Another very stern test on The Florida Swing for PGA Tour players this week as they head to The Innisbrook Resort in Palm Harbor to tame The Snake Pit and The Copperhead Course. This week I am looking at some similar characteristics to what it takes to win at a PGA Championship or a US Open.. as opposed to a Masters or British Open. Less scrambling, bombing, and creativity and more straight and arrow.. accuracy off the tee, greens in regulation, wedge game/approach shots, par 5 performance as this is an opportunity that will need to be taken advantage of, and of course, putting.
As far as an outright winner.. I am not playing any of these but I like somebody like Harris English or Matt Kuchar at 15-to-1, who are both in very good form right now and have all of the strengths we are pinpointing this week. Luke Donald has a brilliant history here and is worth a look at 20-1. Jim Furyk is a possibility too at 25-1 as is Gary Woodland at 30-1.
March Madness is upon us in the basketball world and that makes for a ton of golfers coming to Las Vegas who need tee times, so I have been quite busy this week and was not able to shoot a Pregame video with my "Well Oiled B Team" colleagues, David Glisan and Steve Fezzik.. so I will do what I can here in the forum in the way of Freebies..
Jim Furyk (-155) over Brandt Snedeker. A heavy price to lay but I do feel this is a mismatch on this type of course - perfectly suited for Furyk's game, who happens to have a great history here including a victory in 2010.
Freddie Jacobson (-120) over Chesson Hadley. Jacobson's stats don't line up perfectly with this track but he finds a way to get it done on difficult golf courses and has faired well in the past at Riviera, another ball strikers venue. However, this is more of a play against Hadley, who has been playing very well and finally made it to the winner's circle last week in Puerto Rico but for me that means it's time to fade the newly crowned champion who is likely still trying to catch his breath and calm down after getting his first PGA Tour victory and eclipsing the 1-million dollar mark. While he's thinking about how he is going to spend his money, we'll bank on The Junkman.
Finally, I will take a shot with Brooks Koepka (-130) over Peter Uihlein. Koepka is a long ball hitter and too, not entirely suited perfectly for Copperhead but he is a Florida resident and is loaded with talent. Gary Woodland is a bomber with a ton of talent and despite up and down success here at this course, one of his ups was a Tour victory. Koepka could pull the same trick.
For my Premium Plays, you can find them here.. /pregamepros/pro-bettor/bettor.aspx?id=86670#capper
Don't delay, the action starts EARLY! like 4:40am Pacific Time on Thursday.
Enjoy the golf and have fun!
Brady Kannon
@lasvegasgolfer
www.LVTeeTimes.com