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This tournament loves a name-change and this year it’s presented to us as The Desert Classic. Previously the CareerBuilder Challenge, the Humana Challenge and the Bob Hope Chrysler Classic, the California event which marks the start of the ’West Coast Swing’ has had format changes too during its 60-year history. Up until 2012 it was a five-round event. Since then the tournament has reverted to a traditional 72-hole format although still played on multiple courses under a Pro-Am format until the final lap. It now uses three layouts – similar to the Pebble Beach Pro-Am – and once more this year the courses on the rotation are the TPC Stadium Course at PGA West (7,113 yards, par 72), PGA West’s Nicklaus Tournament course (7,159-yard par 72) and La Quinta CC (7,060 Par 72). The TPC Stadium Course, designed by Pete Dye, will play host for the fourth year running, meaning the final 18 holes will be played there. Some memories from this event? David Duval’s 59 in 1999 at PGA West/Palmer and Adam Hadwin’s 59 at La Quinta in 2017. You basically can’t win with anything less than 20-under in this birdie and eagle-fest– even since the move to 72 holes. The winning scores starting from 2012 read: -24, -25, -28, -22, -25, -20, -22. Jon Rahm beat Andrew Landry at the fourth extra hole to win the title last year, ending a run of six straight victories for home American players. He was just the second overseas winner since 2004. Wise move to look at Par 4 scoring Four of the last five winners of this event topped the Par 4 scoring stats for the week, playing them between 11 and 13-under. They were Hudson Swafford (-11), Jason Dufner (-13), Bill Haas (-12) and Patrick Reed (-11). Last year’s champ, Rahm, was (-8) on the Par 4s, the stat being topped by the man he beat in a play-off, Andrew Landry. With low scoring expected, the PGA Tour’s Par 4 Birdie Or Better Leaders is an obvious place to peruse. There’s not that much data from the new campaign but there are a couple of players taking apart this week who appear in the top dozen on the current list as well as the season-long 2018 stats. Phil Mickelson is one although he’s already in the staking plan (see below). The other is Aaron Wise, who is 11th this time after ranking third for Birdie Or Better Leaders last season. The youngster has had two tries at this event, with T34 on debut and T17 last year after an opening 64. Wise shot middle rounds of 65-63 when T10 in November’s Mayakoba Classic (1st for Putting Average) and earlier in 2018 he landed the AT & T Byron Nelson, a result which helped him win Rookie of the Year. Looking at his two wins, he took that Dallas event with 23-under while his 2017 Web.com victory was achieved with 21-under and it’s no surprise to see him ranked 1st in Birdie Average this season. High on the List Most of the top eight in this week’s Overall Tour-tips Ratings are, as you might expect, at the front of the market but getting 50/1 on a player ranked 7th opens a window. Top 8 in the Rankings 1/ Jon Rahm – 7/1 2/ Justin Rose – 10/1 3/ Patrick Cantlay – 20/1 4/ Charles Howell – 25/1 5/ Chez Reavie – 40/1 6/ Andrew Putnam – 35/1 7/ Luke List – 50/1 8/ Adam Hadwin – 28/1 That man is Luke List and his numbers are certainly encouraging when we delve down. The American has teed it up three times in this 2018/19 wraparound season and cracked the top four twice. The first of those came in California in the Safeway Classic while he closed 63-65, thus showing his ability to go low, when matching that finish in the RSM Classic. In terms of course form, he has that too having posted tied sixth at this tournament on his debut in 2016 when closing with a 66 on the host TPC Stadium Course. Also T12 at the West Coast’s Farmers Insurance Open last year, List’s stats suggest he’s a good 50/1 shot in a modest field like this. Phil loves it out West It’s a well-worn line of thinking that Phil Mickelson loves playing in his home State of California. He’s racked up numerous wins and that includes two in this event in 2002 and 2004 when he shot 30-under both times under the 90-hole format. That was then but Mickelson continues to perform strongly in the Golden State. Looking at the Location Form table which displays the last eight tournaments played in California and Mickelson is the only one with three top tens in that period. They came via third at this event in 2016, second in last year’s AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am (an event he’s won four times) and 6th in the Genesis Open at Riviera. Back in October, the five-time major winner added T17 in the Safeway Open. We last saw him in action when he won his head-to-head duel with Tiger Woods at another California desert course and although the quality of golf wasn’t memorable, Mickelson was at least putting in the practice for that event so shouldn’t be too rusty here. Tips: 1-2; +3.00pts 1pt e.w. Aaron Wise at 33/1 (Coral 1/5 1,2,3,4,5,6,7) mc 1pt e.w. Luke List at 50/1 (Coral 1/5 1,2,3,4,5,6,7) mc 1pt e.w. Phil Mickelson at 40/1 (Boylesports, Coral 1/5 1,2,3,4,5,6,7) 2nd
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