|
There is a return to the Champions Course at Keene Trace GC in Kentucky this week, but a new title sponsor for the tournament. It’s a sixth visit to the venue and the identities of the five winners are a reminder that this is an opposite field (in recent times up against the DP World Tour co-sanctioned Scottish Open). Troy Merritt won in 2018, Jim Herman in 2019, Seamus Power in 2021, Trey Mullinax in 2022 and Vincent Norrman last year. Each of them shot 21-under or better for the week which tell us much – you need to go low this week to make any headway on the leaderboard. The course is a par-72 set at around 7,230 yards with bent grass greens. It’s a parkland track laid out among rolling hills. “It ebbs and flows through some beautiful terrain here, a little up and down,” said 2022 runner-up Kevin Streelman. “And the fairways, if you’re in the fairways, you have some chances to attack, but if you’re not, you’ve got to play a little conservative. “The par 5s are gettable. It’s a good balance of good par 3s and it's a fun course to play.” The betting market is quite extraordinary: Luke Clanton, still an amateur, is favourite and Michael Thorbjornsen, just turned pro, is second favourite. And it’s minimum 33/1 for everyone else. Angles to consider 1/ Birdie-fest form In recent years Detroit and Deere Run have also offered low scoring ahead of this event in the schedule and it has sometimes been a pointer. Norrman finish T24 at Detroit with a final round 65. Power was a top 10 finisher in the two of them. Merritt made the cut in both and was stymied by one bad round in four on each occasion. In contrast, Mullinax was in bad form (no top 20 since the October before) and Herman in dreadful nick (20 missed cuts in 23 starts, a best of T43 in that run). 2/ Career proof of going low Mullinax had won with a total of 261, Merritt had won with a total of 266. Norrman had been second with a 268 total, Power third on the same tally (he’s since won again with 265) and Herman had been third on 264. 3/ The Par-5s Norrman was second for the week on the long holes on -14, Mullinax was -10, Power -12, Herman -16 and Merritt -13. For what it’s worth, Norrman, Mullinax and Power were all double digits under-par in the Byron Nelson at TPC Craig Ranch a couple of months before winning this event. Selections The above angles have been used to create a shortlist from which the following players are selected. Carson Young He’s the third favourite and he’s available at 33/1. That in itself is rather unusual. He was 11-under for the par-5s at Craig Ranch. He was second on the KFT with a total of 263 so he can go low. And he was fifth last week in the John Deere Classic. Hayden Springer He was T10 at Detroit GC and T7 last week at TPC Deere Run, he was 9-under for the par-5s on the former and 11-under on the latter. He’s won with scores of 262 and 267. Last week he carded a 59 and got a bit overwhelmed. He can kick on. He was third in the opposite field Puerto Rico Open earlier this season. David Micheluzzi The Aussie was 12-under for the par-5s at Eichenried last week and that is a course that rewards attacking golf. He was second on the leaderboard, spending all week in the top five following on from T10 in Italy the week before. He’s won with totals of 269 and 264. Tips: 0-3; -6.00pts 1.5pt e.w. Carson Young at 33/1 (Skybet, William Hill, 888Sport, Unibet, BetMGM 1/5 1,2,3,4,5,6) mc 1pt e.w. Hayden Springer at 50/1 (Unibet, BetMGM, BetUK 1/5 1,2,3,4,5,6) 36th 0.5pt e.w. David Micheluzzi at 125/1 (Unibet, BetMGM, BetUK 1/5 1,2,3,4,5,6) mc
|
