RADIO
The best of the best will head to the Bahamas to compete in the Hero World Challenge. Last year, Jordan Spieth ran away with the tournament, winning by eight strokes at 26-under. The tournament will be held at Albany, New Providence on the Ernie Els designed golf course. Per the course website, "Albany’s 18-hole championship golf course, combines the best of links and desert features with windswept dunes and numerous scenic and strategically challenging water features."
The course plays to a par-72, and is 7,400-yards. There are some long holes such as the 603 yard par 5, ninth hole. The website states, "This 603-yard, picturesque but narrow par 5 is a great end to the front nine. Guarding the dogleg left is a lone fair- way bunker and a leaked drive right will end in the water. A lay up second shot needs to find the fairway which is lined with multiple waste areas on the left and the long lake stretching down the right. You will be rewarded for hitting the green in two but if you miss it, a bogey or worse could be lurking."
Players will also have to be aware of the 18th hole. "A strong finishing hole, this 470-yard play requires two well-struck shots to hit the green. A lake down the left side catches errant tee shots while a miss hit right finds the lone fair- way bunker. The final approach shot is to a narrow well-guarded green, with a grass swale right and the lake and bunker to the left."
This is the first time a tournament will be held on this course. There are five par 5's on the course, which are pretty long. The five par 3's may cause problems, due to their placements.
Stats To Look At
Strokes Gained: Tee-to-green
Greens in Regulation
Driving Distance
Par 3 Scoring
Birdie Average
Stats will be from the 2015 season, due to the few tournaments these 18 golfers have competed in this season.
The Lineup
With only 18 golfers competing, it will be very hard to have a completely unique lineup.
Dustin Johnson ($10,000)
Johnson kicked off his season tying for fifth at the WGC-HSBC and could enjoy a birdie fest on this course. He is the longest hitter, and should have no problem driving any of the long holes. He was ninth in SG:T2G last year, and fifth in birdie average. As long as he can avoid trouble on the Par 3's, I like his chances.
Justin Rose ($9,800)
Since October, Rose has won the Hong Kong Open, T7 at the BMW Masters, and T22 at the World Tour Championship Dubai. He also finished T6 at the Fry's.com Open in October. He was 9th in GIR, 14th in driving distance, 6th in SG:T2G, and 3rd in birdie average. His stats line up perfectly for this course. He is a good links player evident by his top 10 finish at the British Open this past year.
Paul Casey ($8,100)
He finished just inside the top 25 at the CIMB Classic and WGC-HSBC Championship this season. In his latest tournament played, BMW Masters, Casey finished T7th. He will put up points even without a top-1o finish, he scored 97 and 82.5 in the two tournaments he played in.
Brooks Koepka ($7,500)
What happened to Koeopka? His golf game has been terrible as of late. He finished off last season horribly, cut at the first two legs of the playoff, T49 at the third leg, and T18, out of 30, at the Tour Championship. He kicked off this year T41 at the Fry's.com Open ad then getting cut at the Shriners Open. For some reason I expect him to have fixed up his game for this tournament. He will be low owned also. He was 8th in driving distance, 34th in SG:T2G, and 17th in GIR.
J.B. Holmes ($7,300)
Holmes's 2015 stats are great for a course like this; 5th in driving distance, 19th in SG:T2G, and 10th in birdie average. He finished off last season strong; T4 at the BMW Championship, and T8 at the Tour Championship. He went 2-2-1 in President's Cup, and due to this being his first start to the season, I expect him to be low owned, therefore specially valuable in this kind f small tournament.
Jimmy Walker ($6,800)
Why not take another flier? He will be very low owned after his 50th place finish at the Shriners Open. This is a gut feeling pick. Let's hope he plays well.
