|
The second and penultimate leg of the FedExCup Playoffs takes us to Illinois and a golf course very familiar to European golf fans. Medinah Country Club was the scene of Europe’s incredible comeback to win the 2012 Ryder Cup and four members of that team – Rory McIlroy, Justin Rose, Ian Poulter and Francesco Molinari – take part in this week’s BMW Championship. The field-count is 70 for this no-cut event, with the top 30 in the FedExCup standings at the close of the week advancing to the season-ending Tour Championship at East Lake in Georgia. As well as the Ryder Cup, Medinah has also hosted two USPGA Championships in recent memory. Tiger Woods held off a young and bouncing Sergio Garcia to take the title in 1999 while Woods also came out on top in the 2006 edition. Garcia was fifth in 2006 while Mike Weir finished T5 and T10 respectively in those two events so course form, whether it be from those two tournaments or the ‘Miracle of Medinah’, is worth a look. The rough was cut down for the Ryder Cup but has been allowed to grow this time. However, Driving Accuracy appeared of limited importance in both 1999 and 2006. Angles to consider 1/ Greens in regulation Eight of the first 11 finishers in the 2006 USPGA were ranked in the top 10 for Greens In Regulation so that looks an important stat this week. It was a very similar story in 1999 with seven of the first nine ranked in the top 11 for GIR. This is a track where precise iron play is rewarded. 2/ Scrambling Tiger Woods was ranked 1st in this category in 2006 while the second-best scrambler that week, Luke Donald, finished tied for third. Rewind to 1999 and the top two scramblers, Sergio and Jay Haas, finished second and tied third respectively. Getting up and down around three-quarters of the time will take you far here if past evidence is anything to go by. 3/ State form There aren’t too many events played in Illinois despite Chicago being one of America’s great sports towns. However, there are good correlations between Medinah and other courses used in the state so that helps flesh out basic course form at this week’s venue. Selections Joaquin Niemann The young Chilean shot 66-69-69-65 to finish tied 10th at the John Deere Classic on his last trip to Illinois and that followed T23 at the same venue on his debut in 2017. Over the last eight weeks, Niemann ranks fifth in this 70-man field for Greens In Regulation (74.1%) and 11th for Scrambling (68.6%). He looks well worth an each-way play at 80/1. Collin Morikawa Another of the young guns to come to prominence in recent months, Morikawa looks to be a class act and already has a victory under his belt after landing last month’s Barracuda Championship. He’s hit over 75% of greens in the right number over the eight weeks (third in the field) and is 10th out of 70 for Scrambling across the same period. Location form? Yes, he has that too following a top four at the John Deere Classic. Byeong Hun An The Korean came mighty close to a first PGA Tour win at the Wyndham Championship earlier this month, leading for 54 holes and doing nothing particularly wrong on the final day but having to settle for third. That added to top 20s at Memorial, the US Open and the Rocket Mortgage Classic and he had middle rounds of 66-68 at last week’s Northern Trust. An has excellent Scrambling figures in recent events and his iron play has been strong as well. Tips 0-3; 6.00pts Joaquin Niemann at 80/1 (Sky Bet, Betfair SB, Paddy Power, Boylesports 1/5 1-2-3-4-5-6-7) 31st Collin Morikawa at 60/1 (Coral 1/5 1-2-3-4-5-6-7) 48th Byeong Hun An at 70/1 (Sky Bet, Betfair SB, Paddy Power 1/5 1-2-3-4-5-6-7) 28th
|
