Greater Dallas Open

Subscribe

A new addition to the Web.com schedule this week is the Greater Dallas Open, an event that was created as a direct replacement for the WNB Golf Classic. The host course is the Lakes at Castle Hills and has previously hosted the Texas State Open from 2012-2014. Like most Texan tracks, the course will be exposed to a lot of wind and many players will have not expericenced such conditions so will immediately be at a disadvantage. It is also a long course, playing over 7300 yards, with tough greens that will not present too many birdie opportunities. I have focussed on players with links to the course and those who are proven players in windy conditions, notably Mexico and the El Bosque Championship.

My picks are as follows:

Kelly Kraft - 1pt e/w @ 33/1 - A local lad who has already stated his joy at being able to sleep in his own bed this week. He has already won on tour this year at the Louisiana Open back in March, also in windy conditions and comes here on the back of a 2nd place in the BMW Charity Pro-Am when last out on the Web.com. He is not the longest driver on tour but is certainly no slouch coming in at an average of just over 300 yards and sits 18th in Birdie Average which will certainly help on a course that doesn't give up too many birdies.

Austin Cook - 1pt e/w @ 40/1 - A fantanstic talent who most should have heard about after his 11th place finish on the PGA tour in the Shell Houston Open the other week after gaining his place through Monday qualifying. What some may not know though is that he also finished 13th on the PGA at the St Jude Classic back in 2014. He has an affinity to courses that feature wind and should do well here despite missing the cut last week at the Byron Nelson.

Andrew Landry - 0.5pts e/w @ 80/1 - He has missed three cuts on the bounce which is slightly worrying but I am hoping a return to his home state will revitalise his game and see a return to the form that he started the year with which included a win in Colombia at the Cartagena Championship. He drives the ball over 300 yards and has a Scoring Average of 69.82 which will hold him in good stead in Lewisville. He is also a Texas native and has played the Texas State Open in the past, most recently finishing 7th in 2014. 

Henrik Norlander - 0.5pts e/w @ 80/1 - An interesting choice for me this week is the Swede who sits 10th in Birdie Average which is a big draw for me on a course where birdies will be of a premium. So far in 2015 he has recorded two top 10s (5th in Panama and 2nd in Brazil - both windy conditions) but also has his share of MCs. He comes here on the back of a decent performance at the Rex Hospital Open, finishing 30th but it is his hidden course form that appeals to me most, finishing T2nd in Web.com Q-School on this course in 2012.  

Zack Fischer - 0.25pts e/w @ 300/1 - I would ordinarily overlook Fischer based on his average performance and stats this year but the fact is that this Texas native (and former Texas College student) has a wealth of course form. He was T9th in the Web.com Q-School qualifying in 2013, 4th in the Texas State Open in 2013 and 6th in 2012.

Total Staked - 6.5pts