Course: The event will be played over three courses, but the main one that everyone will see twice is the PGA West Palmer Course. None of the three courses are any longer than 7,000 yards, and all three are among the easiest courses these players will see all year. If you like birdies in bunches, this is the event for you.
Field Strength: B-. Actually somewhat surprising that the event has any many big names in the field as it does. Phil Mickelson is the biggest name, but Matt Kuchar, Keegan Bradley, and Jason Dufner are among the bigger names in the field. Luke Donald has decided to skip the desert swing on the European Tour in order to play some events on the West Coast Swing.
Extra Tidbits: This is also a pro-am event, so players will only be cut after Saturday's round. The field of amateurs, however, are typically not as big of names as you will see in at Pebble Beach...Former president Bill Clinton is the honorary host of the event, and has, in the past, played 9 holes during Saturday's play. No word yet on whether or not he will do it again...This used to be a 90 hole event called the Bob Hope Classic. Former winners of the Bob Hope Classic receive an invite into the tournament, so Mark Brooks will be making an appearance on the PGA Tour this week. Also, the Humana Challenge has a strange invitational criteria that allows winners of the Players Championship prior to 1996 into the event, so Lee Janzen will be teeing it up this week.
Fantasy Four:
Patrick Reed - Defending champion. Won the Tournament Of Champions. Leaving him off your team right now would be a foolish move. I don't know about Reed's status long term and whether he will perform well at the majors, but in birdie or bust events, he's gold.
Scott Piercy - Finished second last week and his best golf is ahead of him. Appears to be over the injury that plagued him last season. Only concern is his past results at this tournament, but some times course history means nothing, especially if you're playing well.
Jason Bohn - Sleeper pick. Most recent finishes in the Fall were both top 10's. Has a good history in this event. Won in 2005 and 2010, so based on trends, he should be set up for a win this season. He's 41 years old, so he needs to make the most of his opportunities while he can.
Justin Thomas - After missing the cut in his first two PGA Tour events and finishing 70th in his third, Thomas seems to have settled in as a touring professional. Shot a 61 on Friday at the Sony Open, and nerves probably contributed to his two straight rounds of 70. Still, that's two top 10 finishes this season for the rookie who is just getting his feet wet.
Last Weeks Team:
Zach Johnson: T64
Charles Howell III: T26
Ryuji Imada: CUT
Jimmy Walker: WINNER
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