putter. He has four additional Top-10 finishes at TPC Boston and is number one on Tour in Strokes Gained from Tee To Green.
Patrick Reed (25-1) After racking up ten Top-10 finishes this season, Patrick Reed finally kicked the door down and took top honors last week at The Barclays. He vaults to number one in the FedEx Cup Standings and locks up a Ryder Cup spot. He finished 4th here last year.
The Long Shots
Justin Thomas (50-1) Thomas is a young gun that would love to join his good friend, Jordan Spieth, on The Ryder Cup team. He finished 10th last week and will need to do even better than that this week in order to impress Coach Davis Love III. He was 56th here last year at The Deutsche Bank.
Charley Hoffman (70-1) The San Diego native won this event in 2010 and finished 3rd last year. A Ryder Cup coaches pick may be out of the question but a strong performance this week will keep him in the Top-30 in the FedEx Cup standings and possibly secure his spot in the Tour Championship finale.
Daniel Berger (75-1) Berger does still have a chance at a Captain's Pick for The Ryder Cup squad and finished 12th here last season. He is currently 30th in the FedEx Cup standings, so there is motivation there too in order to stay in the Top-30 and qualify for The Tour Championship.
The Pick
Rickie Fowler (25-1) Rickie nearly locked up a spot last week on The Ryder Cup team but faded down the stretch at Bethpage, finishing 7th, and now finds himself needing to become a Captain's Pick in order to represent the United States side. He hasn't missed a cut since The U.S. Open and won here at TPC Boston last year. He has all the game for this course; putting, length off of the tee, scrambling.. I think he bounces back after last week's disappointment and basically forces Davis Love's hand with a successful defense of his 2015 title.
FREE PLAYS: Full Tournament Head to Head Match Ups..
Rickie Fowler (-105) over Justin Rose
Brandt Snedeker (-125) over Billy Horschel
Good to be back, Team. Thank you and have fun.
Brady Kannon
@lasvegasgolfer
www.LVTeeTimes.com