LA QUINTA, California is the host for this year’s Career Builders Challenge where low scores are expected.
The desert course though has a forecast of rain, temperatures in the 50s and the wind could blow a bit so who knows how this will go. Also with the tournament being a pro-am and over three different courses it’s hard to decide on what stats will be important but I’ll go with putts per round and GIR.
Kevin Kisner had a great start to last season with his first win on the PGA Tour at the RSM Classic and three top 10s in his first six outings. Last week at the Sony Open in Hawaii he hit a 10-under 60 in the third round which would have been big news if Jason Thomas hadn’t hit a 59 in the first round.
He also hit a 60 in the unofficial Franklin Templeton Shootout in December so is capable of hitting really low scores. His GIR stat is 71.43% and ppr of 29.4.
Brendan Steele won the first tournament of the 2017 PGA season, the Safeway Open, way back in mid-October. He finished T6 in the SBS Tournament of Champions in the first tournament this year in Hawaii. He won his first tournament in 2011 but had to wait six years for his second.
In his last at rounds he has hit 10 sub-70 rounds and has a ppr stat of 29.7 and GIR of 77.43%. Don’t think it will take him six years for his win on tour and this looks like a good fit for him.
I was only picking two for here but I can’t let Luke List go. I watched him in the Sanderson Farms in October and was really impressed when he finished T2. Since then he has four top 15s, including a T7 in the OHL Classic. With a GIR stat of 73.38% and ppr of 28.54 he looks worth a small wager.
Recommended Bets
1.5pts ew Kevin Kisner (Ladbrokes 40-1)
1.5pts ew Brendan Steele (William Hill 40-1)
1pt Luke List (Betfair 55-1)
Ace Venturer