
We now enter the big money end to the PGA season with three play-off events for the FedEx cup culminating in $15 million dollars to the overall winner. At this level, money is not the main priority (although welcome!), the title and kudos are far more important.
The Northern Trust Open
This tournament sees the top 125 players in the points list compete in the first play-off event with the top 70 after this event going on to the BMW and then the top 30 to the Tour Championship. The current situation sees Brooks Koepka, Rory McIlroy and Dustin Johnson at the top of the list, with this new format, one event less, meaning that the overall winner almost certainly has to play well this week, particularly if they are outside the top ten on the list. Players who are sure to go well include Brooks Koepka, who if in the mood could take this field apart. He does love to beat the best players in the world, and most of them are here this week. At the current price of 8/1 he is not great value, but it is hard to see him not in contention come Sunday. McIlroy and Johnson will both be very popular but on current form it is hard to believe they offer any value, so it is probably better to look elsewhere.
Gary Woodland would have fancied his chances of adding this to his US Open, but he became the father of twins this week and his mind may be elsewhere. Tiger has solid course form, but it is impossible to bet him in his current form and he doesn’t look fully fit to me. Webb Simpson is also playing well and along with Cantlay, Rose, Rahm and Fowler, they should all be around the leaderboard at the weekend. Our rookie to follow, Collin Morikawa and our recent selection Billy Horschel are both still in great nick and should not be discounted, whilst an outsider to keep an eye on is Joaquin Niemann who will be winning in the next few months. Adam Scott is a previous course winner when the tournament was held here in 2013 and the return to the Liberty National course might spark a revival.