Course: Rivera Country Club, measuring at close to 7,400 yards. It is one of those in between golf courses that big hitters love - not so short that everyone is in contention, but not so long that they're laying up on par 5's. Big hitters will rule this tournament, but don't expect the same scoring as last weekend. Winning score will be in the teens under par.
Strength Of Field: C. It's a better field than last week, but the meat and potatoes of the PGA Tour won't be playing until the Honda Classic. Still, there are enough good players in this field that it makes it intriguing.
Extra Tidbits: This was the site of Ben Hogan's first golf tournament following a horrific car accident in 1949. Hogan almost won the tournament, but lost in an 18 hole playoff. Still, the event was good to Hogan, as he won three LA Opens. He also won the 1948 US Open that was played at Rivera. His successes at this event earned Rivera the nickname "Hogan's Alley"...This was also the site of Tiger Woods' first PGA Tour event, as he played in 1992 as an amateur. Strangely, Tiger never won at Rivera...The Monday qualifiers for this event were Jason Gore, Jin Park, Jonathan Randolph, and Drew Scott. This is the second time Park has Monday qualified this season. This will be Drew Scott's second ever PGA Tour event, his first being the Northern Trust Open in 2008...This is the last chance for players to enter the top 50 in the world and tee it up in Doral. JB Holmes and Luke Donald are the notable bubble players looking to secure a birth.
Fantasy Four:
Bubba Watson - Defending champion. The way he plays golf means he will be a contender every time he tees it up at Rivera. Has only played three times this season, but has finished 1st, 10th, and T2 in those three tournaments.
JB Holmes - Classic power hitter that should contend at Rivera. Shook off a loss in the playoff with a top 10 performance last week. Game is trending upward, and needs a big week to secure a spot at Doral.
Colt Knost - Sleeper pick. Has made the cut in five straight tournaments, with three of them being top 25 finishes. Does not seem intimidated by the stage he is on. Could be a sneaky winner on the PGA Tour this year.
Nick Watney - Has shaken off his struggled with two straight top 10 finishes, including a second place finish last week. Does not have the best record in this tournament, but he hasn't played in two years, which is a lifetime in professional sports. This is a vital week for Watney to show whether or not he's back to being one of the top players on Tour.
Last Weeks Team:
Ryan Palmer: CUT
Jimmy Walker: T21
Ernie Els: CUT
Jason Day: T4
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