Wednesday, February 12, 2014

Wednesday Preview - Northern Trust Open

The PGA Tour return to Riviera Country Club in Los Angeles this week for the Northern Trust Open, which was once the LA Open back when Ben Hogan made this event popular. Riviera is also the golf course where Ben Hogan won the 1948 US Open.

Course: Riviera County Club, which measures about 7,400 yards. This is not a birdie-or-bust course, so expect somewhere in the low double digits to win the tournament. Mistakes are punished on several of the holes.

Strength Of Field: D. US Open Champion returns to the PGA Tour after a lengthy rest to recover from an injury, but he doesn't make up for the fact that none of the top players are teeing it up this week. Jason Dufner, Hideki Matsuyama, and Jimmy Walker are your biggest names in the field, as well as former champion Fred Couples. Phil Mickelson, a two time champion of this event, is sitting out.

Extra Tidbits: European Tour player Victor Dubuisson is making his third start of the PGA Tour season this week. Dubuisson is still in position to make the Ryder Cup team after two made cuts in his previous two starts...Darren Clarke makes his first PGA Tour start of the season. Clarke took up membership this season...Last year, John Merrick overtook Bill Haas and beat Charlie Beljian in a playoff to win his first PGA Tour event.


Fantasy Four:

Jimmy Walker: You keep riding the hot hand until they give you a reason not to. 3 wins in 8 starts this season. If he was burnt out, he wouldn't be playing this week. As long as he keeps his focus, he should content again.

Graham Delaet: Weak field equals a great chance for the Canadian to win his first tournament. Currently 11th in the FedEx Cup rankings.

Will Mackenzie: Sleeper pick. After losing his Tour privileges, he regained his Tour card this season and has already notched two top 10s and put himself inside the top 30 in the FedEx Cup rankings. Not the best record at Riviera, but is rounding into form.

Jordan Speith: I am going to eventually use up my maximum 10 starts on the kid, who is coming off another top 10 finish.  


Last Weeks Team:
Jason Day: MDF
Graeme McDowell: T7
Pat Perez: T7
Hunter Mahan: 6

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