This column landed a 33/1 winner last week as Keegan Bradley got the job done at the Zozo Championship in Japan.
Had Covid not caused mayhem, the PGA Tour would be staying in the Far East and making the relatively short hop to South Korea for this week’s CJ Cup.
Sponsors, the CJ Group, are a South Korean conglomerate holding company but after three editions on their own soil (2017-2019) they’ve had to move their event to the United States due to ongoing restrictions.
In 2020 and 2021 this tournament was held on two different courses in Las Vegas but this time the tournament switches to Congaree Golf Club in South Carolina.
Thankfully, the course has been used before as it staged the one-off Palmetto Championship in 2021.
That June event was won by South African Garrick Higgo while no less than six players finished runner-up: Chesson Hadley, Tyrrell Hatton, Doc Redman, Hudson Swafford, Bo Van Pelt and Jhonattan Vegas.
It’s a Tom Fazio design measuring a healthy 7,685 yards and the mission in mind was to replicate the layouts found in Australia’s famous Sandbelt region in Melbourne.
The greens are Champion Bermuda and will run fast while the weather forecast is pleasant with little wind.
Also note that the field this week is limited to 78 players.
Rory McIlroy, Jon Rahm, Scottie Scheffler and Justin Thomas give the event plenty of firepower at the front end of the market.
Angles to consider
1/ Course form
Okay, there’s not much of it but plenty in the field this week contested the Palmetto Championship here last year and that can only be of help.
2/ Strokes Gained: Tee To Green
This seemed the dominant stat in that Palmetto event. The top four in this category all finished in the six-man logjam for tied second while winner Higgo was 8th.
3/ Strokes Gained: Around The Green
Within that Tee To Green ranking, Around The Green was more important than is often the case. Six of the top 10 ranked in the top 15 for ATG.
4/ Location form
We’re in South Carolina so form in the region could be of help. Plenty of the leading finishers last year had Carolina connections or good form in/links with neighbouring Georgia.
Selections
The above angles have been used to create a shortlist from which the following players are selected.
Jordan Spieth
Spieth was a winner at nearby Hilton Head earlier this year and is also a past runner-up at Sedgefield, a North Carolina track. It doesn’t need saying how well he’s played in Georgia, home of the US Masters. Spieth should enjoy the creativity needed around the greens and last month he was the top points scorer in the Presidents Cup, winning all five of his matches. He ranked 18th for SG: Tee To Green last season and 27th Around The Green.
Tyrrell Hatton
Hatton was one of the half-dozen golfers who finished in a tie for second place at this course when it staged the Palmetto 18 months ago. And he did so despite a woeful putting performance. He looks sharper with the flatstick now and has a habit of playing well on the same courses: his two wins and a second in the space of three years at the Alfred Dunhill Links an obvious example. Recent SG: Tee to Green and Around The Green numbers are good and he’s also finished third at Hilton Head (2020).
Matt Fitzpatrick
The Englishman surprisingly missed the cut when defending at Valderrama last week but that looks a blip having come two starts on from his second place in the Italian Open. Fitzpatrick played in the Palmetto here last year and finished tied 10th, shooting a lower score each day, and he’s a regular visitor to the Carolinas where his record is impressive. In Italy he ranked 3rd for Tee To Green and 1st Around The Green.
Tips 0-3; -6.00pts
1pt e.w. Jordan Spieth at 30/1 (Betfair, Paddy Power 1/5 1-2-3-4-5-6) 52nd
0.8pts e.w. Tyrrell Hatton at 35/1 (William Hill 1/5 1-2-3-4-5-6-7) 13th
1.2pts e.w. Matt Fitzpatrick at 22/1 (William Hill 1/5 1-2-3-4-5-6-7) 13th
